Benjamin Lapidus

Benjamin Lapidus has performed and recorded throughout the world on stage, television, film, theater and video game soundtracks. As the leader of the Latin jazz group, Sonido Isleño, he has performed throughout North and South America, Europe, and the Caribbean while releasing five internationally acclaimed albums of his original compositions. He has given masterclasses and presentations on the history and development of Jazz, Latin Jazz, Latin American, and Caribbean music under the auspices of the Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series and The Smithsonian Institution.

Lapidus earned his Ph.D. from the CUNY Graduate Center in 2002. As a double-degree student at Oberlin College and Conservatory, he earned a B.M. in jazz guitar performance and a B.A. in comparative literature. Lapidus has presented research papers at national and international conferences and published articles in peer-reviewed journals. Before being appointed as Assistant Professor of Music at John Jay, Lapidus taught in the Jazz and Contemporary Music program at The New School University, in addition to teaching courses on world music, popular music of the Caribbean, and Latino and Caribbean music at Queens and John Jay.

Representative Publications

•“El Tres,” in Latin Beat Magazine 15(8) October 2005.

•“The Changüí Genre of Guantánamo, Cuba,” in Ethomusicology 49(1) January 2005.

•“Stirring the Ajiaco: Changüí, Son and the Haitian Connection,” in Cuban Counterpoints: TheLegacy of Fernando Ortiz edited by Mauricio A. Font, Alfonso W. Quiroz, and Pamela Smorkaloff (Lexington Books, 2004).

•“Yo tengo sentido, tengo rima: Cano Estremera and the Art of the Soneo,” in Centro: Journal of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies Puerto Rican Music: RicanStructing Roots and Routes, vol. 2 (October 2004).

Representative Recordings

•Maurice El Medioni and Roberto Rodriguez, Descarga Oriental, 2006 - Piranha.

•Sonido Isleño, Vive Jazz, 2005 - Tresero Productions TP-1105.

•Ralph Irizarry y Son Café, Bailando con azucar, 2005 - BKS Records BKS-18902.

•Score, Anna in the Tropics, 2004 - Dallas, Los Angeles, New Mexico productions.

•Sonido Isleño, Blue Tres, 2004 - Tresero Productions TP-1104.

•Cuban Dreams, A Reunion: The New York Sessions, 2004 - Pimienta/Universal Records 245360549-2, featuring The Buena Vista Social Club: Ibrahim Ferrer, Pio Leiva, Manuel “Guajiro” Mirabal, Orlando “Cachaito” Lopez, Juan Pablo Torres, and others.

•Hot Peas ’N Butter, Volume 2: A Second Helping, 2002 - Hot Peas ’N Butter Inc.

•Adelante, Morena, 2002 - Gee Jam/SONY 2307561001.

•Various Artists, A Musical Gift of Greatness, 2001 - Latin Percussion, Inc. J323.

•Universales del Son, Guateque en Yateras (Changüí), 2001 - Envidia A707033.

•Sonido Isleño, Tres is the Place, 2001 - Tresero Productions TP-1103.

•Various Artists, Real Latin Jazz: Percussion, Piano and Strings, 2000 - EMI-Capitol Records 72435-28299-27.

•Video Game Soundtrack, Last Call, 2000 - Simon & Schuster Interactive/Cutler

Creative.

•Soundtrack, Crucible of Empire: The Spanish-American War, 1999 - PBS/Great

Projects Film Company.

•Sonido Isleño, El Asunto, 1999 - Tresero Productions TP-1102.

•Sonido Isleño, ¿Quién Tiene Ritmo?, 1998 - Tresero Productions TP-1101.