Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

Marco Benevento

 
Artist: Marco Benevento
Home > Library > Entertainment & Arts > Pop Artists

Similar Artists:

Billy Martin, Brad Mehldau

Formal Connection With:

Joe Russo, Trey Anastasio, Joanne Brackeen
  • Born: 1977, Livingstone, NJ
  • Active: 2000s
  • Genres: Jazz
  • Instrument: Piano
  • Representative Albums: "Live at Tonic

Biography

Marco Benevento is a young keyboardist whose jazz-rooted work has expanded to include indie rock, jam band, and post-rock/experimental influences. Born in 1977 and raised in the northern New Jersey town of Livingston, Benevento studied piano and befriended an aspiring drummer named Joe Russo in a junior-high detention hall. After high school, while Russo migrated westward to Boulder, CO, and fell into the hippie jam band scene there, the more jazz-inclined Benevento moved to Boston to attend the Berklee School of Music, from which he graduated in 1999 after studying keyboards under noted jazz pianist and instructor Joanne Brackeen. Following college, Benevento formed a popular Boston-area improvisational outfit called the Jazz Farmers, which continued when Benevento resettled in New York City in 2001. Running into his old junior-high buddy Russo at a Medeski, Martin & Wood gig, Benevento accepted an invitation to perform a series of duo gigs at the Knitting Factory, which turned into a full-time partnership as the Benevento/Russo Duo. Benevento has released four albums with Russo: Benevento/Russo Duo, Darts, Best Reason to Buy the Sun, and Play Pause Stop. Tying into Russo's roots in the jam band scene, the duo also spent much of 2006 touring as half of former Phish leader Trey Anastasio's backing band. In 2007, Benevento began a live residency at the New York club Tonic, which led to the August 2007 release of Live at Tonic, a three-CD set taken from those shows that ranges from traditional small-combo jazz to post-rock/experimental soundscapes. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide
Search unanswered questions...

Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics

Wikipedia: Marco Benevento
Top
Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
Marco Benevento

Photo: Greg Aiello
Background information
Birth name Marco Vincent Benevento
Born 22 July 1977 (1977-07-22) (age 32)
Origin Brooklyn, New York, United States
Genres Experimental rock, jazz, experimental music, indie rock
Occupations Musician, Composer, Producer
Instruments Piano, Hammond Organ, Wurlitzer Electric Piano, Optigan
Years active 2002–present
Labels Ropeadope Records, Hyena Records, Royal Potato Family
Associated acts Benevento/Russo Duo, Garage A Trois, Surprise Me Mr. Davis
Website www.marcobenevento.com

Marco Benevento (born July 22, 1977 in Livingston, New Jersey) is a pianist, organist and composer from Brooklyn, New York. Benevento is known for his effected piano work with his trio as well as his Hammond Organ and Wurlitzer Electric Piano work with the Benevento Russo Duo. Benevento has also been a member of the New York's jazz and experimental music scene since 1999.

Contents

Biography

He was born in Livingston, New Jersey in 1977 and grew up in Wyckoff, New Jersey.[1] He began playing piano at age seven, and discovered jazz and improvised music at age fifteen. Benevento attended Ramapo High School, and got his start with local bands and his high school's jazz band.[1] He graduated from Ramapo High in 1995 and Berklee College of Music in 1999.

He was a member of The Jazz Farmers from 1999–2001, and has been a regular on the New York City contemporary, experimental jazz scene for years. Benevento has studied under and played alongside teachers like Kenny Werner, Brad Mehldau, and Joanne Brackeen; and bandmates like Matt Chamberlain, Steven Bernstein, Wayne Krantz, Charlie Hunter, Stanton Moore, Mike Gordon and Trey Anastasio.

Benevento is one half of the Benevento Russo Duo, an instrumental indie rock, experimental Hammond Organ, Wurlitzer Electric Piano and drum duo that he formed with drummer Joe Russo in 2001. The band makes use of samplers, loops, circuit bent toys, guitars as well as glockenspiels to augment their sound. The Benevento Russo Duo have performed at events like Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Fuji Rock Festival, SXSW, Bonnaroo, Wakarusa, High Sierra Music Festival and have drawn reviews at publications ranging from Rolling Stone to Pitchfork Media.

Benevento released his first solo studio album as a pianist in 2008, entitled Invisible Baby followed by Me Not Me in 2009. Both albums include drummers Matt Chamberlain and Andrew Barr and bassist Reed Mathis. Featured on both records is Marco's use of an amplified acoustic piano, circuit bent toys, Mellotron and Optigan. Performances with the trio include the JVC Jazz Festival, the Newport Jazz Festival, SXSW, the New Orleans Jazz Festival, High Sierra Music Festival and Carnegie Hall.

In early 2008, Benevento's Live At Tonic won in The 7th Annual Independent Music Awards for Best Live Performance Album.[2]

Equipment

Benevento is best known for his stylistic playing and heavy use of effects. His constantly evolving equipment rig with the Benevento Russo Duo includes a Casio sampling keyboard and myriad effects pedals, but is anchored by his Hammond organ (with bass pedalboard) and Wurlitzer electric piano. A fan of circuit bending, Marco uses a pile of circuit bent toys to create wild and warped sounds. In the spring of 2006 he added a circuit bent television that displays sound waves on the vertical line. When playing with his trio Marco amplifies the piano with guitar pickups and other effects. His release,Live at Tonic, a three-disc Ropeadope album includes Marco playing the piano, toy piano, Yamaha CP60, speak and spell, glockenspiel, Hammond organ, Rhythm Ace Drum Machine, wurlitzer and Rheem Organ.

Bands

In 2005 Marco joined Garage A Trois along with Stanton Moore, Skerik and Mike Dillon.

In 2006, Benevento was featured in Bobby Previte's Coalition of the Willing US and European tour.

In July 2006, Benevento toured with Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon and Joe Russo.

Marco became the fifth member of the band Surprise Me Mr. Davis. The announcement came from lead singer Nathan Moore during a concert at the Independent in San Francisco, CA on Thursday, July 9 2009.

T Shirts

Marco also has his own line of T-shirts. They can be found online at We're Using Time For Fun.

Discography

Marco Benevento

Benevento/Russo Duo

Garage A Trois

Videography

References

  1. ^ a b Daly, Mike. "Keeping the Critics Jazzed", (201) magazine, July 2008. Accessed October 29, 2008.
  2. ^ Independent Music Awards - 7th Annual Winners

Sources

External links


This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 

 

Copyrights:

Artist. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Marco Benevento".  Read more