Jazz Articles about Benny Green

Benny Green: These Are Soulful Days

by C. Andrew Hovan
July 1, 1999

It's hard to believe that it's been over fifteen years now since a young, cherub-faced pianist by the name of Benny Green took the stage with vocal legend Betty Carter and began turning heads. Stints with Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard, and Ray Brown would follow, along with an active recording career that put several albums under his belt.

With all the pomp and circumstance surrounding Blue Note's 60th anniversary and Benny's own 10 year run on the label, it seemed ...

Benny Green: These Are Soulful Days

by Mark Corroto
July 1, 1999

Pianist Benny Green’s covers of Blue Note not-so-well-known classics is a great relief from all this summer heat. Like a book you take to the beach, the drummerless band is light fare for summer listening. To honor Blue Note’s 60th anniversary, Green arranged tunes by Horace Silver, Elmo Hope, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Henderson, Cal Massey, Dexter Gordon, and Lee Morgan. Benny Green made quite a splash when he entered the jazz scene with Betty Carter in the early 80’s. After ...

Benny Green: Kaleidoscope

by Douglas Payne
March 1, 1997

One must suppose the folks at Blue Note strive to uphold a certain tradition. Kaleidoscope seems to fit the bill; yet, like Benny Green's other Blue Note releases, it's all rather too derivative. The pianist clearly fares better as an accompanist (Ray Brown, Freddie Hubbard and many singers) where his sensitivity to style is an asset. Here, as always, the musicianship is professional and features a first-rate cast including Antonio Hart (alto sax), Russell Malone (guitar), Ron Carter (bass) Lewis ...