Ben Keller + Evan Wood & The Blueprint

A one-of-a-kind show experience! Witness celebrated muralist and painter, Ben Keller, as he creates a painting LIVE and in-person set to the groove music of the fabulous drummer, Evan Wood, and his trio "The Blueprint"!

This extremely unique show will immerse your senses and leave you awestruck as music and visual art intertwine through the night, each artist feeding off not only each other's energy, but the energy of the live audience.

At the end of the show, Mr. Keller's work will be auctioned to raise funds for the River Room and it's mission to bring world-class art, music, and movement to Willimantic, Connecticut!

ABOUT BEN KELLER

Ben started painting at a very young age. As a child, he was often dragged to his painting lessons by his mom, but the initial resistance always gave way once he picked up a brush. Over the years, painting transformed into his lifeblood – what he wanted to do day in and day out. As a teenager, Ben became highly influenced by the infamous graffiti artist, Barry McGee and began experimenting with spray paint and larger surfaces. Eventually, after many jobs in every line of work, Ben knew art needed to his full time career. So he took the leap and began branching out and developing a name for himself.

Now you are able to see many of his murals across the state of Connecticut and some surrounding areas. The impact of painting on such a large surface is undeniable – you cannot help but to stop and stare. Ben loves the challenge of working at such a large scale. He especially enjoys creating a mural that is bold, that takes a stand and cannot be ignored.

His other passion lies in fine art, primarily on canvas and paper. He has always been deeply intrigued by human form and nature – So you will often notice many works of portraiture and flowers in his portfolio. Trains are another subject matter of great interest. If you are familiar with the culture of graffiti, then you know that trains are sought after over and over again. Transforming this subject to canvas causes beauty to collide with the industrial.

Ben is dedicated to merging vision with reality. His works are meant to be experienced for a lifetime.

ABOUT EVAN WOOD

Raised in Connecticut, Evan Wood has been playing drums since a year old. His passion for music began at a young age through playing music with his dad, a rock guitar player. With his roots in groove-based music, Evan spent his time listening to music and playing along to recordings. This self-taught approach was important in his development as a musician.

Evan continued to develop his drumming and musicianship through middle and high school jazz band programs. There he developed a love for improvisational music. During high school, Evan began playing professionally. After graduating from The Woodstock Academy, Evan began studying music at Eastern Connecticut State University, where he las led the jazz combo for multiple semesters. During his time at Eastern, Evan began studying with prominent jazz drummer Jonathan Barber.

After finishing his degree at ECSU, he has become an on-call sideman in the Connecticut jazz scene and leads multiple bands, including The Blueprint, and his own jazz combos. Focusing on improvisational music, Evan is typically found playing hip-hop, straight-ahead jazz, funk, and house music. Evan aims to push the boundaries of live jazz performance, while maintaining the tradition of the music and honoring those who created it.

Host or Publisher The River Room, Willimantic