Jazz Articles about Daniel Bennett

About Daniel Bennett

Album Review

Daniel Bennett: The Deconstructed Songbook

Read "The Deconstructed Songbook" reviewed by Konstantin N. Rega

by Konstantin N. Rega
June 15, 2026

Multi-instrumentalist and composer Daniel Bennett takes on a list of covers for his project The Deconstructed Songbook with surprising results. Joined by drummer Koko Bermejo, Jason Yeager on piano, guitarist Nat Janoff and Jeff Dingler on electric bass, the group feels well-rounded. Though Bennett allows himself one original tune near the beginning, it does not feel out of place beside tracks by Horace Silver or Lennon-McCartney. For fans of Joni Mitchell who like the song “Both Sides Now" (even if Judy Collins' version ...

Album Review

Daniel Bennett Group: The Deconstructed Songbook

Read "The Deconstructed Songbook" reviewed by Kyle Simpler

by Kyle Simpler
April 26, 2026

In many cases, the idea of “deconstruction" suggests dismantling something to reveal its inner workings. When it comes to art, this is often done in ways that lean toward the avant-garde. But on The Deconstructed Songbook, veteran saxophonist Daniel Bennett takes a different approach. Rather than tearing down familiar material, he reshapes it into something both familiar and modern, offering a new perspective on a collection of mostly well-known songs. Bennett, an award-winning performer and composer with more ...

Album Review

Daniel Bennett Group: We Are the Orchestra

Read "We Are the Orchestra" reviewed by Tyran Grillo

by Tyran Grillo
January 3, 2026

To step into Daniel Bennett's music is to agree, quietly and without protest, to loosen your grip on the obvious. You enter as you might a half-lit room where conversations are already underway, familiar yet oddly angled, tethered to reality but leaning just far enough away from it to feel enchanted. This album opens that door with “Loose Fitting Spare Tire," a title that feels less like a joke than a thesis statement. From the first moments of this duo ...

Play This!

Daniel Bennett Group: The Hills of Beijing

by Scott Lichtman
June 16, 2024

Daniel Bennett has carved out a unique jazz sound, recognized via numerous reviews and awards for the Daniel Bennett Group. Compositions change keys and meter quickly, sometimes from bar-to-bar-to-bar, yet the melody and improvisations follow a smooth, logical path. The arrangements are compact, with instrumentations that can hint at folk or soundtrack music. Bennett's tone across woodwinds is consistently sweet. Although the supporting musicians have changed over the years, the band is always perfectly locked in. A great point from ...

102

Album Review

Daniel Bennett: Mr. Bennett's Mind

Read "Mr. Bennett's Mind" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
May 9, 2024

In the grand saga of his tenth album as a leader, we tiptoe into the whimsical wonderland of saxophonist Daniel Bennett's mind. He does not just wield the saxophone; he also performs on the flute, clarinet, guitar and keyboard, all while basking in the fervent performances of his bandmates. From the saucy saxophone solos to the rhythmic riddles laid down by bassist Kevin Hailey and drummer Koko Bermejo, each track is a lively escapade. Bennett's saxophone pirouettes through ...

Radio & Podcasts

Dayna Stephens, Monty Alexander, Tom Collier & Daniel Bennett

by Joe Dimino
April 14, 2024

From a brilliant New York City talent, we begin the 850th Episode of Neon Jazz with multi-instrumentalist Daniel Bennett and a get a cut off his 2024 album Mr. Bennet's Mind. From there, we move on to a collection of great new songs from Monty Alexander, KJ Denhert, Tom Collier & Hendrik Meurkens. In between, we feature new music from promising artists including Jazz Ensemble of Memphis, Mimosa and Abe Pollack. We wrap up the episode with a collaboration between ...

Album Review

Daniel Bennett Group: New York Nerve

Read "New York Nerve" reviewed by Tyran Grillo

by Tyran Grillo
July 3, 2021

"This is not a pandemic record, but it is," says Daniel Bennett about his latest album. What might come across as a paradoxical statement is, from the multi-instrumentalist and composer's lips, a poignant assessment of his creative turn. “I didn't go on pause at all. I did my best as a human, using common sense while taking the blessings I had in my life. I didn't want to be consumed by fear. No disrespect, of course, to everyone who has ...