Ben Williams an internationally acclaimed bassist, Grammy Award winner, New York-based composer/arranger, educator and Concord recording artist is best remembered in his hometown of Washington, DC as a musical prodigy and is no stranger to The Hamilton Live stage. He last made an appearance with his band, Sound Effect, at the DC Jazz Fest in June 2016 to a sold out audience, appearing in a double bill with violin extraordinaire, Regina Carter. Williams has been playing the bass for over 20 years now, a craft he honed while growing up in a single-parent household along with his brother in the Northeast communities of Michigan Park, Woodridge and Brookland, and while attending DC Public Schools at Shepherd Elementary, Fillmore Arts Center/Hardy Middle School and the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. He eventually obtained his undergraduate degree in Music Education from Michigan State University and a Master of Music at The Juilliard School.