Yotam Ben-Or is a NYC based Israeli-Belgian harmonica player, composer, and bandleader. Ben-Or was born and raised in a small village called Nataf in the Jerusalem area. He started playing the harmonica at the age of 11, taught by his uncle. After graduating high school, Ben-Or moved to Tel-Aviv to attend the collaborative program of the Tel-Aviv Conservatory and The New School for jazz studies (New York). During his studies, Ben-Or performed throughout Israel and shared the stage with Israel’s finest musicians, won the America-Israel Grant between 2014-2016, took the first prize in the Rostov International Jazz competition (Russia 2013), and recorded with his group “Jupiter” for the album “All Original – Best Young Israeli Jazz, presented by Avishai Cohen” (2013). In August 2014, Ben-Or moved to NYC after winning a full scholarship to study at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music ,where he graduated in May 2016. In March 2015 he attended the prestigious Betty Carter Jazz Ahead at John F. Kennedy Center, directed by pianist Jason Moran. Shortly after moving to NYC Ben-Or started leading his own group with which he performed in some of the city's most renowned venues such as Jazz at Lincoln Center (Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola), Carnegie Hall, Cornelia Street Cafe, Rockwood Music Hall, to name a few, and toured north America, Europe, and Israel. Besides his activity as a bandleader Ben-Or is also a member of the TM Street Band and participates as a sideman in different projects.
Ben Or Yotam
