BIOGRAPHY

Last updated August 4th, 2025

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Personal Bios – Short & Long

1. a) “Vancouver BC based musician and pastor Benjamin MacRae (he/him/his) specializes in modern music and the spoken word, blending influences from across diverse traditions of music and Christian spirituality through a progressive, inclusive, compassionate and intersectional feminist approach. A believer in truth and reconciliation and the movement towards decolonization, Ben lives, works, worships, and plays on the current, unceded, ancestral, and sacred territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.”

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1. b) "Ben MacRae, a fixture on the Vancouver trad jazz scene, is a reedsman who stands in the line of great hot jazz musicians. Enthusiastic, full of energy, and often poignant, Ben brings a delightful mixture of trad jazz, crowd work, and musical expertise to the forefront with his bands. "

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2. “Vancouver BC based musician and pastor Benjamin MacRae (he/him/his) specializes in modern music and the spoken word, blending influences from across diverse traditions of music and Christian spirituality through a progressive, inclusive, compassionate, and intersectional feminist approach. Ben recently completed his theological studies by earning a Master of Divinity degree at Vancouver School of Theology (2025), located at the University of British Columbia. Ben also holds a Bachelor of Jazz Studies in Performance and Composition from Capilano University (2021), and a diploma in Orchestral Clarinet Performance from Kwantlen Polytechnic University (2017). Ben serves at St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church as their Minister with Jazz Ministries, Youth & Young Adults. Originally from the Fraser Valley, Ben enjoys cooking, bicycling, and playing cribbage with anyone who is remotely interested or willing to play with him.  Married to local musician and music educator Skye Eriksen (a frequent collaborator), Ben enjoys spending quality time with his family.  A believer in truth and reconciliation and the movement towards decolonization, Ben acknowledges that he lives, works, worships, and plays on the current, unceded, ancestral, and sacred territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.”

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Personal Bio – Long

Vancouver BC based musician and pastor Benjamin MacRae (he/him/his) is an accomplished clarinet, saxophone, flute, and tuba player that is currently settled in Vancouver, BC. Originally from the Fraser Valley, Ben enjoys cooking, bicycling, and playing cribbage with anyone who is remotely interested or willing to play with him. Married to local musician and music educator Skye Eriksen (a frequent collaborator), Ben enjoys spending quality time with his family. A believer in Truth and Reconciliation and the movement towards decolonization, Ben acknowledges that he lives, works, worships, and plays on the current, unceded, ancestral, and sacred territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.​​Ben is the creator of the Music is my Religion, My Religion is music Substack, a space where he talks about the intersection of progressive, compassionate, and inclusive Christianity with the ethics, art, and spirituality of the jazz tradition.  Drawing upon his experiences as a United Church of Canada minister and jazz musician (including the release of his upcoming album, "I Wonder What it's Like to Be...and Other Songs," due to be recorded live at St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church at 3pm on March 14th, 2026.  When you purchase a paid Substack subscription 1.5% of all sales goes toward supporting carbon capture and eliminating further emissions. ​

While Ben’s most current musical endeavours are focused around his traditional jazz ensemble, Grand Slam that specializes in the jazz, blues, and Gospel idioms of the early 20th century, he frequently performs his own original material, freelances as a sessional musician for various bands, and has extensive experience working within the European classical, Jewish klezmer, Christian devotional, contemporary/freely improvised, and orchestral jazz musical traditions. From weddings to funerals, dances to wakes, large shows to cozy in-home concerts, the sacred to the secular, working with people of all ranges, abilities, backgrounds and identities, Ben is widely experienced in providing music for, and with, the people. Link - Grand Slam: https://www.grandslamjazzband.com/​Currently Ben is also playing with Melanie Dekker's Barnstormer Band, "an imaginative, explosive, and melodically charming band that brings the roaring 1920s to life. This dynamic 5-6 piece ensemble delivers a sound as rare as it is electrifying, blending banjo, piano, ukulele, kazoo, guitars, upright bass, clarinet, trumpet, trap-kit drums, and rich and expressive vocals.  Led by Vancouver-based recording artist and charismatic performer Melanie Dekker, Barnstormer is powered by a crew of top-tier Canadian studio musicians (who have performed with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Diana Krall & Michael Bublé), boasting a collective 250 years of experience. With world-class musicianship, effortless showmanship, and a touch of vintage magic, they transport audiences straight to the prohibition era—where the dance floors sizzled and the jazz was hot.  Ben also plays in Stav Au-Dag's JunkOy! Klezmer Band, which "plays songs from the Soviet Jewish repertoire, interspersed with klezmer melodies from the rest of Eastern Europe.  JunkOy! is known for playing klezmer, folk, tango & waltzes at summer festivals, clubs, weddings, & bar-mitzvahs all throughout Magical Crimea, which gibes audiences an opportunity to dance, sing along, & generally become better people.  The most unique feature of this band is Stav's translation of Russian & Yiddish lyrics into English; new words are also sometimes written to traditional instrumentals & added to older songs."

Ben received a Diploma in Orchestral Performance on the clarinet from Kwantlen Polytechnic University (2017). Later, at Capilano University Ben obtained a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies – Performance and Composition (2021). Most recently, Ben earned a Master of Divinity in United Church Studies (2025) from Vancouver School of Theology located at the University of British Columbia, where he also earned Certificate in Leadership Excellence (2023) from the Sauder School of Business. During his time in seminary, Ben was also selected to become a Fellow at FASPE: Fellowships for the Society of Professional Ethics (2023), an organization that continues to influence his own personal and professional ethics. In addition to his musical and theological studies, Ben is a former member (in good standing) of the Vancouver Musician's Association/American Federation of Musicians Chapter 145.

Further to his work as musician, Ben is a candidate for ordination in The United Church of Canada, one of the most progressive and social-justice oriented Christian denominations in the world. Ben is currently serving at St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church (a congregation in the Pacific Mountain Regional Council of The United Church of Canada) serving as the student Minister with Jazz Ministries, Youth & Young Adults. Ben’s ministerial passion is in the intersection of music, Christian spiritual traditions, ecumenical and interfaith dialogue, social activism, and trauma-informed evangelism and outreach amongst those in the first third of life. Ben’s personal faith is one of constant reformation: he is a Christian who aspires to be progressive, inclusive, compassionate, a practicing intersectional feminist, advocating for the full inclusion of all peoples into the life, mission, and witness of both church and society alike. ​

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St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church Bio –
Minister with Jazz Ministries, Youth and Young Adults

“Pastor Ben (he/him/his) is a well-respected jazz musician and United Church of Canada candidate for ordination who radiates calmness, warmth, and creativity, currently serving as our Minister with Jazz Ministries, Youth & Young Adults.

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Pastor Ben specializes in modern music and the spoken word, blending influences from across the diverse traditions of music and Christian spirituality. Ben recently completed his theological studies by earning a Master of Divinity degree at Vancouver School of Theology, located at the University of British Columbia. Ben also holds a Bachelor of Jazz Studies in Performance and Composition from Capilano University, and a diploma in Orchestral Clarinet Performance from Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Ben is originally from the Fraser Valley, and enjoys cooking, spending time outdoors, and playing cribbage with anyone who is remotely interested or willing to play with him. Ben’s ministerial passion is in the intersection of music, Christian spiritual traditions, ecumenical and interfaith dialogue, social activism, and trauma-informed evangelism and outreach amongst those in the first third of life."