Ben Creighton Griffiths Trio

November 8th 2025 |

11:00am | Llandaff Parish Hall | Free

Come and relive the era of swing with The Ben Creighton Griffiths Trio. Led by Ben Creighton Griffiths on harp, this performance will feature James Chadwick on guitar and Don Sweeney on bass. Expect to hear Swing classics, Django standards, and Bossa Nova during this exciting performance from three excellent musicians based in South Wales.

Band Members:

• Ben Creighton Griffiths - Harp

• James Chadwick - Guitar

• Don Sweeney - Bass

Ben Creighton Griffiths 

Benjamin Creighton Griffiths is an Internationally touring jazz and classical harpist based in Wales. He made his International debut at the 2004 1er Concours International de Harpe in Nantes, France where, aged 7, he came second in the Under 18 division. In 2006 he won the Under 13 Division of the Wales International Harp Festival before going on to win the 2008 Junior Lily Laskine competition in Paris, winning a concert harp in the process.

Originally classically trained with Catrin Finch, Elinor Bennett, and Ann Griffiths, he now specialises in jazz both as a soloist and with his bands – the Transatlantic Hot Club and Chube. His career has taken him across the world including to America, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Indonesia, China, the Caribbean, Hong Kong, India, Brazil, and across Europe and has seen him collaborate with excellent musicians in both the classical and jazz world including Dennis Rollins MBE (jazz trombone), Tatiana Eva-Marie (vocals), Adrien Chevalier (jazz violin), and Catrin Finch (harp).

As well as a performer he is a composer, most recently developing a concert schedule for his own Concerto for Jazz Harp & Symphony Orchestra. This has included performances with the The Chandos Symphony Orchestra (who commissioned the work), The Cardiff Philharmonic, Stratford on Avon Symphony Orchestra, Swindon Symphony Orchestra, and Trowbridge Symphony Orchestra. It received its first international performance in Tasmania with the Student Music Collective of Tasmania University.

Upcoming appearances at the time of writing include a series of jazz trio gigs across Wales, another UK and Corsican tour with the Transatlantic Hot Club, and a first visit to Poland for the Polish Harp Societies European Congress.

James Chadwick

Guitarist James Chadwick approaches his music in a distinctive and thoughtful way, blending ever evolving melodic lines with inventive and measured harmonic treatment. He is an excellent guitarist who eschews flashy technical runs for textural and melodic solos. He makes standard tunes sound very fresh by leaving lots of space and creating unexpected turns.

Welsh wizard James Chadwick on Guitar - Jazz Views , Nigel Price

Don Sweeney (this is a placeholder biog and Don will send me a more up to date one next week).

Don Sweeney, originally from California, is a band leader and musician based in South Wales. Performing on guitar, bass, and as a vocalist he leads and works in many well established ensembles across jazz, blues, and rock genres including Donnie Joe’s American Swing, Deadedz - a tribute to American rock band Grateful Dead - and performing in various jazz ensembles for the clubs and festivals of the Welsh and South West jazz scene.

Don Sweeney

Don Sweeney, originally from California, is a band leader and musician based in South Wales. Performing on guitar, bass, and as a vocalist he leads and works in many well established ensembles across jazz, blues, and rock genres including Donnie Joe’s American Swing, Deadedz - a tribute to American rock band Grateful Dead - and performing in various jazz ensembles for the clubs and festivals of the Welsh and South West jazz scene.