Jazz Articles about Bennett Paster

Tom Cohen: Embraceable Brazil

by Jack Bowers
October 17, 2025

Philadephia-based drummer and arranger Tom Cohen uses groups of various sizes from trio to octet recorded over a ten-year span to tailor an elegant musical “love letter" to Brazil and its iconic dance music, the bossa nova, on Embraceable Brazil, an album whose charming melodies and vibrant rhythms represent the best that picturesque South American country has to offer. Of course, Antonio Carlos Jobim is here, as would be true on any survey of Brazilian music, with ...

Bennett Paster & Gregory Ryan: Grupo Yanqui Rides Again

by John Barron
January 25, 2009

A shared love for Latin music is what drives the partnership headed by pianist Bennett Paster and acoustic/electric bassist Gregory Ryan, known as Grupo Yanqui. Formed in 2001, the like-minded associates combine the musical influences of Afro-Cuban and Brazilian rhythms with an American jazz perspective. Grupo Yanqui Rides Again, the ensemble's second release, features clever composing and arranging from the two leaders along with first-rate musicianship.

There's an abundance of energy emanating from this disc. The opening “Tones for Jones ...

Bennet Paster & Gregory Ryan: Grupo Yanqui Rides Again

by Michael P. Gladstone
October 3, 2008

This album is a winning effort that presents urban Latin jazz, led by pianist Bennett Paster and bassist Gregory Ryan. Grupo Yanqui Rides Again is a solid interpretation of mostly original material proffered up by the leading duo. The album contains the combination of Latin ideas and the talent of saxophonist Chris Cheek and trumpeter/flugelhornist/percussionist Alex Norris. In addition, hand percussionist Gilad certainly adds the flair of Latin jazz to the sound. For those not previously fond ...

Bennett Paster and Gregory Ryan: Grupo Yanqui

by C. Michael Bailey
May 1, 2002

Some of the Best things are Self-Produced...

Grupo Yanqui (pronounced Group-o Yan key) is headed by the young New Yorkers Bennett Paster and Gregory Ryan. These guys play a brand of jazz that is very much in your head. It is erudite and inventive and very, very listenable. Gregory Ryan's “Miller Time" is a Lee Morgan “Cornbread" Hard Bop played with a Bobby Watson Latin flare. Other Latinesque tones come from Bennett Paster's “Mona Se Queda" and the standard ...