Ben Polcer

Ben Polcer is a trumpet player, piano player, and bandleader. His traditional jazz education began very early in life, watching his father Ed Polcer lead the house band on cornet at the world-famous jazz club Eddie Condon’s in midtown Manhattan in the late 70s and early 80s.
In 2007, Ben relocated to New Orleans, LA, to pursue music full-time. Over the next 16 years, he was a bandleader first as a street musician, and then in clubs and concert halls all around the city, such as The Spotted Cat Music Club, Tipitina’s, and Preservation Hall. Ben has played concerts and jazz festivals all over the US, Brazil, Canada, England, Scotland, and much of Europe. He is currently the New Orleans bandleader for Jazz at Lincoln Center’s “Let Freedom Swing” school concert program, spreading traditional jazz education to elementary school students. Ben currently resides in Philadelphia, PA.