Benjamin Cousins is a contemporary clarinetist and composer known for his sophisticated, modern voice, expressive tone, innovative compositions, and nuanced performances. He began honing his craft at age 14, developing a strong foundation through community-based nonprofit programs and sitting in with local musicians across his hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana. As a young student, he joined the Preservation Hall Jr. Jazz Band, where he developed his warm, woody tone — drawing particular inspiration from clarinetist Sidney Bechet.

 

Cousins leads his band The Sonic Architects, whose debut album What We Dream It to Be will be released in January 2026. The album was awarded a Community Partnership Grant from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, affirming Cousins’ place in the ever-evolving legacy of contemporary music from the city.

 

Amongst the mentors who have influenced Cousins greatly is Donald Harrison Jr., a NEA Jazz Master and major New Orleans cultural figure whom Cousins worked with while a Tipitina’s Intern (Berklee City Music's New Orleans outreach location). Through performances with Harrison’s “Next Generation” groups at New Orleans Jazz Fest, and City Music events throughout the Northeast, Cousins was able to connect to Berklee and broader professional networks.

 

Benjamin Cousins earned his Master’s degree in “Jazz” Studies from Temple University, where under Tim Warfield he refined his improvisational language and further honed his distinct voice as a composer. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Performance with a concentration in “Jazz” from Boston’s Berklee College of Music, studying with Harry Skoler, Kenny Werner, Jason Palmer, and George Garzone. Cousin’s formal music education began at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), where he studied under Gregory Agid, a protégé of modern clarinetist Alvin Batiste (New Orleans Clarinet legend), and Cousins’ first source of motivation to pursue a contemporary sound on the clarinet.

 

Benjamin Cousins is an endorsed artist with Conn Selmer & Selmer Paris.