Keyboard player Marco Benevento is a logical candidate for
"hardest working man in jazz". He performs solo; in a duo on organ
with his long-time friend drummer Joe Russo; in a trio currently on
tour; and numerous other formats. He recently played the New
Orleans Jazz Festival and gigged across the city with the
Benevento/Russo Duo, Garage A Trois (featuring Stanton Moore) and
has been fronting an all-instrumental Led Zeppelin cover band
called Bustle in Your Hedgerow. You can see him at small jazz
clubs, large hippie festivals like
Mountain
Jam and everywhere in between.
I spoke with Marco in advance of his performances in my neck of the
woods, May 8 at the
Iron Horse
Saloon in Northampton, Massachusetts and
Real Art
Ways in Hartford, Connecticut. We talked about his
various gigs, the basis for his unique sound, and the state of
music today.
Click here to listen to the
Podcast, which includes the interview, along with the following
songs, some of which Marco commented upon:
Marco Benevento Trio - "You Must Be a Lion" and "The Real Morning
Party"recorded live
2009-04-07 at the Hideaway Saloon, Louisville, KY. The
Trio for this happening performance was Benevento on piano, Simon
Lott (Charlie Hunter Trio) on drums and Reed Mathis (Tea Leaf
Green, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey) on bass.
Marco Benevento - "Sing It Again" from
Me Not Me.
The Trio for these recording sessions were Benevento, Mathis and
either Matt Chamberlain (
Floratone with Bill
Frisell) 0r Andrew Barr of The Slip. It's a highly lyrical cover of
a Beck tune from the
Mutations CD.
Marco Benevento - "Atari" from
Invisible Baby. A
funkier side of Marco's personality shows up here, as the same
group as in
Me Not Me goes electric with Benevento
on organ, piano, mellotron and a host of other electronic
goodies.
Bustle In Your Hedgerow - "Trampled Underfoot" recorded live
2005-07-31 - at the Subterranean, Chicago, IL. An
all-Zep set was played that night, featuring Benevento on Hammond
B-3 organ, Wurlitzer, and Circuit Bent Toys, Dave Dreiwitz (Ween)
on Bass, Scott Metzger on Guitar, and Joe Russo on drums. Hammer of
the Gods indeed!