Starting August 17, The Highline Ballroom will play host to its first Highline Piano Series, a weeklong slate of shows that, not so uncoincidentally, will feature some amazing pianists and keyboard players. On Monday night, the series will open will an acoustic performance from The Benevento Russo Duo. While Marco Benevento and Joe Russo haven't been hard to find with their various other projects, Duo shows, once prevalent, have been. The last time I can recall the Duo playing sans electricity was at the now-defunct Knitting Factory during the 2007 Green Apple Festival. Figuring that an acoustic show should be played before a seated crowd, the Duo generated an unheard amount of excitement, a feat they will no doubt duplicate at the Highline Ballroom.

At Hidden Track, they are running a free ticket giveaway for the event with five pairs available for the return of The Duo. Simply write a 50 word or less comment describing your favorite Duo song in order to be eligible.

The Highline Piano Series will run from August 17 through August 26 and feature jazz great McCoy Tyner (August 23) and Radiohead interpreter and Sunday New York Times Art & Leisure subject Christopher O'Riley (August 24). The other dates are as follows:

August 19 - Peter Cincotti
August 20 - Vienna Teng Trio
August 21 - The Bad Plus
August 22 - Iris Dement
August 25 - Cecil Taylor
August 26 - Phil Vassar

Labels: Benevento/Russo Duo, High Line Ballroom

By: David Schultz
Photo by by Michael DiDonna


In a fitting start to the 2nd Green Apple Music & Arts Festival, Marco Benevento and Joe Russo, otherwise known as the Benevento/Russo Duo, kicked off the New York festivities commemorating Earth Day with two stripped down acoustic performances at New York City's Knitting Factory. Befitting a celebration of nature and the environment, The Duo went back to the basics, setting aside the electronics and laying their considerable talents bare before an eager and hungry crowd. The acoustic dimension of the performance didn't have as much of an effect on Russo's drumming as it did on Benevento's normally variegated array of instruments. Customarily surrounded by a variety of keyboards, synthesizers and other electronic doo-hickeys, Benevento's acoustic arsenal consisted of simply a piano, a toy keyboard and a xylophone.

The acoustic Duo shows were originally scheduled to take place a little further uptown at Tonic, the home to a series of improvisational performances by Benevento and numerous guests this past November that have been commemorated in an upcoming Live At Tonic release. Unfortunately, the changing landscape of New York City's Lower East Side, which has left the corpses of many iconic concert venues in its wake, claimed Tonic, despite the best efforts of avant-garde guitarist Marc Ribot to prevent its destruction.

The Duo started their first set of the evening with a healthy dose of improvisation befitting the experimental history of the Knitting Factory, with both showing off jazzy chops that sometimes get lost in their mélange of sound. In contrast to Benevento, who predominantly played piano with his back to crowd, Russo bounced and lurched behind his kit with his typical innovative skill. Though more animated, Russo otherwise seemed content to let Benevento have the creative spotlight. With a limited number of instruments at Benevento's disposal, the Duo reinterpreted "Soba" and completely deconstructed "Becky," turning the funky rave-up into a jazzy odyssey. For "Play Pause Stop," Benevento replaced the squeaks and squiggles of the song's middle section with some improvisational piano licks and in the absence of stage mikes, the audience provided the piece's hymnal vocals. In the set's most impressive moment, Benevento inventively played the opening melodies of "Sunny's Song" on the toy piano and xylophone, accomplishing the difficult task of playing both simultaneously. After all their imaginative work, they finished by playing it straight, offering a melodious rendition of George Harrison's "Run Of The Mill."

The late show featured appearances from saxophone wizard Skerik as well as the horn section from Fat Mama, an earlier project of Russo's that reformed to close the Green Apple Festivities on Earth Day with their first show in more than six years. Rather than restrict themselves within the confines of an acoustic setting, Benevento and Russo seemed to take it as a challenge, using their prodigious skills to transform a presumably serene show into a momentous event. Perhaps imagining a more sedate performance, The Knitting Factory's main room was set up with folding chairs, diminishing the kinetic energy usually crackling within a Duo show. Despite calls from some to pack up the chairs halfway through the first show, they remained in place, leaving open the question the frenzy The Duo could have inspired in a solely acoustic setting.

