Draft:Benjamin Redwine

• Comment: Most of the sources make not mention of Redwine so should not used. His website is a primary source and not independent so not helpful for establishing notability. S0091 (talk) 21:33, 5 December 2023 (UTC)

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Dr Benjamin Redwine (born 1970, Oklahoma City) is an American clarinetist, band leader, educator, and composer living in Louisiana.

Redwine began studying clarinet with his grandfather, Loris Wiles when he was six years old. Loris Wiles was a professional classical clarinetist and educator, performing with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra, and teaching at the university level before finishing his career as the most well respected private woodwind teacher in the Oklahoma City area.

Ben studied music education at the University of Oklahoma, where he studied clarinet privately with Dr David Etheridge. Simultaneously, Ben studied clarinet with Steven Girko, the former principal clarinetist in the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Ben earned his masters degree in clarinet performance from Louisiana State University (LSU), studying with Steve Cohen. Upon graduation from LSU in 1995, Ben entered the United States Army Band program, serving four years in Atlanta, Georgia in the Army Ground Forces Band, where he was a featured soloist for national tours. In 1999, Ben won the audition wit the United States Naval Academy Band in Annapolis, Maryland. He was featured in multiple concerts as a soloist, and served as the E-flat clarinetist in the Concert Band. While in the Navy, Ben earned his doctorate degree from the Catholic University of America (CUA) in Washington, DC in Clarinet Performance, with a minor in Latin American Music History. He served as an Assistant Professor at CUA for five years, from 2012-2016, teaching courses in music theory, music education, private clarinet instruction, and he conducted the university concert band. While living in the Washington, DC region, Ben formed the Redwine Jazz Band, featuring John Previti on double bass and Tom Mitchell on guitar. They performed extensively in the region and nationally for 20-years. The band recorded two feature CDs and held two steady gigs for over 9 years. The focus of Ben's studies, and the resulting document at CUA was the study of the history of the samba, its progression into the Bossa Nova, and a study of the famous Jazz Samba album recorded in 1962 by Charlie Byrd, Stan Getz, Keter Betts, Buddy Deppenschmidt, and Bill Reichenbach. Ben recorded a tribute album to that recording entitled Samba Jazz, featuring John Previti (double bass) and David Rosenblatt (guitar). The recording was completed in the same space as the 1962 album (All Souls Unitarian Church in Washington, DC), and 50-years later, in 2012.

In 2016, Ben relocated to Covington, Louisiana. From 2017-2018, he taught woodwinds, conducting, woodwind techniques, and music appreciation at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After one year, he resigned to pursue music performance in New Orleans and on the "Northshore", the name of the region just north of New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain. He has performed extensively in southeast Louisiana at various jazz clubs including the Spotted Cat, Maison Frenchmen, Fritzel's European Jazz Club, Snug Harbor, and has held steady gigs at Madame Vic's, May Baily's, and the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. Ben has also been a frequent substitute musician with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra.

In May, 2022, the Redwine Jazz Band was a featured performer at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and performed at the Dew Drop Jazz and Social Hall in Mandeville, Louisiana. The Dew Drop is the oldest jazz performance venue in the world. In 2022, Ben was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award, bestowed by St Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper and the St Tammany Parish Council of Cultural Affairs. He joined the Northshore Traditional Music Society in October, 2022, leading their monthly "Jazz Jam" in Covington, a group comprised of professional and amateur musicians.

In 2023, Ben was appointed as a St Tammany Parish Commissioner of Cultural Affairs by President Mike Cooper. Also in 2023, he accepted a position as co-leader and clarinetist for the venerable New Orleans traditional jazz ensemble, the Dukes of Dixieland. He performs six nights per week on the Steamboat Natchez on the Missisippi River.