Ben Jaimen perks up his Berlin audience
A sensitive young Jewish artist entertains more than half a million Berliners with his music, playing at the Brandenburg Gate – not so long ago, Jews and Germans alike might have had trouble imagining that happening, eighty years after SA troopers staged their ominous torch-lit parade through that same gate. Ben Jaimen proved them wrong. In fact, the New Year’s concert given by the 25-year-old moved the hearts of listeners young and old. Hardly a surprise, considering how passionately the young artist talks about his calling: “Music is my language, my inner life, my greatest blessing and my gift. It’s the mirror of my soul. It’s rooted in my family, my parents, my life experience, my travels to different parts of the world. All these things have helped inspire my music.” Born and raised in Berlin, Ben Jaimen has seen much of the world. A special influence on his creativity has been his extended sojourn in Latin America: “I didn’t compose back then – I hardly had time, even to play. What was much more important is that I had the opportunity to help people in need. Latin America left me with a wealth of unforgettable impressions.” In the end, Ben Jaimen found himself drawn back to his hometown Berlin. Here he joins the many young musicians, fi lmmakers, painters and other creative types who have made the city their home base. And so here he is, here they are: cosmopolitan, open-minded, curious – and Jewish. The lithely built performer/ composer describes his music as a “mosaic” comprising a number of languages, the eclectic sensibility developed while growing up in a musical family, as well as openness to a gamut of musical styles. After idolizing artists such as Prince and Michael Jackson “in his youth”, Ben Jaimen developed his own original take on funk music, one that his listeners feel compelled to dance to – including the parents among them! Ben Jaimen is building his career in a systematic fashion, alternating gigs in bars and clubs with performances in bigger venues such as auditoriums or at open-air events. His fondest wish: “I want to connect with the audience, even become friends with them in a way. I want to make people feel like I’ve given them something they can take along on their life’s journey.”