Labels: Benevento/Russo Duo, Live Reviews

The Green Apple Music & Arts Festival continues to take shape. Produced by Relix Magazine and Peter Shapiro, the 2nd annual celebration of Earth Day will take place April 19-22 with concerts in New York City, Chicago and San Francisco.

Anchoring this year's festivities will be free Earth Day concerts featuring Bob Weir and Ratdog in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, a double bill of Umphrey's McGee and the Disco Biscuits at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo and children's star Laurie Berkner performing in New York City's Central Park. The Lincoln Park show will also feature Jeff Tweedy and Todd Park Mohr of Big Head Todd & The Monsters.

Each city will host a series of live shows throughout the long weekend with Chicago's slate of bands proving the most varied: in addition to separate performances by Umphrey's and the Biscuits at the VIC Theater, The Decemberists and Andrew Bird will play sets at the Riviera Theater and J.J. Grey and MOFRO and New Monsoon will perform at the House of Blues. In California, Tea Leaf Green and the Yonder Mountain String Band will respectively play the Fillmore on successive nights. New York City will feature two nights at the Lions' Den by The Radiators, a Zero reunion show with Steve Kimock at the newly opened Gramercy Theate, Particle returning to the Bowery Ballroom and a Beacon Theater concert by . . . Taylor Hicks.

New York's GAMF will open with at the Lower East Side's Tonic with two acoustic performances by the Benevento/Russo Duo and will close with Joe Russo participating in the reunion of Fat Mama.

Labels: Benevento/Russo Duo, Disco Biscuits, Green Apple Music and Arts Festival, Ratdog, Umphrey's McGee

By: David Schultz

After months of relentless touring, the Benevento/Russo Duo released Play Pause Stop, their second album, in the midst of this past summer. Most bands would immediately take to the road in support of their new disc but the Duo, keyboardist Marco Benevento and drummer Joe Russo, have never followed a traditional career plan. In this case, the two didn't quite have the luxury of touring behind Play Pause Stop as they were already occupying theaters and arenas throughout North America, accompanying Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon as part of the unofficially titled G.R.A.B. quartet. At the end of the summer, the Duo commenced their Play Pause Stop tour proper on the West coast, slowly wending their way back home to the East coast. This past week, the Duo returned to the Bowery Ballroom, one of their frequent New York haunts, as part of the final handful of shows at the tail end of their fall tour.

The Duo were clearly happy to be home. Prior to the show, Benevento could be seen flitting around the Ballroom greeting friends; once on stage, his beatific grin hardly left his face. Always an intriguing drummer to watch, Russo seemed to take delight in the audience’s audible cringing while he loosened his shoulders between songs by sending them straight up and behind his back in a style reminiscent of Harry Houdini.

Beginning the evening with some of their more harmonious songs, including a version of "Play Pause Stop" during which the assemblage gathered backstage flooded out, surrounding the Duo to add vocals for the song's hymnal chorus, they picked up the pace as the evening rolled on. They've added ruffles to some of their older tunes: Russo included some new drum rolls in "Welcome Red" and Benevento used the circuit boards to create his own version of space during "The Three Questions Marks." Keeping the set to an economical hour and a half or so, the Duo kept their set moving, focusing primarily on the Play Pause Stop material, omitting the occasional cover or two they normally work into the set. As this was the Duo's first New York performance since the release of the album, they may have wanted to make the new album the centerpiece of the show for their hometown fans, including "Walking Running Viking" and "Powder," newer additions to the Duo’s live repertoire. On the other hand, the seemingly abbreviated set - they normally play for a good two hours - could have arisen from the fact that they were filming the show for a future DVD release. While the show was not lacking in any dimension, the Bowery Ballroom has seen better performances by the Duo.

