RICHARD X BENNETT - RXB3
Ubuntu Music UBU0089
Richard X Bennett (piano, melodica); Adam Armstrong (bass); Julian Edmond (drums)
Recorded Pulse Music, NYC October 2020
The music of Canadian pianist/composer Richard X Bennett spans jazz, Indian, classical and soul, and on this largely self-composed album (Bennett wrote or co-wrote eleven of the twelve tunes) the cross-pollination of these influences can be heard. I have to confess that the music of Richard X Bennett is new to me and so I was intrigued by his appearance on the album cover. I don’t normally comment on the sartorial choices of musicians, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that Bennett makes the flamboyant dress sense of Michael Portillo (he of Great British Railway Journeys fame) seem rather conservative. The back cover has an image of Bennett wearing large green-frame glasses, red fingerless mittens and a black jumper with multi-coloured arms. A glance at the CD label reveals that Bennett is also wearing leopard skin leggings and multi-coloured socks.
This is a trio recording and Bennett says that, “Each song begins as a bespoke piano pattern. The melodies evolve from these patterns, resulting in a multitude of ideas that exist together. I create modern music with a melodic and funky fabric and then tear it apart. My expectation is that you can listen, dance or vibe to this music at your leisure and pleasure. Listen closer and you will hear jazz, contemporary classical and Indian raga elements threaded throughout.”
The opening number, ‘I Come from The Future’ is a fast-flowing tune in which Bennett plays a repeated figure with his left hand while embellishing it with various riffs, motifs and melodies played over rich, deep bass lines and a syncopated drum pattern. It brings to mind the music of EST and GoGo Penguin and is a strong start to an album that offers many musical twists and turns. ‘This Is My Code’ builds on a dark-sounding vamp, and highlights Bennett’s intricate playing. At 1:14, for example, he plays a short, catchy riff three times in rapid succession, while at the coda, there’s a repeated four-note pattern that builds in intensity. It’s one of those pieces that bears repeated listening as your ears discover new patterns and melodies.
‘It’s Only July’ is a sweet ballad in which Bennett’s playing is as delicate as a raindrop slowly tracking down a window pane, while ‘Laughing Lion’ is a lively percussive piece. I didn’t find the second ballad, ‘One Voice’ as engaging as ‘It’s Only July.’ It’s a pleasant enough number, but the melody isn’t so memorable to these ears. ‘Made From Stone’ sees the band cooking over a sizzling mix of funk, soul and gospel, with Amstrong’s propulsive bass in the driving seat – he also gets to solo. ‘North Atlantic’ is aptly titled, as Bennett’s opening volley of notes hits you like a storm racing in from the coast. It’s an energetic, nervy, exciting piece with sinister-sounding dark chords that suggest dark clouds ahead. The song opens up towards the end, with Bennett’s crashing chords making way for Armstrong and Edmond to play out with a powerful groove on bass and drums. It’s a shame this piece wasn’t extended as you feel that the band could have taken it to many more places.
The Gallic-flavoured ballad ‘Vape’ features Bennett on both piano and melodica and sounds like the theme to a French TV show. ‘All Organic’ is a short jazzy piece with a nice groove, while ‘Plastique’ features streams of rippling piano notes and a short drum solo by Edmond. ‘The Reckoning’ is a bluesy number with a laidback feel that starts with a piano solo. It’s only until close to the coda that the band shifts up a gear and the playing becomes energised. The track ends with Edmond playing a neat little drum shuffle at the conclusion. The final track, ‘Tum Hi Ho’ is a Bollywood standard and one that Bennett played as an encore for his raga concerts in India. It’s a gentle ballad with a lovely melody and Bennett plays with much feeling. One of the great things about this job is that you often encounter new artists and new music, and I’m glad I got to hear this album and discover the music of Richard X Bennett.
Reviewed by George Cole
Ubuntu Music UBU0089
Richard X Bennett (piano, melodica); Adam Armstrong (bass); Julian Edmond (drums)
Recorded Pulse Music, NYC October 2020
The music of Canadian pianist/composer Richard X Bennett spans jazz, Indian, classical and soul, and on this largely self-composed album (Bennett wrote or co-wrote eleven of the twelve tunes) the cross-pollination of these influences can be heard. I have to confess that the music of Richard X Bennett is new to me and so I was intrigued by his appearance on the album cover. I don’t normally comment on the sartorial choices of musicians, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that Bennett makes the flamboyant dress sense of Michael Portillo (he of Great British Railway Journeys fame) seem rather conservative. The back cover has an image of Bennett wearing large green-frame glasses, red fingerless mittens and a black jumper with multi-coloured arms. A glance at the CD label reveals that Bennett is also wearing leopard skin leggings and multi-coloured socks.
This is a trio recording and Bennett says that, “Each song begins as a bespoke piano pattern. The melodies evolve from these patterns, resulting in a multitude of ideas that exist together. I create modern music with a melodic and funky fabric and then tear it apart. My expectation is that you can listen, dance or vibe to this music at your leisure and pleasure. Listen closer and you will hear jazz, contemporary classical and Indian raga elements threaded throughout.”
The opening number, ‘I Come from The Future’ is a fast-flowing tune in which Bennett plays a repeated figure with his left hand while embellishing it with various riffs, motifs and melodies played over rich, deep bass lines and a syncopated drum pattern. It brings to mind the music of EST and GoGo Penguin and is a strong start to an album that offers many musical twists and turns. ‘This Is My Code’ builds on a dark-sounding vamp, and highlights Bennett’s intricate playing. At 1:14, for example, he plays a short, catchy riff three times in rapid succession, while at the coda, there’s a repeated four-note pattern that builds in intensity. It’s one of those pieces that bears repeated listening as your ears discover new patterns and melodies.
‘It’s Only July’ is a sweet ballad in which Bennett’s playing is as delicate as a raindrop slowly tracking down a window pane, while ‘Laughing Lion’ is a lively percussive piece. I didn’t find the second ballad, ‘One Voice’ as engaging as ‘It’s Only July.’ It’s a pleasant enough number, but the melody isn’t so memorable to these ears. ‘Made From Stone’ sees the band cooking over a sizzling mix of funk, soul and gospel, with Amstrong’s propulsive bass in the driving seat – he also gets to solo. ‘North Atlantic’ is aptly titled, as Bennett’s opening volley of notes hits you like a storm racing in from the coast. It’s an energetic, nervy, exciting piece with sinister-sounding dark chords that suggest dark clouds ahead. The song opens up towards the end, with Bennett’s crashing chords making way for Armstrong and Edmond to play out with a powerful groove on bass and drums. It’s a shame this piece wasn’t extended as you feel that the band could have taken it to many more places.
The Gallic-flavoured ballad ‘Vape’ features Bennett on both piano and melodica and sounds like the theme to a French TV show. ‘All Organic’ is a short jazzy piece with a nice groove, while ‘Plastique’ features streams of rippling piano notes and a short drum solo by Edmond. ‘The Reckoning’ is a bluesy number with a laidback feel that starts with a piano solo. It’s only until close to the coda that the band shifts up a gear and the playing becomes energised. The track ends with Edmond playing a neat little drum shuffle at the conclusion. The final track, ‘Tum Hi Ho’ is a Bollywood standard and one that Bennett played as an encore for his raga concerts in India. It’s a gentle ballad with a lovely melody and Bennett plays with much feeling. One of the great things about this job is that you often encounter new artists and new music, and I’m glad I got to hear this album and discover the music of Richard X Bennett.
Reviewed by George Cole
