Since moving to the Pacific Northwest in 1995, Ben Thomas has established himself as one the area's most creative, lyrical and technical mallet percussionists in regional jazz and tango music.
Growing up, Thomas idolized his musician father, eventually deciding to take up the drums like his dad. Thomas then fell in love with mallet percussion in high school. After studying music at Swarthmore College, he received a Master of Music from University of Michigan.
Shortly after relocating to the area, Thomas earned yet another degree, this time a doctorate in percussion performance from the University of Washington. He's gone on to record and perform frequently with his own groups. In August 2025, he put out a new record entitled The Hat with the Grin and the Chuckle with the Ben Thomas Tango Project.
When he isn't composing, recording, or performing, Thomas serves as the music department chair for Highline College in Des Moines, Washington, where he teaches performance, composition, and music theory.
Answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Are you from Seattle? If so, where in the city did you grow up? If not, where do you hail from?
I grew up in Tampa, FL, went to school in Pennsylvania and Michigan, ended up in Seattle in 1995.
What projects or bands are you focused on right now and how did those bands/projects come about?
As a leader, I’m focused on my tango groups. I have one group that plays traditional music for dancers. The other group (Ben Thomas Tango Project) blends tango and jazz and focuses on modern and original music.
I got into playing tango music about 20 years ago after dancing for several years. I fell in love with the bandoneon and it’s been a serious obsession of mine for the last decade or so. Plus, the intensity of the arranging and composition gave me an opportunity to combine jazz and classical musicians in the same group, which opens all sorts of possibilities.
My main gig as a side-person is still Jovino Santos Neto’s Quinteto, where I get to play with some of my favorite musicians in town. I’ve been in Jovino’s group for 20 years now and he keeps writing more and more incredible music.
How would you describe the music you make and the type of musician that you are? Do you see yourself exclusively as a jazz musician?
I’m definitely not exclusively a jazz musician. Though I spent decades playing mostly jazz, I’m probably 50/50 jazz and tango at this point. I also try to keep my hand in other styles (chamber music, Brazilian, pop, salsa, etc.).
Like a lot of musicians, I think my approach is to keep myself ready to participate in as many opportunities as possible. That means constantly shedding as a technician, improviser, listener, and human being.
Do you remember when you chose to pursue jazz music? What inspired that decision?
In high school, my percussion teacher Dave Coash was teaching me classical percussion, but wanted to get me into jazz. He turned me on to Jaco Pastorius and Weather Report, Afro-Cuban music, and John Coltrane. I still remember some of the tapes he gave me. From there, I couldn’t get enough.
What role does the culture and environment of the Pacific Northwest play in your music and/or compositions?
I don’t know how much influence the culture has had on my music, but the environment has played a huge part. The mountain, water, and forests have all shown up in compositions on my albums going back to the '90s.
There’s even an ode to an epically disastrous backpacking trip (“Bridge at White Creek”) on my album The Mystagogue from 2000. But most of my writing about the Northwest comes from more positive experiences!
Who is your biggest role model in the Seattle jazz scene, if you have one? Why?
For this, I have to do a 50/50 answer with Chuck Deardorf and John Bishop.
Though he was never my teacher, I think I learned more from Chuck than anyone else in my time in Seattle. I played with Chuck for over 15 years in Jovino Santos Neto’s group, and he pushed me as both a musician and a person. He was a consummate musician on many levels and gently (and sometimes, not so gently) inspired everyone around him to raise the level.
Bishop has contributed so much as a drummer, teacher, festival organizer, label owner, etc. He’s taught a bunch of the drummers in Seattle. He’s helped produce hundreds of albums for Seattle jazz musicians. He ran the Ballard Jazz Festival.
Bishop was my first hero when I moved to Seattle in '90s. I remember seeing him play with Jeff Johnson and thinking, “That’s how I want to play drums!” That feeling has never gone away. And on a practical level, I learned more from him about hand technique than anyone else I ever studied with.
What’s your favorite local jazz venue and why?
If I had to choose one, it would probably be Seattle Jazz Fellowship. It presents high-quality music for local and visiting artists, and is helping mentor a bunch of amazing younger musicians in the scene. Plus, the feeling of community is like a giant hug every time I walk in the room. Thomas Marriott started this years ago, but after hundreds of shows, it still feels special and shiny and magic.
What makes the Seattle jazz scene special or notable in your eyes?
It sounds like a cliche, but it’s the people. We have talented musicians pushing themselves and each other. We support each other’s gigs. We have appreciative audiences that show up night after night and help keep the scene vibrant.