Ostensibly, the Duo will be taking it easy in November. However, Benevento will not be remaining idle: for the whole month of November, he'll be inviting different friends to join him for evenings of improvisational music as part of his Wednesday night residency at New York City's Tonic. In discussing the Tonic shows with Earvolution this past August, Benevento proudly declared that there would be no rehearsals for the Wednesday night gigs and the muse would be found in the moment.

This past Wednesday, Phish bassist and frequent Duo band mate Mike Gordon teamed up with Benevento for an evening's worth of Benny Goodman music. A possible harbinger of the anything-can-happen spirit of the shows, The Slip's Brad Barr arrived before the close of the show with guitar in hand and joined in for "Sing, Sing, Sing." For the November 8 show, Benevento will be joined by his Bustle In Your Hedgerow bassist, Ween's Dave Dreiwitz, Ween's drummer, Claude Coleman and the Lounge Lizards' musical director, trumpeter Steven Bernstein. For the November 15 gig, Benevento will play the early show solo and invite some unannounced friends for the late show. On Thanksgiving Eve, the pianist will team up with "three of his favorite drummers on the planet," Joe Russo, Bobby Previte and Mike Dillon. Describing his final show as a “once-in-a-lifetime dream lineup,” on November 29, Benevento will share the stage with onetime Pearl Jam drummer Matt Chamberlain and bassist Reed Mathis of the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey and the Steve Kimock Band.

Labels: Benevento/Russo Duo, Joe Russo, Marco Benevento

By: David Schultz

Large Photos Courtesy and Copyright of Greg Aiello.
Smaller shots, excluding cd cover, via Flickr.

If Lemony Snicket were enlisted to write the history of the Benevento/Russo Duo, he would be hesitant to name it anything other than A Series Of Fortunate Happy Accidents. Since forming, seemingly on the spur of the moment during Joe Russo's residency at New York City's Knitting Factory, the Duo have won over fans and their fellow musicians with their inventive combination of organ and drums. In the past two years the Duo have garnered the 2005 New Groove of the Year Jammy Award; embarked on several tours across the United States; released two critically acclaimed albums and, just this past summer, shared the stage with two of the jamband scene's most revered performers, Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon. With a career marked by fortuitous developments, it would be hard to say that things are going according to plan for keyboardist Marco Benevento and drummer Joe Russo since the relatively rapid pace at which they've progressed has left them little time to form one.



In the short interim between the end of their highly publicized summer tour with Anastasio and Gordon and the commencement of their own headlining tour in support of their recently released second album Play Pause Stop, Russo spoke to Earvolution during a break from a recording session in Philadelphia. Benevento found time to chat, pleasantly multitasking the interview with maintenance of his Wurlitzer electric piano. While you might imagine that two separate conversations on the same topic would provide divergent responses, both Benevento and Russo are remarkably like-minded in how they view and interpret the events that have marked their career's past, present and future. Their similar views are indicative of the wonderfully symbiotic relationship that has resulted in the creation of some of rock and roll's most startlingly innovative instrumental collaborations.

Middle school classmates in Franklin Lakes, NJ, Benevento and Russo trace the Duo's origins to New York City's Knitting Factory. The small stage and lack of material prompted the Duo to face each other, giving birth to the unique stage setup they use today. "The first time we set up, we said 'Let's face each other cause we're going to be improvising," remembers Russo. "It made sense for us to watch each other: to communicate visually and vocally at times; to be right in each other's face. It made such a great connection for us. We didn't even think about changing it. It's such a great way to play music when you're staring into the other guy's face and able to see the facial emotion and really feel what the other person's feeling."

