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
accustomed art british-musician carrying dropped playing
Art was carrying me a lot of the time. When you're accustomed to playing with Art, and you play with other drummers, it's as if the bottom dropped out.
british-musician listen playing trust
We have fun, we listen to one another, we challenge one another, we trust one another. We're doing what we enjoy, and we're not just playing for each other, we're playing for the people.
british-musician cue fact playing
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.
british-musician chance experience gave gigs integrate playing realize
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.
british-musician conversation playing rapport separation
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.
british-musician performed playing time various
The first time we performed as a duo, we had already been playing together in various situations.
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.
british-musician course festival holland jazz north ray sea tour
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.
british-musician russell talk
You know, there're no rules between Russell and I. We don't want to have to have to talk too much, because it's really precious, really special to play music.
british-musician gave gives passed people rest
Just to have that sense of family, it gives you something that you know you need to take care of for the rest of your life. People gave it to him, and he passed it on to us.
bring british-musician elements musical naturally relating
I'm naturally going to react to that and he'll bring out elements in my musical character that were lying dormant, because I'm relating what he's playing.
british-musician parts realize
I didn't know when I was growing up that this was a very special program, that this wasn't going on in other parts of the country. Now I realize that I was lucky.
associated british-musician music prior
Prior to that, I had associated this music with older people, like my father.
benny british-musician met time
No, that's not it. The first time we met was at Fat Tuesday's. Benny was playing, this was, I think in 1989?