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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Ben Averill loves and lives music

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Averill is excited for Shark Saddles upcoming gigs off-campus, a big step for the band.

Sophomore Ben Averill started playing trumpet in the fifth grade and hasn’t stopped since. A music minor with experience in Jazz Orchestra and Wind Ensemble, and a member of Tufts’ homegrown band, Shark Saddle, Averill has made music a central focus of his time at Tufts. On top of all of that he hopes to declare a minor in Musical Engineering, a subject which dovetails with his career interests.

At this point there’s no denying that Averill has a passion for music -- in fact, he can recall the exact moment when he knew he was committed.

“In high school I went on a [service trip] to New Orleans.” he said. “Seeing the music culture there really opened my eyes ... a lot of great history is intertwined with music.” On the same trip, he saw a performance from the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and was inspired. The group members’ talent and drive made Averill want to continue his pursuit of music.

For now, that means pouring himself into his work as a trumpet player and occasional vocalist with Shark Saddle, a group which he described as “rock and funk influenced.”

“So far we’ve only had on-campus gigs, but we’ve started to get a couple that are off-campus ... I wasn't expecting that,” Averill said. What else has surprised him? The visibility that comes with being in Shark Saddle.

“It’s cool seeing people actually listen to our music," he said. "I’ll meet someone new, and it’ll come up in conversation that I’m in the band and they go ‘oh, that’s so cool!’ Just them knowing about the band is really interesting.” 

When asked about his biggest musical influences today, Averill chuckled.

“How many am I allowed to say? There are so many,” he said, before listing Snarky Puppy, Fleet Foxes and, most especially, Sufjan Stevens as some of his favorite artists.

“It’s just crazy how [Stevens combines] orchestrating things in a classical manner and bringing them into a popular style,” he said, “I’m constantly astounded when listening to his music.”

Obviously, there is no scarcity of inspiration for Averill, who continues to be as immersed in the world of music as ever.

As for Shark Saddle, the group recently played the SAC Halloween Party in Remis Sculpture Court. And while the band has done many covers in the past, Averill hinted that they are currently developing some original music for fans to enjoy in the coming weeks.