While their studio albums have received considerable critical acclaim, it's the Duo's live performances that started people talking. The two regularly amaze mystified concert-goers who sometimes have trouble explaining exactly what it is they just saw. Benevento's and Russo's effect on their audience isn't accidental. It stems from their refusal to limit themselves to traditional roles. "We started as a band playing totally free-form jazz," says Benevento of the Duo's maturation. "We use everything to our advantage," states Russo. "Charlie Hunter, when we first met him years ago, told us, 'Just because you guys are a duo doesn't mean it just has to be organ and drums. There are two men on stage, two musicians, do whatever the fuck you want,'" recalls Russo. "That was something that spoke to the both of us at the time. It took a little bit of time for us to come full circle, but now, we're at the point of complete abandonment of our roles. We know I play the drum set and Marco plays the keyboards, but we don't confine ourselves to those roles. We want to be two guys on stage that make music, whatever the instrument is or however we do it. We just want to hear what's in our heads live and play it for people." In acknowledging the difficulty of explaining what the Duo accomplishes on stage, Benevento has a perfect solution. "You just have to come out and see it," he explains. "If you have ADD, you're going to love this show. There's so much different shit going on every second that anyone with a mind that likes to drift will have a hard time drifting at a Duo show."

This past summer, which saw the Duo hit up many of the numerous festivals that have sprouted up around the country, seems to have flown by in a blur. When asked about their experience at Warren Haynes' Mountain Jam, Russo had to rack his brain to recall the event. "It feels like so long ago," said Russo, finding humor in his struggle to remember the early June festival. "I remember having a good time there," he chuckles, marveling over how much can happen to a band in a very short time.

Old hands of the festival circuit, both Benevento and Russo expressed their thrill at playing the Fuji Rocks Festival in Niigata, Japan. Russo compared the diverse lineup of bands to that of this year's Lollapalooza festival. "It was such a refreshing vibe," he said. "It was different in almost every way possible. People there go to really enjoy the music. There's not as much of an obvious, people just want to get fucked up kind of thing. They're there, they're psyched for the music and they treat the grounds with such respect." Benevento echoes Russo's observations about the respect the Japanese crowd showed for the venue. "They recycled every bit of garbage. I was just about to throw a water bottle in the trash: they had me pull the label off the water bottle; throw the bottle in one place; the label in another place and the cap in another place. They had truckloads of chop sticks just to be recycled. There was no trash anywhere; everybody was very peaceful." Benevento also had nothing but kind things to say about the locale itself. "The scenery was gorgeous. It was really misty and humid. You would walk through the woods from stage to stage and there would be these cool art installations with laser beams shooting through the forest like a disco ball. It was very magical; a cool little hobbit world to be in."



The Duo didn't just appreciate the respect the Japanese showed for the festival; they also enjoyed the reception they received during their performance. "People there knew our music better than the people know it here," Benevento explained eagerly. "They were behind every dynamic change and behind every little thing that anybody could cheer. They made so much noise. I've never seen Joe smile on stage before; he was smiling the whole set. It was totally incredible: one of the highlights of my life to play there." Russo also enjoyed the Japanese audience's familiarity with their music. "It's how a concert should be. It felt so good playing for that crowd; just really being there for the music."

With the festival season coming to a close, the Duo are preparing to head to the west coast to begin a two month tour in support of their recent album Play Pause Stop. Their newest release marked a significant step forward for the Duo. "We tried to embellish on the concept that we wanted on [their debut album] Best Reason To Buy The Sun," explained Russo. "We were still coming out of a more improvised sound on Best Reason and there's more of a jazzlike feel on that record. On this one, I think we realized that we can play instrumental rock music. We weren't really afraid: people like what we're doing; they like what we're going for, so let's go for it. We were more confident on this one and got closer to the mark of what we wanted." Typical of the Duo's ability to collaborate unselfishly, Benevento explains that, "There are some songs that are more Joe and there are some songs that are more me. But for the most part, the arranging and the decision as to how we're going to play them as a band is done by both of us." Russo and Benevento are incredibly open in describing the writing of their songs, each remembering the details of how their songs came to be. As an example, Benevento, describes the creation of Play Pause Stop's title song. "I wrote the beginning of the tune; I had the melody in my head," explains Benevento, singing the opening melody for emphasis. "That was my idea. The middle idea was our idea, Joe was like, 'Why don't we circuit out in the middle.' The ending was his chord progression." If the songwriting style sounds familiar, it may be because a certain couple fellows from Liverpool found success writing songs the same way.

