Ben Besiakov – Danish pianist – b. October 27 1956 in Copenhagen.
   Performed with Jens Winther's JAZZPAR Group feat. Al Foster at the 1991 Event.
   Performed with Jakob Dinesen, Eddie Gómez and Nasheet Waits at The JAZZPAR Event 2004.

In primary school Ben Besiakov received music lessons on trumpet, flute and guitar. He met Mikkel Nordsø, Kasper Winding and Aske Bentzon and in 1972 they formed the first Danish latin/rock group, Buki Yamaz, inspired by Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis.

In his teens Ben picked up on the jam sessions in the Copenhagen Club La Fontaine where he played with people like Johnny Griffin, Dexter Gordon and Finn Ziegler. In the 1960s and 70s many great American jazz musicians frequently visited Copenhagen. At Jazz Club Montmartre Ben Besiakov got to know the legendary Ben Webster who lived in Denmark for many years. Besiakov frequently visited Ben Webster in his home in Copenhagen where they listened to records, chatted about music and played together. The musical talent was being confirmed when Besiakov played his first professional gig as a piano player in Montmartre in 1969. Since 1971 he has performed as a professional piano and keyboard player with Joe Henderson, Al Foster, Billy Hart, Doug Raney, Richard Boone, Ray Drummond, James Moody, George Garzone, John Scofield, Eric Alexander, Herlin Riley, Danny Gottlieb, Steve Swallow, Champion Jack Dupree, Bernt Rosengren, Ron McClure, Mike Clark, Art Farmer, Adam Nussbaum, Kenny Wheeler, Anders Jormin and many more.

Ben Besiakov demonstrates his natural vitality in Latin American music, modal jazz and classical bebop. He has appeared on more than a 100 recordings – five of them as leader/co-leader – and toured in Brazil, USA, Central America, The Caribbean, Spain, Russia and Scandinavia.

In 1990 Besiakov received The Ben Webster Award and in 1992 The JASA (Association of Danish jazz jounalists) Award.