Hello all! My name is Ben Schomp (aka "dabowsa" or "D.J. Benom") and I live just south of Providence, RI. At 26, I consider keys the instrument at which I am the least proficient, yet enjoy it the most and am making much progress!
Since switching from guitar to keys, I played in a band called The Atlantic Caravan for almost two years (recently dissolved), and Badfish (a Sublime tribute band) which is still going strong. Very strong, actually! I must say, it has fulfilled all of my rock and roll fantasies: riding a Winnebago to-and-from cities like New York and Boston, and playing for as many as 450 very intense fans. I've actually been flashed several times for the t-shirt I bring out to promote the merch table during the set break!
As an accessory member, I play about 2/3 of the songs, but on some I get to play trumpet with one hand and organ or sax parts on my QS6.1 with the other! I also have a bunch of samples on the Alesis that I trigger while playing (turntable scratches, etc.)
For my latest excursion, I'm putting myself out on a limb by organizing a key-groove-driven group with bass, drums and a sax player. I'm hoping I'll have enough ideas to avoid bringing in a guitar player! Never, ever underestimate the importance of a good bass player - they make or break your band.
Gear: Alesis QS6.1 / Roland A-33 / Standtasic 2-Tier / Fender Pro-185 / Dunlop CryBaby, Boss DS-1, DD-5, and CE-1.
Wish List: Voce V5 / Motion Sound KBR-M / Nord Electro2 / Yamaha S80 / Invisible Stand
If you visit those websites, check out the solo in "Fortune Man" or the Flash-intro to the Badfish site...I'm responsible for both!
Oh yeah, I work a mind-numbing job in a soul-sucking cube as a "Computer Scientist" during the day. If anyone knows of any jobs where I can combine my proficiency with computers and love for music, PLEASE let me know. I'm a detail-oriented perfectionist with an upbeat demenour and uncanny ability to simplify the complex - I'll move anywhere in the world to make music my career!
It was great to meet you, thanks for listening!
--Ben, www.benschomp.com, ben@benschomp.com