In bringing their songs into the studio, the Duo curb their prodigious ability to creative improvise wonderful melodies. As their catalogue grows and matures, they realize that the room for odysseys and explorations diminishes. "For the most part, the songs are the songs on Play Pause Stop," explains Benevento. "There's not much variation to be done on any of those. Not that we're playing them note for note every night, but the tunes that we can stretch seem to be 'The Three Question Marks,' 'Becky' and a lot of the covers." Russo enjoys the freeing aspect of improvising, especially with Benevento, because there's not much room to hide. "Say I go for something and don't pull it off, Marco's right there with me to get me back on track. We'll throw little shots at each other, especially when we're improvising and getting into something heavier, in the moment stuff. It doesn't feel like there are any mistakes: just going for it and the result is whatever the result is; it's never wrong. Sometimes it feels totally right, but it's never wrong."

The free-form improvisational nature of the Duo's performances succeed due to their respective mastery of the keyboards and drums. However, Russo may have the deck stacked biologically in his favor. Anyone who has ever seen him stretch by throwing both arms directly over his head in a manner that would dislocate the shoulders of your average man, drummer or not, can attest to his near super-human flexibility. When asked if he is double jointed, Russo laughs. "I have something called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome," he discloses. "It's something where the ligaments in my arms are connected in a different place from normal people, so I'm able to do weird shit." Does it help him play the drums? "When I really get into it, I get into a rubbery zone and my body kinds of moves with it. Maybe it lets me relax a little or get into the music or something easier for me," Russo explains before breaking it down to its essential components. "I just kind of flail around and hit shit."

Inspirationally, Russo traces his passion back to one of the original rock masters: John Bonham. "He just had that don't care attitude and just did whatever," states Russo. "That was the first guy, when I was younger, that had that impression on me. After that, when I started playing with the Fat Mama guys, they would take me to see Joey Baron, Bobby Previte and Kevin Wolleson, playing this stuff; Jack DeJohnette, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams as well. It was so freeing: they didn't fit in this mold; it was in the moment stuff; it relaxed me into that feel of being able to be a musical drummer without having to play just a kit and a snare drum, even though that can be musical too." Those drummers taught Russo to not be afraid of the pressure and not be afraid to mess up. "That was the biggest lesson I learned: messing up can be really cool."

The Duo indulge their love of Led Zeppelin with "Bustle In Your Hedgerow," their Zeppelin cover band, whose current lineup includes RANA and former Particle guitarist Scott Metzger and Ween bassist Dave Dreiwitz. Just as he provided Joe Russo the Knitting Factory residency from which the Duo sprung, Wetlands owner Jake Szufnarowski was the catalyst for this project. "For his birthday, Jake wanted Joe and I to play with Scott Metzger and he wanted us to play all Led Zeppelin," recalls Benevento. "We both love Led Zeppelin; so we learned a bunch of tunes. It was great to go back and learn all the tunes that I listened to a shitload of times when I was a kid. They were definitely one of the first bands that I got every album and listened to every day when I was 12 or 13." Russo clearly relishes the opportunity to step into the shoes of John Bonham for a night. "You get a couple drinks in you and get to play music of the best band ever. It's supposed to be fun for us and fun for the crowd. It's fun playing your idols' music. It's a treat."



