Benny Green
Benny Green
Hard-bop jazz artist who gained recognition as a member of Betty Carter's band and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers.
NationalityBritish
ProfessionPianist
Date of Birth4 April 1963
CityNew York City, NY
british-musician brought color found nuance playing shading supportive
Once I actually started playing with him, I found out how very supportive he was, how much color and shading and nuance he brought to the music.
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The tour was just Ray Brown. We were booked, in the course of this tour, at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland to play as a duo.
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The magic can happen in a studio. Special things can happen in a recording studio, even though it may seem like a clinical environment from the outside looking in.
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We have different personalities, but in a harmonious way, I'd say. Anyway, we were booked to play at the festival as a duo; and we decided we wouldn't have any rehearsal.
british-musician harmonies instead juggler
A jazz musician is a juggler who uses harmonies instead of oranges.
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The first time we performed as a duo, we had already been playing together in various situations.
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I have similar feelings, actually. The intimacy of a club: you can see the people, you can almost feel them; you can't beat that. People will say things, and shout out, it's almost like they're up on the bandstand with you.
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I think there's a natural chemistry between us as friends; and there's really no separation between the rapport that we feel when we're in conversation and when we're playing music, it's one in the same.
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Just to be around that, to feel a part of it and be able to integrate the experience while I was with the Messengers, of going and playing gigs with other drummers, gave me the chance to realize that it was not just me that was making it happen.
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I'm glad you asked that question, because of any musical situation I've been in, the communication feels great here with Russell. He really pays close attention to what I'm doing because he cares.
british-musician
I don't really have a lot of hobbies. I listen to a lot of spoken word. I get books on tape.
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Any time I need to get a serious attitude adjustment, I put on one of their records, and there are examples there for all time to keep us honest and keep us reaching; they'll never be eclipsed.
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He would catapult you forward, and that was his intention with the Jazz Messengers. He would take young people with a potential and help them develop a voice as a player and as a writer.
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Like Russell, I enjoy the fact that when I'm playing solo, if I want to do something completely spontaneous, I don't have to worry about how I'm going to cue the other musicians, or if it's something that's rehearsed.