Jazz Monthly.com Interview with David Benoit

“Jazz Monthly Feature Interview” David Benoit

Smitty: I am totally excited about my next guest. He’s one of the most influential cats in the business; he has solidly honed his craft in every way imagined in terms of piano, keyboard, organ, you name it; he’s got a great new project that’s about to be released that is a wonderful follow-up to Orchestral Stories; it’s called Full Circle and let me tell ya, it’s full circle of this cat and you’re gonna love this great CD. Please welcome the amazing Peak Records recording artist Mr. David Benoit. David, how ya doin’, my friend?

David Benoit (DB): I’m doing great, Smitty, thanks.

Smitty: Super. Man, I love this new record and you’ve just gotta be excited because it’s just got such a groove, some wonderful rhythms, and it’s David Benoit, you know? (Both laughing.)

DB: Well, that’s it. That was what we set out to do, to really come back into my comfort zone and what I love to do, and not that I don’t love to do everything else, but this is my meat and potatoes, I guess you can say.

Smitty: Oh yeah. I could just anticipate the fans going nuts over this record because it’s just got that contemporary vibe, it’s got some smooth, and it’s got a little straight ahead too. I mean, it has that full spectrum. I love Full Circle. I’m sure it has other meanings, but it was just the full package of David Benoit, you know, put it out there, here’s me.

DB: Yeah, that’s exactly what it was and we’d done a lot of special projects like Charlie Brown and the Orchestral Stories and the Benoit/Freeman (Project), and it was feeling like, oh, it’s time to just come out with what we call the mainstream David Benoit record, just straight down the middle, this is what I do and this is what I love, and here’s something for my fans, that they’ll know that I’m still very much in the game and love working in the format.

Smitty: Yes indeed. You have created a storm in the format with this record because I think just starting out with the first track, “Café Rio,” what an introduction to this great record.

DB: Yeah, it was the first cut we recorded on the record and we got a great energy on that track. Peak’s been so wonderful because a lotta times the labels, they start getting really strict about “Well, let’s open with a tune that’s the radio cut,” and even though “Café Rio” wasn’t the single, I felt that it just has a strong energy and Peak agreed and they were like “Yeah, absolutely.” So it’s nice to just come right out of the box with something kinda upbeat and a real signature piece for me.

Smitty: Yeah, and I wanna talk to you a little bit about your relationship there with Peak and with everybody there, but this record, I think, is one of those breakthroughs in a way that it’s sort of like what people have been waiting for for maybe a couple of years because I know you’ve made a transition to Peak and sometimes you gotta get in there and get your feet wet….

DB: Yeah.

Smitty: ….and do some things but this one, it was time.

DB: Yeah. Well, it was. It was definitely the right time and Peak’s been really gracious about allowing me to do some very different kinds of projects and I think everybody in a very positive way was saying “Hey, now we really would love to just have you get in the studio and have some fun. Just make a David Benoit record.” That’s exactly what they told me. I said “Okay.” (Laughs.)

Smitty: How ‘bout that?

DB: I’m totally down with that, you know? (Laughs)

Smitty: Yes indeed, and I tell you, man, when you came out of the studio, I think you have created what everybody loves and what everybody expected and what everybody wanted.

DB: Yeah. Thank you. I appreciate that.

Smitty: Yeah, very cool. Talk about some of the cats on this record that assisted you on this record.

DB: Well, there’s so many.

Smitty: (Laughs.)

DB: A lot….all of them are friends for many years, and one of the ideas was to come back full circle with the people that had really helped me over the course of my career. Friends like John Robinson from Rufus on drums and (Nathan) East of Fourplay on bass, I think one of the truly greatest rhythm sections of all time.

Smitty: I totally agree.

DB: Played on all those great records every step of the way and Linus & Lucy, and so we started there and then Paul Jackson, Jr., my good friend, on guitar, who’s a superstar now in jazz, and Oscar Castro Neves for the Brazilian stuff we did and Tim Weisberg, my old buddy, on flute, and Ron (King) and Andy Suzuki, who plays in my live band.

Smitty: Yeah.

DB: And then a few new players that I hadn’t used before or maybe once or twice like Euge Groove and there’s a couple of others, Paul Brown, of course, we hadn’t actually ever recorded together, and Jeff Lorber.

Smitty: Yeah.

DB: (Laughs.)

Smitty: Man, you totally went full circle with the cats because that goes back. Tim Weisberg, my god, what a cat.