Inventive and influential in his own right, Benevento seems to thrive on soaking up knowledge from his fellow musicians. In fact, it's that aspect of the business that he appears to enjoy the most. "The musicians you hang out with are so willing to share: always talking about stuff that they're being hip to or getting in to," explains Benevento. In listening to Benevento, it becomes evident that his home, while serving as a hostel for all musicians traveling through New York, also doubles as a think tank for emerging musical thought. "Every musician that I know is just sharing information constantly. There's no musician saying 'I'm not telling you what's in my iPOD. You got to find it yourself bro.' You can't hide anything in music, everyone wants to share. That's what I love about all the people in my music world. When I get turned on to something, it immediately changes the way I play or the next thing that I'm looking for." He also enjoys the personalities inherent in the business. "In music there's no 'I'm better than you.' You're just on stage being as honest as you can."

One of those relationships, that with Phish bassist Mike Gordon, helped thrust them into the spotlight, greatly accelerating their progress on the national recognition curve. Like most events in the Duo's career, their affiliation with the Phish bassist just kind of organically occurred. "I met him [Gordon] at one of the shows we were doing for Ropeadope [Records]," explains Russo. "Mike and I played together and then went back to his apartment and jammed a little bit and we said 'Oh we've got to do this again.'" Soon thereafter the Duo agreed to participate in a benefit being organized by Disco Biscuit Mark Brownstein for the voter registration organization HeadCount. "I was like 'I kind of just met Mike. Maybe he'd be down for doing a trio with me and Marco," recalls Russo. Brownstein agreed that this would be an excellent idea and encouraged Russo to make the call. "So I called him up and was like, 'Hey Mike, would you be down for doing this benefit show for Headcount?' He was like, 'Yeah, how much rehearsal?' I was like 'none.' To which he immediately said, 'absolutely,'" recalls Russo. "We went on stage and played for 45 minutes to an hour: completely improvised music. We all went into it without great expectations or really, any expectations. We walked off stage and thought, 'Wow! That was some real cool shit going on.'"

From there, their musical connection with Gordon continued to progressively pick up steam. "After that we thought, 'Well, now we have some material: Mike learned some of our stuff; we learned some of his; we did some covers," said Russo of the evolution of the trio's catalogue. "We thought that maybe we would do a little run. Then, like everything does, it just kind of organically snowballed into three or four tours with Mike . . . and then Trey had us come in and all play on his record for two songs . . . and then that starts a whole other thing of us going 'Wow, that was real fun; let's play a gig' . . . and then 'Let's do a tour' . . . .and then 'Holy shit! We're actually doing a tour,'" marvels Russo over the events that rapidly developed. "There was nothing preconceived or anything like that. That's been Marco and my history the whole time. There's never been any set thing: we play, have a good time and luckily, things have just been happening."

The latest "thing" to have happened to the Duo was a high profile pairing with their friend Mike Gordon and his former bandmate Trey Anastasio on a tour that overlapped many dates with Phil Lesh & Friends. Obviously, the Duo realized the opportunity presented to them. "We both listened to Phish," said Russo. "To be able to play with two guys who we respect immensely and experience that whole side of the music business that a band of our size normally would never get to see. It was really quite a gift."

Most new groups warm up with a couple club dates or small arena shows; so of course, the G.R.A.B. quartet debuted on the main stage at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival with an unannounced performance in front of approximately seventy-five thousand people. Although the gig had been scheduled for a couple months, it was a well kept secret; at least until that day. "During the day I started telling people," admitted Benevento. "I had to tell someone." After only four rehearsals at Benevento's house, the Duo took the stage before the largest crowd ever assembled to see them play. With Russo describing the event as "awesome" and "very intense," Benevento termed it "the incredible high of the summer for sure." "The first five to ten minutes of that show kind of got all that anxiety of playing for a crowd that big over with," said Russo. The initial amazement of the number of people in the audience quickly passed and then it was simply business as usual. "I don't think it was the tightest show but I think the energy was so cool because we were all so excited," Russo further explained. "Just as much as the fans, we were excited to hear what it was going to sound like."

