Review - Benevento/Russo Duo - Tribeca Rock Club, NYC 1/30/04

Every so often, amid the increasingly saturated world of improvisational music, comes a band or musician who create such a buzz that I can't help jumping right in to find out what all of the commotion is about. I personally hadn't heard of the Benevento/Russo Duo before about three weeks ago, and I feel like I stay on top of the new music scene.

Right now, warming up for a national tour, "The Duo" are doing weekly residencies in three cities at once, trucking back and forth between New York, Boston and Philadelphia, each week, for about a month straight.

I wonder, how is it that "The Duo" comes out of nowhere, and has the whole jamband scene talking? Well, I discovered a few things while witnessing their performance on Friday. First, it has taken a few years of hard work to make this happen. And second, the music Marco Benevento & Joe Russo create together is extraordinary.

Opening the show on Friday was the Sam Kininger Band. I know Sam from his work with previous projects Lettuce and Fatbag, and I know that he toured with Soulive for some time too. I've always been impressed with his style of Saxophone playing and it was great to see his solo project. His backing band consists of a drummer and bass player who lay down thick grooves for Sam and his guitarist to take turns playing over. This high-energy quartet was a perfect way to start off the night.

Anticipation was high as the Duo's set approached, and when they took the stage, the packed house was more than ready. They started off very ambient, but it wasn't long until everyone at Tribeca was dancing to some of the most unique playing I have witnessed in a long time. One song blended seamlessly into the next, and it was obvious that this unique pairing of musicians was nothing short of exceptional.

I am always impressed when a keyboardist handle the task of providing bass grooves while handling their end of organ/piano duties as well. I've never seen anyone handle this as gracefully as Marco Benevento, who plays like two musicians rolled into one.

Joe Russo is also an exceptional drummer. Watching him communicate and lock tight with Benevento on stage, it is clear that Russo's rhythmic and technical skills work perfectly in this duo.

The second set, which started around 1:30 AM, began with an instrumental cover of Radiohead's Paranoid Android. I think that this would be a very difficult song to cover for any band, but the Duo reinvented it and made it look easy. They flowed in and out of the various sections gracefully, and the keyboard arrangements worked perfectly during the heavy and the more ambient sections.

Also, during the second set, several special guests joined them. Most notably was the appearance by Adam Deitch, drummer for the John Scofield Band, and several other projects. Adam first came up and did a beat-box jam, before grabbing his drum sticks, and playing so hard that he ended up breaking a Russo's bass drum! The Tribeca staff thankfully had a spare downstairs that they brought up a few minutes later. Adam absolutely rocked the house though, and it was a treat to see him up there with the Duo.

Sam Kininger also joined in for a while and so did another saxophonist, whose name escapes me.

"The Duo" continues their three residencies for one more week before embarking on a nationwide tour, so do yourself a favor and get on out to their next show. If you are intrigued by top-notch musicians whose potential is endless, this is the band for you!

	"The Duo" - Tribeca Rock Club, NYC 1/30/04

	Every so often, amid the increasingly saturated world of improvisational music, comes a band or musician who create such a buzz that I can't help jumping right in to find out what all of the commotion is about. I personally hadn't heard of the Benevento/Russo Duo before about three weeks ago, and I feel like I stay on top of the new music scene. Right now, warming up for a national tour, "The Duo" are doing weekly residencies in three cities at once, trucking back and forth between New York, Boston and Philadelphia, each week, for about a month straight. I wonder, how is it that "The Duo" comes out of nowhere, and has the whole jamband scene talking? Well, I discovered a few things while witnessing their performance on Friday. First, it has taken a few years of hard work to make this happen. And second, the music Marco Benevento & Joe Russo create together is extraordinary. Opening the show on Friday was the Sam Kininger Band. I know Sam from his work with previous projects Lettuce and Fatbag, and I know that he toured with Soulive for some time too. I've always been impressed with his style of Saxophone playing and it was great to see his solo project. His backing band consists of a drummer and bass player who lay down thick grooves for Sam and his guitarist to take turns playing over. This high-energy quartet was a perfect way to start off the night. Anticipation was high as the Duo's set approached, and when they took the stage, the packed house was more than ready. They started off very ambient, but it wasn't long until everyone at Tribeca was dancing to some of the most unique playing I have witnessed in a long time. One song blended seamlessly into the next, and it was obvious that this unique pairing of musicians was nothing short of exceptional. I am always impressed when a keyboardist handle the task of providing bass grooves while handling their end of organ/piano duties as well. I've never seen anyone handle this as gracefully as Marco Benevento, who plays like two musicians rolled into one. Joe Russo is also an exceptional drummer. Watching him communicate and lock tight with Benevento on stage, it is clear that Russo's rhythmic and technical skills work perfectly in this duo. The second set, which started around 1:30 AM, began with an instrumental cover of Radiohead's Paranoid Android. I think that this would be a very difficult song to cover for any band, but the Duo reinvented it and made it look easy. They flowed in and out of the various sections gracefully, and the keyboard arrangements worked perfectly during the heavy and the more ambient sections. Also, during the second set, several special guests joined them. Most notably was the appearance by Adam Deitch, drummer for the John Scofield Band, and several other projects. Adam first came up and did a beat-box jam, before grabbing his drum sticks, and playing so hard that he ended up breaking a Russo's bass drum! The Tribeca staff thankfully had a spare downstairs that they brought up a few minutes later. Adam absolutely rocked the house though, and it was a treat to see him up there with the Duo. Sam Kininger also joined in for a while and so did another saxophonist, whose name escapes me. "The Duo" continues their three residencies for one more week before embarking on a nationwide tour, so do yourself a favor and get on out to their next show. If you are intrigued by top-notch musicians whose potential is endless, this is the band for you!

	photos courtesy www.organanddrums.com