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

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His formal education began at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), where he discovered a deep passion for the work of modern clarinetist Alvin Batiste, studying under his protégé, Gregory Agid. Cousins went on to earn a scholarship to Berklee College of Music, where he cultivated his voice as both an instrumentalist and composer, studying with Harry Skoler, Kenny Werner, and George Garzone. While at Berklee, he released two singles — Fly and Time Lapse — blending electronic and acoustic elements. He later completed his Master’s degree at Temple University, refining his improvisational language under Tim Warfield and further developing a voice as a composer. 

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Now based in New Orleans, Cousins leads his band The Sonic Architects, whose debut album What We Dream It to Be is set for release in January 2026. The album was awarded funding through the Community Partnership Grant from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation.

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