Person · Male
Ben Riley
American jazz drummer
- From
- Savannah, United States
- Active
- 1933–2017
- Releases
- 10
- hard bop
- jazz
- post-bop
About
Benjamin Alexander Riley Jr. (July 17, 1933 – November 18, 2017) was an American jazz drummer known primarily for his work with Sonny Rollins and Thelonious Monk. Riley worked with a number of other musicians throughout his prolific career as a sideman, such as Alice Coltrane, Stan Getz, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, and Ahmad Jamal. Riley was also a member of the group Sphere, and during the 1970s and 1980s, he was a member of the New York Jazz Quartet.
Member of
-
Buster Williams Trio drums (drum set)
-
Thelonious Monk Quartet drums (drum set)
-
Sphere drums (drum set)
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The Eddie Davis-Johnny Griffin Quintet drums (drum set)
-
Charles Davis Quintet drums (drum set)
-
Thelonious Monk Nonet drums (drum set)
-
Alice Coltrane drums (drum set)
Discography
Links
Listen
Also known as
Benjamin Riley
Identifiers
- MusicBrainz
- c0770b83-c97d-4cf7-a882-2cdec158b711
- ISNI
- 0000000066557195
Data from MusicBrainz, saved 8 Nov 2026. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, covers from the Cover Art Archive and Apple Music.