In joining up with Anastasio and Gordon, Benevento and Russo found themselves in different roles, musically and logistically. "I haven't played in the back of a band . . . ever," explained Russo. "I always set up on the side so I can see the musician's faces or their hands or read their body language, so that was real awkward for me." From a musical perspective, Benevento approached the venture as a bit of a working vacation from his role in the Duo. "I didn't really have to change my style; I just changed my role from more of a lead player to more of a piano player. With Joe, I'm the bass, the chords, the melody, the soloist and everything. With Trey and Mike, Trey takes a lot of the leads and Mike plays the bass line and I was a lot freer to fill in the texture. I turned into more of a keyboard player: I'll just play those chords under Trey, I can figure this out," Benevento explained of his approach. "I played piano a lot on the Trey tour so I would do a lot of chordal accompanying. It was a different way to think. I had to tune my ears to a different place by being the piano player." Russo concurs with Benevento as to the necessity of finding a new role within the foursome. "We all went into it not being very rehearsed or familiar with playing as a four piece. It took time talking with each other about what needs to happen and how we can all make this sound like a band within 2½ weeks," explains Russo. "Instead of trying to force your own vibe; you had to try to figure out what's better for the whole. We figured it out towards the middle and once we really started clicking, near the end, it was over."



There are no future G.R.A.B. shows planned for the near future, but Russo did not rule out the possibility of further performances. "I don't see why there wouldn't be. We've made no plans; we all have such busy schedules. When time allows, in some facet we'll all play together again. Maybe we'll just do a random club show in New York. We would do it just for fun, just to enjoy playing with each other again."

While the Duo's tour with Anastasio and Gordon excited many, Russo was aware of some the criticism leveled at the G.R.A.B. quartet. "We all knew going into this thing that everybody wasn't on board with what we were doing: especially dealing with a band like Phish that is so dear to people's hearts that everybody feels so involved. So many people want to hear Phish and the last thing we wanted to do is pretend that we were Phish. I'm not John and Marco's not Page and we never wanted to portray that we were trying to fulfill that role," explains Russo. "I think some people really respect the fact that we did it; I think some people hated the fact that we did it."

The small ripples of resentment Russo sensed gave him an insight into Anastasio's post-Phish existence. "It's appalling the things I've read and heard about him as if he owes people things. He was in a band that people really enjoyed and the fact that people can say fucked up hurtful shit about him because that band's not around any more and he's trying to do something different; I find it insane and that shit pisses me off so much when someone says something like that that's so stupid or so ignorant . . . but let everybody have their opinion." The discussion over a certainly vocal minority leads to a broader discussion over the relationship between jambands and their fans with Russo noting a sense of entitlement that seems to arise. "I'm not trying to bash anyone," Russo states with honesty. "They get so involved where they think they can control the band. The reason they liked [the band] in the first place was cause they were a fan of the music. It seems like a group mentality to hop on the bashing train. To be so involved with something you don't like is such a waste of time. That's something that a lot of scenes don't have; it's kind of specific to that audience. A normal music fan will go 'I like this band; I'll go see them' or 'I don't like this band; I'm not going to go see them.' Some of these kids will get so aggravated, so personally involved in hating something; which seems that it would be the complete opposite of this scene. If you want something that you know you're not going to get and then get pissed off: well then, don't come."

The extended tour with Anastasio and Gordon as well as Lesh made a lasting impression on the Duo. "An unforgettable experience and an amazing moment of my life," states Benevento. "I played at a place where I saw Phish 11 years ago." However, what they will take away from the tour goes beyond melodies and chords. "Those guys have had so many experiences and have been doing it for so long," relates Russo, explaining that his time with Anastasio and Gordon left him with a feeling of optimism. "The knowledge of being a lifelong musician: hearing the stories of what they went through when they weren't PHISH; when they weren't this huge band and seeing that they went through the same shit that every small band goes through. Sitting back and listening to them talk about old times and the war stories of Phish puts a lot in perspective." Benevento had a more pragmatic take on the subject. "Mainly the thing I'm taking away from [the tour] is that it's going to make touring a lot easier. It's going to make our whole operation a lot more pro, a lot more efficient."

