"When the short form ventures give way to the more expansive and patiently crafted soundscapes, Kono moves effortlessly among an entire palette of woodwind instruments, crafting elegant melodies and clear, economical improvisations.” (College Music Symposium review of ‘Don’t Blink’—2019)

Woodwind artist Ben Kono’s versatility and distinctive voice as a composer and improviser have placed him among New York City’s most in-demand musicians for nearly three decades. His talents have been featured on recordings and performances with jazz greats like Bob Berg, Michael and Randy Brecker, Wynton Marsalis, Christian McBride, and David Liebman, and he has performed alongside jazz luminaries such as Chris Potter, Donny McCaslin, Ingrid Jensen, Bill Stewart and Nels Cline. He has also collaborated with composers such as Darcy James Argue, Miho Hazama, Remy Le Boeuf, Mike Holober and Ted Nash, as well as superstars Patti Austin, Hugh Jackman, Audra MacDonald and Natalie Cole.

A seasoned performer in big bands, Kono has toured with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, the Jazz Ambassadors of the U.S. Army Field Band, and the prestigious University of North Texas One O’Clock Lab Band.. He is a member of the John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble, the BMI Jazz Composers Orchestra, the Ed Palermo Big Band, the Jihye Lee Jazz Orchestra, and the Gotham Jazz Orchestra. Kono has also held positions in numerous Broadway productions, including an eleven-year tenure with Jersey Boys, and has performed at Carnegie Hall with the Philadelphia Orchestra, The New York Pops, and the St. Luke's Chamber Orchestra. In 2013 and 2018, he received commissions from Chamber Music America to compose for his own ensemble, The Ben Kono Group, leading to the release of two recordings and numerous performances and clinics across the United States. In 2023, his first opera, Fractured Mosaics, premiered with Whitesnake Projects, addressing anti-Asian violence in the U.S.

A Grammy® Award winner, Kono has appeared on over a hundred recordings. As a dedicated educator, he has taught at the University of North Texas, Morgan State University, Queens College, the City College of New York and is a teaching artist for the New York Pops Orchestra. He resides with his family in the picturesque river town of Nyack, NY, where he enjoys spending his free time sailing on the Hudson estuary.