DB: Yeah, now there’s a guy, this is true: I met him, he was playing the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach and I was still in high school. (Both laughing.) That’s how far back we go.

Smitty: Wow!

DB: You know, we’re talking a good 35 years.

Smitty: Yeah, I still have a lot of his recordings. Man, he’s always been a favorite of mine.

DB: Oh yeah and a great friend. So, again, full circle in so many different ways. And it’s funny. When we were at Ocean Way B on the first day and there was just like this big mass reunion, you know, there’s Jeff Weber, who had produced a lot of my early records, and Clark Germain and then, you know, John and Nathan and Tim, and everyone’s all there in the studio and we’re just like having the greatest time, we’re having a party on record. (Both laughing.)

Smitty: What a wonderful feeling that is when you can get together with friends like that that go so far back and you have so many stories and so many experiences that you’ve had together, and I think that transcends into the music because those memories come back and everybody’s remembering the grooves and it’s just a beautiful experience to do something like that.

DB: Yeah, it really is, and what a great opportunity to do that. Yeah, yeah, I’m so glad you like it. You never know when you do something, but I haven’t had this much fun making a record in a long time.

Smitty: (Laughs.)

DB: It’s really nice to get the good reaction on it.

Smitty: Absolutely, you gotta get out and play some of this stuff live too, my friend.

DB: Oh, I’ve already started. I was just in Washington, D.C. We just came back from the Capitol Jazz Fest.

Smitty: Oh yeah.

DB: We played “Monster in the Attic” and that was….

Smitty: Oh no, I missed it!

DB: Yeah, and it was like I got this B3 patch on the organ and, boy, it was quite a reaction.

Smitty: Yeah. I know it was, just speaking of the B3. You know, that’s an instrument that doesn’t get a lot of press. This is a format that’s laden with sax players….great sax players, I might add….and piano players like yourself and guitar players, bass players, but you know the B3 is such a unique instrument that when people hear it, it’s like wow, it’s fresh every time out and it’s just got something that will make every bone in your body get up and move.

DB: Yeah, it’s funny that you mention that, is that you can always hear plenty of B3 in the traditional jazz, the Jimmy Smith style, you know, with Joey DeFrancesco and a lot of the great younger players, but where you don’t hear it that often is in Contemporary and Smooth Jazz, and it’s surprising because it has a real R&B base to it and yet it’s surprising that the B3 hasn’t been used more.

Smitty: Absolutely and I think it’s a wonderful instrument that needs more of that steppin’ out kind of vibe.

DB: Yeah, it’s such a great solo instrument because after being a piano player, piano’s real elegant and nice, but there’s just something about that B3 and that Leslie, get that Leslie going, there is a power about that and a funk, and it just gets people going, like you say, and if you go back to my very first record in ’77, there’s B3 on that. I’ve always felt that….and I’m not really an organ player….but I’ve always felt that the B3 just had this really nice different kind of sound that is always nice to have, especially on a really groovin’ tune, you got a lotta groove going and, man, that thing just cuts through everything.

Smitty: Yes, man, and you could punch that thing, you know?

DB: You can punch it, yeah, oh boy.

Smitty: Yeah. When I think of B3 players in this format, I think of you because of that first album, this new record, and some snippets along the way, and I think of people like Joe Kurasz, and Mike Logan both of whom are monster B3 players. We’ve got some guys out there that can really punch this thing and I encourage you cats to keep doing that. I’m not saying just shower the format with it, but, keep that B3 working, baby….

DB: Yeah.

Smitty: ….because it’s so cool, yeah.

DB: Well, thanks. Hopefully….I wouldn’t be surprised if “Monster in the Attic” gets actually some airplay on some of the more independent stations. And the thing is we put it on the end because it’s so slammin’ at the end, we didn’t know what to follow with (both laughing), so whoa, but we put it on the end.

Smitty: Well, you know, my motto is always finish strong.

DB: Yeah, yeah. It makes you want to listen. I think it’s nice because then, hopefully it’s the kind of record, you hear it and then by the time you get to that, “Oh, man, I wanna hear it again.”

Smitty: Yeah, absolutely, yes indeed!

DB: Yeah.

Smitty: So, now, the record comes out, what, the June 27th?

DB: 27th, that’s right.

Smitty: You mentioned earlier some nice things about Peak. I know you’re in the door, you’re solid in the chair, what’s happening and you know your way to the restroom and….

DB: (Laughs.)

