Musician Profile

Band Info

Ollie Benson – Banjo and Guitar. I wanted a guitar when still at primary school but I got a ukulele banjo which I never learnt to play. By the time I reached secondary, the guitar had become hugely popular due to the skiffle boom. I got my first instrument by the time I was thirteen and it was not long before I had formed my own group with some school friends. By the time I was twenty I had developed an interest in jazz and this led me to playing with some outstanding local musicians including Digby Fairweather, John Mole and Jasper Livesey. Eventually my career and family commitments curtail my musical activities but for most of my life I played in functions bands at weekends. About 2001 I gave up functions bands and joined a band playing swing jazz. I was asked to play banjo in addition to guitar and that it is when I started to play plectrum banjo which led me to play in several traditional bands. Soon after, I developed and interest in traditional Irish music and I now play Irish tenor banjo as well as guitar and mandolin for a skiffle group that likes some traditional folk music in its repertoire. It seems that I have come full circle.

Previous Bookings

Date	Group	Instrument	Further Info
1st May 2022	The New King Jazz	Banjo and Guitar	N/A
30th January 2022	The New King Jazz	Banjo and Guitar	N/A
8th March 2020	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A
12th January 2020	Les Handscombe's Tailgate Jazz Band	Banjo and Guitar	N/A
3rd November 2019	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A
12th May 2019	Les Handscombe's Tailgate Jazz Band	Banjo and Guitar	N/A
7th April 2019	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A
4th November 2018	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A
27th May 2018	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A
11th March 2018	Les Handscombe's Tailgate Jazz Band	Banjo and Guitar	N/A
10th December 2017	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A
17th September 2017	Les Handscombe's Tailgate Jazz Band	Banjo and Guitar	N/A
23rd July 2017	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A
29th January 2017	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A
12th June 2016	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A
10th January 2016	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A
6th September 2015	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A
8th March 2015	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A
7th December 2014	Les Handscombe's Tailgate Jazz Band	Banjo and Guitar	N/A
2nd November 2014	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A
1st June 2014	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A
19th January 2014	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A
27th October 2013	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A
26th May 2013	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A
10th March 2013	Les Handscombe's Tailgate Jazz Band	Banjo and Guitar	N/A
30th December 2012	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A
21st October 2012	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A
15th July 2012	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A
18th December 2011	Hugh Rainey's Jazz Band	Banjo	N/A