Benny Green (pianist)

Benny Green (2007)

Benny Green (born April 4, 1963 in New York City ) is an American pianist of modern jazz and mainstream jazz .

Live and act

Benny Green grew up in Berkeley ( California ) and learned as a child classical piano. Through his father, who played the saxophone, he became interested in jazz and played in Eddie Jefferson's quintet as a teenager . He began his professional musician career when he returned to New York in 1983 and played in the backing band of singer Betty Carter . In 1988 he became a member of Art Blakeys Jazz Messengers . Stylistically, he oriented himself towards the hardbop of Bud Powell at this time ; he stayed in the band until 1990. The following year he formed his own trio and became a member of Ray Brown's trio in 1993 , replacing Gene Harris . He stayed with Brown until 1996 and recorded a number of albums for Blue Note Records in the 1990s, and later for Telarc and Criss Cross . Musicians such as Stanley Turrentine , Christian McBride , Antonio Hart , Buster Williams , Terence Blanchard , Peter Washington and Tony Reedus contributed to his albums . In 1991 he was a guest musician on the album Underground of the wind ensemble Twenty-Ninth Street Saxophone Quartet .

Besides his own projects, he's a busy sideman; he can be heard on albums by Gary Bartz , Bob Belden , Don Braden , Milt Jackson , Diana Krall , Freddie Hubbard , Ralph Moore and Jack Walrath , among others . One of his best sideman appearances is his participation on Lew Tabackin's 1992 album "I'll Be Seeing You". Besides Powell Erroll Garner , Ahmad Jamal , Phineas Newborn and Oscar Peterson , Richard Cook and Brian Morton are among his most important influences also Horace Silver and Wynton Kelly as models of his swinging, entertaining style.

The pianist should not be confused with the British jazz saxophonist Benny Green or the American jazz musician Bennie Green .

Important albums as a leader

Important albums as a sideman

personal data
SURNAME	Green, Benny
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American pianist of modern jazz and mainstream jazz
DATE OF BIRTH	April 4th 1963
PLACE OF BIRTH	New York City