Ben Markley is a pianist, composer, arranger, author, educator, and leader of the Ben Markley Big Band, a daring ensemble known for their creative takes on beloved modern and contemporary jazz classics. Fresh off the heels of his album Clockwise: The Music of Cedar Walton, Ben tackles his most ambitious project yet: Ari’s Funhouse, a big band album featuring the music of drummer Ari Hoenig, with Hoenig himself in the drum chair. The album received great critical acclaim and was selected as one of the best 4 star rated albums of 2022 by DownBeat magazine.

Ben is active as a composer and arranger with many big band and vocal jazz charts published through UNC Jazz Press and benmarkleymusic.com. Recent arranging commissions include the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia, and Wyoming Jazz Educators All-State Jazz Band. He is also an active author. Ben’s 2023 book Cedar. The Life and Music of Cedar Walton has become the definitive biography on Cedar Walton. His 2014 book, A Practical Approach to Improvisation - The David Hazeltine Method, documents David Hazeltine’s process of creating etudes from transcriptions. 

Ben is an active performer in the Denver-metropolitan area and along the front range. He currently teaches jazz piano and serves as department chair of the music department for the University of Wyoming.