Benny Green
Benny Green (pianist).jpg
Photo by John Dugan
Background information
Born April 4, 1963 (age 56)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Genres Jazz
Occupation(s) Musician
Instruments Piano
Labels Criss Cross, Blue Note, Telarc, Sunnyside
Associated acts Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers
Website bennygreenmusic.com
Benny Green (born April 4, 1963) is an American hard bop jazz pianist who was a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. He has been compared to Bud Powell and Oscar Peterson in style and counts them as influences.


Contents
1 Biography
2 Discography
2.1 As leader
2.2 As sideman
3 References
4 External links
Biography
Green was born in New York City. He grew up in Berkeley, California, and studied classical piano from the age of seven. He also had an interest in jazz from an early point, as his father was a jazz tenor saxophone player. Benny Green was "discovered" by Faye Carroll, and while still in his teens worked in a quintet led by Eddie Henderson. Green attended Berkeley High School, and participated in the school's jazz ensemble. In the later years of his high school career, he had a weekly trio gig at Yoshi's, which marked his entrance to the world of professional jazz. After high school he spent time in San Francisco, but became more successful on his return to New York.

Green joined Betty Carter's band in April, 1983, and since 1991 he has led his own trio. He has recorded for Blue Note Records, Telarc, and Criss Cross Jazz.

Green frequently teaches in workshops across the United States, such as Jazz Camp West in California, and Centrum/Jazz Port Townsend in Washington. He currently resides in the United States and tours globally with the world-famous Benny Green Trio. His 2018 studio album release "Then and Now" is now available from Sunnyside Records.

Discography
As leader
Year recorded Title Label Personnel/Notes
1988 Prelude Criss Cross Quintet, with Terence Blanchard (trumpet), Javon Jackson (tenor sax), Peter Washington (bass), Tony Reedus (drums)
1988–89 In This Direction Criss Cross Trio, with Buster Williams (bass), Lewis Nash (drums)
1990 Lineage Blue Note Trio, with Ray Drummond (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)
1991 Greens Blue Note Trio, with Christian McBride (bass), Carl Allen (drums)
1991 Testifyin'!: Live at the Village Vanguard Blue Note Trio, with Christian McBride (bass), Carl Allen (drums); in concert
1992 That's Right! Blue Note Trio, with Christian McBride (bass), Carl Allen (drums)
1994 The Place to Be Blue Note Some tracks solo piano; some tracks trio, with Christian McBride (bass), Kenny Washington (drums); some tracks nonet, with Byron Stripling (trumpet), Delfeayo Marsalis (trombone), John Clark (French horn), Herb Besson (tuba), Jerry Dodgion (flute, alto flute, alto sax), Gary Smulyan (baritone sax) added
1996 Kaleidoscope Blue Note With Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax), Antonio Hart (alto sax), Russell Malone (guitar), Ron Carter (bass), Lewis Nash (drums)
1997 Oscar and Benny Telarc Quartet, with Oscar Peterson (piano), Ray Brown (bass), Gregory Hutchinson (drums)
1999 These Are Soulful Days Blue Note Trio, with Russell Malone (guitar), Christian McBride (bass)
2000 Naturally Telarc Trio, with Russell Malone (guitar), Christian McBride (bass)
2001 Green's Blues Telarc Solo piano
2002 Jazz at the Bistro Telarc Duo, with Russell Malone (guitar); in concert
2003 Bluebird Telarc Duo, with Russell Malone (guitar)
2011? Source Jazz Legacy
2013? Magic Beans Sunnyside Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Kenny Washington (drums)
2013 Live in Santa Cruz! Sunnyside Trio, with David Wong (bass), Kenny Washington (drums); in concert
2016 Happiness! Live at Kuumbwa Sunnyside Trio, with David Wong (bass), Rodney Green (drums); in concert
2018 Then and Now Sunnyside Some tracks trio, with David Wong (bass), Kenny Washington (drums); one track quartet, with Anne Drummond (flute, alto flute) added; two tracks quintet, with Drummond, Josh Jones (percussion) added; four tracks quartet, with Veronica Swift (vocals) added
Main sources:

