Max Bennett (musician)
Max Bennett | |
---|---|
Bennett in San Francisco, 1976. | |
Background information | |
Born |
Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. | May 24, 1928
Died |
September 14, 2018 90) San Clemente, California, U.S. | (aged
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Session musician |
Instruments | Bass guitar |
Years active | 1949–2018 |
Labels | – |
Associated acts | L.A. Express |
Website |
maxbennett |
Max Bennett (May 24, 1928 – September 14, 2018) was an American jazz bassist and session musician.
Biography
Bennett grew up in Kansas City and Oskaloosa, Iowa, and went to college in Iowa. His first professional gig was with Herbie Fields in 1949, and following this he played with Georgie Auld, Terry Gibbs, and Charlie Ventura. He served in the Army during the Korean War from 1951 to 1953, and then played with Stan Kenton before moving to Los Angeles. There he played regularly at the Lighthouse Cafe with his own ensemble, and played behind such vocalists as Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez through the 1970s.[1] He also recorded with Charlie Mariano, Conte Candoli, Bob Cooper, Bill Holman, Stan Levey, Lou Levy, Coleman Hawkins and Jack Montrose.
Bennett recorded under his own name from the late 1950s and did extensive work as a composer and studio musician in addition to jazz playing. Often associated with The Wrecking Crew, he performed on many records by The Monkees and The Partridge Family.
In 1969, Bennett served as the principal bassist for Frank Zappa's Hot Rats project.[1] According to Bennett, "I was not familiar with Zappa’s music. Our paths never crossed. I was never a big fan of avant garde music in that sense. It was while I was working in the studio, what was it, 1967 [sic], I think? And I got a call from John Guerin. He said, ‘Get your stuff over to TTG’—that was in Hollywood—‘I got a double session for you with Frank Zappa.’ So we get there and we worked two double sessions for two nights. And that was the album, that was Hot Rats.” He also played on later Zappa albums such as Chunga's Revenge.[2]
His studio work also included bass on the 1969 Lalo Schifrin soundtrack to the 1968 film Bullitt as well as Greatest Science Fiction Hits Volumes 1-3 with Neil Norman & His Cosmic Orchestra.
In 1973, Guerin and Bennett joined Tom Scott's L.A. Express alongside Joe Sample and Larry Carlton. After recording their eponymous debut album, the jazz fusion quintet served as the core band for Mitchell's Court and Spark (1974). A subsequent iteration of the group (including guitarist Robben Ford and pianist Larry Nash) backed Mitchell on the live Miles of Aisles (1974) and recorded two smooth jazz albums for Caribou Records following Scott's departure in 1976. After the band's dissolution, Bennett formed his own group, Freeway. He continued to perform with his last group, Private Reserve, until his death in 2018.[3][2]
Discography
As leader
- Max Bennett Quintet (Bethlehem, 1955)
- Max Bennett Sextet (Bethlehem, 1956)
- Max Bennett Septet, Quartet & Trio (Bethlehem, 1956)
- Max Bennett with Charlie Mariano (Bethlehem)
- Interchange (Palo Alto, 1987) U.S. Top Contemporary Jazz #13
- The Drifter (1987) U.S. Top Contemporary Jazz #21
- Images (TBA, 1989)
- Great Expectations (Chase Music, 1993)
- Max Is the Factor (Fresh Sound, 2006)
As sideman
- Marvin Gaye
- Barbra Streisand
- Anthony Newley
- Paul Anka
- Elvis Presley
- Shawn Phillips
- Four Tops
- Nelson Riddle
- Frank Sinatra
- Frank Sinatra, Jr
- Frank Zappa
- Ray Charles
- Cleo Laine
- Seals & Croft
- Joe Williams
- Ella Fitzgerald
- Michel Colombier
- Quincy Jones
- Billy Eckstine
- Kenny Rogers
- The Beach Boys
- Carole King
- Paul Williams
- The Fifth Dimension
- First Edition
- Phil Spector
- Joan Baez
- The Temptations
- Joni Mitchell
- The Crusaders
- Tom Scott
- L.A. Express
- Victor Feldman
- O.C. Smith
- Judy Collins
- Michael Franks
- John Williams
- Henry Mancini
- Lalo Schifrin
- Charley Fox
- Artie Butler
- Ralph Carmichael
- Jack Nitzsche
- Percy Faith
- H. B. Barnum
- Peggy Lee
- Stan Kenton
- Sauter-Finegan Orchestra
- Terry Gibbs
- Celine Dion
- Jose Iglesias
- Bill Holman
- Grass Roots
- David Foster
- Michael McDonald
- Jose Feliciano
- The Friends of Distinction
- Jimmy Rowles
- George Harrison
With Bob Cooper
- Coop! The Music of Bob Cooper (Contemporary, 1958)
With Stan Kenton
- Contemporary Concepts (Capitol, 1955)
With Jack Montrose
- Blues and Vanilla (RCA Victor, 1956)
- The Horn's Full (RCA Victor, 1957)
With Jack Nitzsche
- Heart Beat (Soundtrack) (Capitol, 1980)
With Howard Roberts
- Antelope Freeway (Impulse!, 1971)
With Lalo Schifrin
- There's a Whole Lalo Schifrin Goin' On (Dot, 1968)
- Mannix (Paramount, 1968)
- Bullitt (soundtrack) (Warner Bros., 1968)
- Rock Requiem (Verve, 1971)
- Enter the Dragon (soundtrack) (Warner Bros., 1973)
With Gábor Szabó and Bob Thiele
- Light My Fire (Impulse!, 1967)
TV, film and motion picture soundtracks written by:
References
- 1 2 Chadbourne, Eugene. "Max Bennett Biography". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
- 1 2 "The Unbelievable True Story of the Wrecking Crew's Max Bennett". Observer.com. 26 April 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
- ↑ Kohlhaase, Bill (30 November 1991). "Bennett Takes It to the Maxx". Los Angeles Times.
External links
- Max Bennett discography at Discogs
- Max Bennett on IMDb
- Max Bennett Interview NAMM Oral History Library (2007)