Benjamin Paden joins Ellimist as Percussionist, bringing a wealth of experience from his tenure with the Professors of Sweet, Sweet Music (P.O.S.S.M.) co-founders of the Hartford Hartbeat Music Festival. Ben also plays Bass in the local rock outfit Illuminus, and runs a recording studio in West Hartford, Street James Street Music Studios. 

Benjamin holds a masters degree for composition from The Hartt School of Music in West Hartford, Connecticut, where he studied under David Macbride, Dr. Robert Carl, and Ken Steen. Other education includes a B.A in percussion performance and composition from Adams State University in Alamosa, Colorado, studying under Dr. James Doyle, and Dr. Matthew Schildt.

Ben's musical influences include Meshuggah, Mastodon, Cynic, Opeth, Iannis Xenakis, Dmitri Shostakovich, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, and Miles Davis. In his free time, Ben thoroughly enjoys the beauty of flight offered by the rapidly expanding sport of disc golf, and can be found operating a robust private lesson studio where he teaches drums, piano, and guitar.