As sideman
With Art Blakey

Not Yet (Soul Note, 1988)
I Get a Kick Out of Bu (Soul Note, 1988)
With Bob Belden

Straight to My Heart: The Music of Sting (1989)
When the Doves Cry: The Music of Prince (1993)
With Don Braden

Quintet Time Is Now (1991)
Wish List (1991)
With Cecil Brooks III

Hangin' with Smooth (Muse, 1990)
Our Mister Brooks (2000)
With Ray Brown

Bass Face (1993)
Dont Get Sassy (1994)
Some of My Best Friends Are... (1994)
Some of My Best Friends Are... (1995)
Seven Steps to Heaven (1995)
Live at Scullers Jazz Club (1996)
SuperBass (1997)
Triple Play (1998)
Walk On (2003)
With Arnett Cobb

Tenor Tribute, Vol. 1 (1988)
Tenor Tribute, Vol. 2 (1988)
With Freddie Hubbard

Topsy - Standard Book (1989)
Live at Fat Tuesday (1991)
God Bless the Child (1998)
With Etta Jones

Reverse the Charges (Muse, 1992)
At Last (Muse, 1995)
My Gentleman Friend (Muse, 1994 )
With Ralph Moore

Round Trip (Reservoir, 1985 )
Images (Landmark, 1989)
Furthermore (Landmark, 1990)
Who It is You Are (1993)
With Houston Person

The Lion and His Pride (Muse, 1991 )
Christmas with Houston Person and Friends (Muse, 1994)
Little Houston on the Side (1999)
With Jimmy Ponder

Soul Eyes (1991)
Steel City Soul (1998)
With Jim Snidero

Mixed Bag (1987)
Blue Afternoon (1989)
While You Were Here (1991)
With Lew Tabackin

Ill Be Seeing You (1992)
What a Little Moonlight Can Do (1994)
With Jack Walrath

Out of the Tradition (Muse, 1990 )
I Am the Walrath (2000)
With others

Gary Bartz, Shadows (1991)
Block 16 Morning Sun Remixed (2002)
Betty Carter Look What I Got (1988)
Anat Cohen, Clarinetwork: Live at the Village Vanguard (2010)
Mark Elf Minor Scramble (1996)
Larry Gales Message from Monk (1990)
Tim Hagans Hub Songs: The Music of Freddie... (1997)
Jay Hoggard Little Tiger (1990)
Fred Horn Steady Freddy Collective Cuts (1995)
Jazz Futures Live in Concert (1991)
Milt Jackson Burnin in the Woodhouse (1995)
Ron Jackson Guitar Thing (1991)
Randy Johnston, Walk On (Muse, 1992)
Vince Jones One Day Spent (1991)
Kristin Korb Introducing Kristin Korb With the... (1996)
Diana Krall All for You (1995)
Michael Logan Night Out (1990)
Brian Lynch In Process (1991)
Mingus Dynasty Next Generation Performs Charles... (1991)
Amani A. W. Murray Amani A. W. Murray (1990)
Randy Napoleon Between Friends (2006)
Oscar Peterson Oscar Peterson & Benny Green (1998)
Flip Phillips Swing Is the Thing! (2000)
John Pizzarelli Dear Mr. Cole (1994)
Lisa Pollard I See Your Face Before Me (1993)
Clark Terry One on One (2000)
Steve Turre Right There (1991)
Belinda Underwood Greenspace (2008)
Bobby Watson Inventor (1989)
References
Scheinin, Richard (25 June 2013). "Review: Pianist Benny Green delivers sheer jazz joy – The Mercury News". San Jose Mercury. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
"Bio". www.bennygreen.music. 22 August 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
Yanow, Scott. "Benny Green | Biography & History | AllMusic". AllMusic.
Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (1992). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD, LP & Cassette (1st ed.). Penguin. p. 445. ISBN 978-0-14-015364-4.
Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (1996). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD (3rd ed.). Penguin. p. 539. ISBN 978-0-14-051368-4.
Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2004). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD (7th ed.). Penguin. ISBN 978-0-14-101416-6.
Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 597. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.