Ben Riley
Ben Riley (July 17, 1933 – November 18, 2017) was an American jazz drummer known for his work with Thelonious Monk, as well as Alice Coltrane, Stan Getz, Woody Herman, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Ahmad Jamal, Kenny Barron, and as member of the group Sphere. During the 1970s he was a member of the New York Jazz Quartet.
Ben Riley was born in the state of Georgia and at the age of four moved with his family to New York City. In high school he played in the school band, and after graduation he joined the army, where he was a paratrooper, and also played with the army band.
Upon leaving the army in 1954 he moved to New York, and in 1956 started playing jazz professionally. He played with such musicians as Randy Weston, Mary Lou Williams, Sonny Rollins, Woody Herman, Stan Getz, Billy Taylor, and Johnny Griffin. What made his name, however, and helped direct his career to success, were four years spent playing, touring, and recording with the great pianist Thelonious Monk.
Discography
As leader
1996: Weaver of Dreams (Joken)
2006: Memories of T (Concord)
2012: Grown Folks Music (Sunnyside)
As sideman
With Chet Baker
As Time Goes By (Timeless, 1986)
Cool Cat (Timeless, 1986 [1989])
With Bill Barron
Variations in Blue (Muse, 1983)
Live at Cobi's 2 (SteepleChase, 1885 [2006])
The Next Plateau (Muse, 1987 [1989])
Live at Cobi's (SteepleChase, 1988-89 [2005])
With Kenny Barron
Innocence (Wolf, 1978)
Golden Lotus (Muse, 1980 [1982])
Imo Live (Whynot, 1982)
Green Chimneys (Criss Cross Jazz, 1983)
The Only One (Reservoir, 1990)
Lemuria-Seascape (Candid, 1991)
Live at Bradley's (EmArcy, 1996 [2001])
Live at Bradley's II (Sunnyside, 1996 [2002])
Minor Blues (Venus, 2009)
With Ted Brown
In Good Company (Criss Cross, 1985) with Jimmy Raney
With Ray Bryant
Live at Basin Street East (Sue, 1964)
Cold Turkey (Sue, 1964)
With Kenny Burrell
Listen to the Dawn (Muse, 1980 [1983])
Groovin' High (Muse, 1981 [1984])
With Ron Carter
Yellow & Green (CTI, 1976)
Piccolo (Milestone, 1977)
Peg Leg (Milestone, 1978)
Pick 'Em (Milestone, 1978 [1980])
With Alice Coltrane
A Monastic Trio (1968)
Ptah, the El Daoud (1970)
With Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
Afro-Jaws (Riverside, 1960)
With Ricky Ford
Manhattan Blues (Candid, 1989)
Ebony Rhapsody (Candid, 1990)
American-African Blues (Candid, 1991)
With Red Garland
Stepping Out (Galaxy, 1978)
So Long Blues (Galaxy, 1979 [1981])
Strike Up the Band (Galaxy, 1979 [1981])
With Bennie Green
Glidin' Along (1961)
With Johnny Griffin
Battle Stations (Prestige, 1960) – with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
Johnny Griffin’s Studio Jazz Party (Riverside, 1960)
Tough Tenors (Jazzland, 1960) – with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
Griff & Lock (Jazzland, 1960) – with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
The First Set (Prestige, 1961) – with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
The Tenor Scene (Prestige, 1961) – with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
The Late Show (Prestige, 1961) – with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
The Midnight Show (Prestige, 1961) – with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
Lookin' at Monk! (Jazzland, 1961) – with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
Change of Pace (Riverside, 1961)
Blues Up & Down (Jazzland, 1961) – with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
White Gardenia (Riverside, 1961)
The Kerry Dancers (Riverside, 1961–62)
Tough Tenor Favorites (Jazzland, 1962) – with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
With Michael Franks
Tiger in the Rain
With Andrew Hill
Lift Every Voice (Blue Note, 1969)
Shades (Soul Note, 1986)
With Sam Jones
Down Home (Riverside, 1962)
With Junior Mance
Junior Mance Trio at the Village Vanguard (Jazzland, 1961)
With Ken McIntyre
Year of the Iron Sheep (United Artists, 1962)
With Thelonious Monk
It's Monk's Time (1964)
Monk (1964)
Live at the It Club (1964)
Straight, No Chaser (1967)
Underground (1968)
With Sonny Rollins
What's New? (1962)
The Bridge (1962)
With Sphere
Four in One (Elektra/Musician, 1982)
Flight Path (Elektra/Musician, 1983)
Sphere On Tour (Red, 1985)
Pumpkin's Delight (Red, 1986 [1993])
Four for All (Verve, 1987)
Bird Songs (1988)
With Horace Tapscott
Dissent or Descent (Nimbus West, 1984 [1998])
With Roseanna Vitro
Listen Here (Texas Rose, 1984)
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