Michael Benge is a trombonist, arranger, and bandleader shaping the modern sound of West Coast Latin big band music through explosive horn writing, deep Afro-Caribbean rhythm, and commanding large-ensemble performance. A Yamaha Performing Artist, Benge has built a dynamic career spanning touring, recording, studio work, and music education while remaining a central figure in Southern California’s vibrant Latin jazz scene.
Benge first gained national recognition as lead trombonist and arranger for the nine-time San Diego Music Award–winning band The B-Side Players, performing extensively throughout the United States and Mexico. Over the course of his career he has shared the stage, collaborated, or recorded with artists including Poncho Sanchez, Toots and the Maytals, Slightly Stoopid, P.O.D., Johnny Clarke, Norris Reid, Gilbert Castellanos, and the La Jolla Symphony Orchestra.
As a bandleader and arranger, Benge currently directs two of San Diego’s premier large-ensemble Latin projects: the San Diego Latin Jazz Collective and the Palladium Mambo Orchestra, an 18-piece big band inspired by the legendary mambo orchestras of New York’s Palladium Ballroom era. His work highlights powerful brass writing, intricate rhythmic interplay, and a modern interpretation of the classic Latin jazz orchestra tradition.
In addition to his performance career, Benge is deeply committed to music education. He serves as one of the Directors of Instrumental Music at Helix Charter High School in Southern California and is widely sought after as a guest clinician, adjudicator, and guest conductor, helping inspire the next generation of musicians through performance and mentorship.