Smitty: ….you know where everything is. That’s gotta be a beautiful thing, because as I was reflecting on your move there I remembered that this was not just your ordinary move. You moved in with friends.

DB: Yeah.

Smitty: You’re with people that think the way you do and have such a great synergy there. You know, you cats with Peak could form your own super band very easily.

DB: Exactly, yeah.

Smitty: So, you’ve got a great vibe there. Talk about how that has influenced your creativity and just that whole warm and fuzzy feeling there.

DB: Well, you kinda said it all. I mean, that is the feeling over there and GRP had changed a lot over the years and there was a lot of that feeling at the original GRP with Dave (Grusin) and Larry (Rosen), and then things changed, and they always do, and I actually stayed there all the way until the end of my contract. I had a long great run at GRP….

Smitty: Yes you did.

DB: ….and when my contract was concluded, I think we all felt, “Hey, it’s time for a change” and so we started looking, and I remember the day I had the meeting at Peak and I met all the Concord people, I was up at their office, and I was just walking on air….

Smitty: (Laughs.)

DB: ….with this liberating feeling and we all went to Ruth’s Chris Steak House afterwards with my management team and I said “Oh, this is a no-brainer.”

Smitty: (Laughs.)

DB: “This is so great.” And so we called them the next morning and said “Done.” You know, it was the same way I felt when I signed with GRP like 20 years ago. It was that same fuzz and when you get that feeling, you know it’s right.

Smitty: Sweet isn’t it?

DB: They haven’t disappointed me. They’ve been really great, they’ve shown that they have a lot of artistic integrity and they believe in their artists, and it’s a very great place to be right now and I mean, honestly, just to have a deal now is….very thankful. (Both laughing.)

Smitty: Yes indeed, I tell ya, it’s getting really tough out there, but there’s something I try to remember to say to everyone….the fans still want their music. I know it’s a tough road for some, but the fans really want the music and they appreciate great projects like Full Circle.

DB: I think you’re right and I saw that the last few gigs I’ve done. The fans are supporting this more than ever and very excited about the music having heard it live, and so it’s been really nice, and there’s been more buzz on this record than a record I’ve done in quite a long time, and a lot of interest in it and so it’s very gratifying to me.

Smitty: No doubt, so I’m gonna watch the charts because I know you’re gonna make that climb, man.

DB: (Laughs.)

Smitty: You know? Yeah. So what’s next, man? A DVD?

DB: A DVD would be great. We haven’t gotten quite that far yet, but we’re still talking about some ideas and, of course, we’ll be touring a lot behind this record and then I’ve got another….a really exciting project. We just put together for Christmas….

Smitty: Oh.

DB: Since Dave Koz isn’t doing his Christmas show this year, I called my management and said “Hey, what other possibilities might there be?” And we put together this new package, some really great musicians. It’ll be myself, Michael Franks, Kirk Whalum, and Jonathan Butler.

Smitty: And Jonathan Butler?

DB: Yeah. (Laughs.)

Smitty: Wow! So what do we call this? The Christmas Super Band?

DB: Yeah, really. (Both laughing.) We all recently had a conference call and everyone’s all excited about it, but that won’t be coming til Christmas, so we’ll be out there promoting Full Circle through the summer time.

Smitty: That sounds like a DVD there.

DB: Yeah, that just might be. That’s a pretty incredible group of musicians. I don’t know what I’m doing in that one, (both laughing) but I’m just glad to be part of it.

Smitty: (Laughs.) Oh my goodness. Oh, I’m sure you will be heavily involved, my friend. Oh wow. Okay, Andi (Howard), if you hear me: DVD.

DB: Yup, yup, that’s right.

Smitty: Oh, David, it’s always a wonderful pleasure to talk with you when you’re putting a new project out there or at any time, really.

DB: Yeah, the pleasure’s all mine. I appreciate your continued support of my career over the years and it’s great.

Smitty: Yes indeed. Well, let’s get back and talk some more, maybe when we get toward the fall there, and see how things are going with this new project, my friend.

DB: Okay.

Smitty: This is wonderful. Well, we’ve been talking with Peak Records recording artist Mr. David Benoit. He has a monster new CD that’s to be released on June 27th. It’s called Full Circle. You have got to have this one for your collection. Trust me, it will create a whole new rhythm. David, thanks again for the great conversation and congratulations on this great new project, my friend.

DB: Thanks, Smitty.

Baldwin “Smitty” Smith

For More Information Visit www.benoit.com and www.peakrecords.com.