Max Bennett (born May 24, 1928) is an American jazz
bassist and session musician. He is perhaps the most recorded bass player in
the world, having recorded every year for 68 years, and counting.
John Williams, Max Bennett, Howard Roberts, 1956
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One of the most versatile of session bassists, Max
Bennett hailed from the Midwest. He was raised in both Kansas City and the town
of Oskaloosa in Iowa, and undertook his university musical studies in the
latter state. In 1949, he went professional as the bassist in the Herbie Fields
band, followed rapidly by gigs with players such as Georgie Auld, Terry Gibbs,
and Charlie Ventura.
The stream of happening basslines was interrupted by the
Army from 1951 through 1953; he was then back on the scene with Stan Kenton
before settling into the stay-at-home local Los Angeles music scene. The
bassist fronted his own combo during this period, and was part of a house band
at the Lighthouse, a famous L.A. jazz venue.
He also began backing Peggy Lee,
the first of his many associations with female vocalists, which would include
Ella Fitzgerald in the late '50s and Joan Baez in the '70s. He also recorded
with Charlie Mariano, Conte Candoli, Bob Cooper, Bill Holman, Stan Levey, Lou
Levy, Coleman Hawkins and Jack Montrose.
The best example in this case would be the Monkees, who had to battle mightily just to be allowed to touch their instruments on record. Bennett is the bassist on many of this group's best records, and also holds down the bottom end on cuts by the Partridge Family. His association with the latter group serves as one link between such bubblegum pop and the unsavoury taste of Frank Zappa.
His studio work also included bass on the Lalo Schifrin
soundtrack to the 1969 film Bullitt as well as Greatest Science Fiction Hits
Volumes 1-3 with Neil Norman & His Cosmic Orchestra.
Bennett continued with his own band, L.A. Express, which
included Joe Sample, Larry Carlton and John Guerin, under the leadership of Tom
Scott. After this band, Bennett formed his own group Freeway, and currently
heads his most recent band, Private Reserve. (Info edited from AMG &
Wikipedia)
FOOTNOTE: Max continued to perform with his last group, Private
Reserve, until his death on September 14, 2018
Living bass legend, Max Bennett with Mike Miller on guitar
and Roy Weinberger on drums take cool to a new level at TC Electronic's booth
at NAMM 2012.
1 comment:
For “Max Bennett & Freeway - Interchange (1987)” go here:
http://www37.zippyshare.com/v/ewv4DTW4/file.html
01. Star Flite
02. Jamaica
03. Strollin'
04. The Bad Boy
05. The Pentagon
06. Midnite Lady
07. Mr. Slick!!
08. Samba Roca
A big thank you to Pere @ ketmokin7audio.blogspot for the link
For more Max Bennett albums as leader or session man go here:
http://ketmokin7audio.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=max+bennett
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