Walt Disney Records:
Biography of David Benoit
One of today's most popular contemporary jazz artists, keyboardist-composer David Benoit, performs an instrumental medley of classic tunes on The Music of Disney's Cinderella. In the last few years, Benoit put out both Letter to Evan -- a tribute to the late great jazz pianist Bill Evans -- and the Benoit-Freeman Project, a reunion with guitarist Russ Freeman of the Rippingtons. His latest release, Shaken Not Stirred, marks his ninth album for GRP.
Born in Bakersfield, California, in 1953, Benoit grew up in a musical household. His father, a college professor, excelled on the jazz guitar and his mother played the piano. Benoit started playing piano at age 14 and continued with various bands after the family migrated to Hermosa Beach, near Los Angeles. His first big break came when film composer Richard Baskin invited Benoit to play on the soundtrack to the legendary Robert Altman film of 1975, Nashville. Benoit's first studio session, fittingly, was on Alphonse Mouzon's The Man Incognito, featuring future GRP labelmates Dave Grusin and Lee Ritenour.
Benoit's solo career began with the AVI label. His AVI albums include Heavier Than Yesterday, Can You Imagine, Stages, Digits, and Waves of Raves. During this time, he was honing the composing/band-leading skills that led up to his 1985 album, This Side Up, a turning point for the pianist.
That album -- which looked forward to the contemporary jazz movement to come -- was also the calling card that attracted the ear of Larry Rosen and Dave Grusin, who were then starting up the GRP label. The following year, Benoit was one of the fateful characters involved in a historical album called Moonlighting by the Rippingtons, led by Russ Freeman and featuring Benoit and Kenny G. Soon, Benoit began his fruitful relationship with GRP, producing a variety of solo projects, sales figures, and awards.
Benoit's bin now includes such titles as Freedom at Midnight; Every Step of the Way, which was nominated for a Grammy® in the Best Jazz-Fusion category; and Waiting for Spring, which nestled at the top of the jazz charts in 1989 for eight weeks.
Benoit was a key player on GRP concept albums, Garfield - Am I Cool or What?; Happy Anniversary, Charlie Brown!, which paid homage to another pianist hero of his, Vince Guaraldi; and GRP All-Star Big Band, which was also nominated for a Grammy® Award. Benoit has also been busy composing for television and film, including Sirens and "Don't Pave Main Street - Carmel's Heritage" (a documentary narrated by Clint Eastwood). He has also appeared as guest conductor and pianist with the New World Symphony, the Dresden Philharmonic, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, The New Jazz Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Los Angeles Composer's Guild.