Once the Duo's fall tour concludes, Benevento will take up residency at New York City's Tonic for the month of November. Stanton Moore, Skerik, Bobby Previte and Russo are already scheduled to make appearances over Benevento's slate of Wednesday night gigs. "Any moment I can get to play with different people, I'll take it. It's really awesome to have the Duo and have our little musical baby per se and then go and freak out with all my friends and play totally improvised music," says Benevento. "I love playing free music. Every chance I can." How much of the Tonic residency will be laid out beforehand? "None," Benevento replies and without seeing him, you can imagine the smile accompanying the statement.

Since their debut at the Knitting Factory, the Duo's career has moved ahead at light speed. Benevento attributes the pace of their career to not vacillating over decisions. "Joe and I are definitely good at deciding quickly; which has pretty much been the theme of the Duo," explains Benevento. "Knitting Factory show, no problem; Mike Gordon wants to play with us, sure we'll do it; want to get in the car and do a tour, no problem. We're quick to decide yes or no." So far, the path of the Duo's career has emulated their approach towards their music: by refusing to be confined to a regimented plan, they have been able to benefit from the myriad of opportunities generated by their inventive talent and robust creativity. Like most things associated with the Duo, it seems to be something that only Benevento and Russo could accomplish.

Labels: Benevento/Russo Duo, Joe Russo, Marco Benevento, Mike Gordon, Trey Anastasio

By: David Schultz

Over the past summer, keyboardist Marco Benevento and drummer Joe Russo received the biggest exposure of their careers, sharing the stage for a series of dates with Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon. Playing under the impromptu moniker of G.R.A.B., the quartet primarily focused on Anastasio and Gordon's compositions; but the always amiable atmosphere engendered by the former Phishsters afforded both Benevento and Russo the opportunity to demonstrate the wildly entertaining improvisational skills that have made them darlings of the jamband scene. Coinciding with the conclusion of their early summer tour, which saw them play numerous dates with Phil Lesh & Friends as well as headline venues on their own, the Benevento/Russo Duo capitalize on their newfound renown with the release of their second album, Play Pause Stop.

The powerful sound generated by the Duo challenges description. Although Keane employ the same keyboard and drums formula, the resulting music could not be more different. In describing the Duo, you eventually reach the perplexing musical equivalent of the chicken and the egg: does Russo lay down a drumbeat to accentuate Benevento's keyboards or is Benevento adding accompaniment to Russo's drumming. The fact that the answer is neither goes a long way towards explaining how a guitarless duo consisting of keyboard and drums create a profoundly distinctive and inimitable sound that's attracted the attention of jamband nation. Rather than rotating support, Benevento and Russo eagerly feed and play off each other; truly a duet of organ and drums.

Play Pause Stop is an exceptionally solid follow up to their debut effort Best Reason To Buy The Sun. A more even album, Play Pause Stop builds on the strengths of their initial release, which contained a nice assortment of upbeat funky tracks, lush harmonious elegies and near avant-garde jazz, by softening some the Duo's rawer edges without dulling or diminishing the sound. Using a wide array of keyboards, Benevento creates the different moods for the Duo's pieces: his ability to give a heavy, menacing character to songs like "Hate Frame" and "Best Reason To Buy The Sun" equally as impressive as his capability to produce the prettier, pleasing melodies found in "Soba" and "Something For Rockets." While most drummers simply keep the beat, providing a foundation for the rest of the band, Russo's innovative drumming is an integral, propelling force of the songs. Even when venturing towards the traditional, as he does on the satisfying but somewhat plodding "Walking, Running, Viking," Russo finds a way to throw in an interesting wrinkle or two.

Most of the tracks on Play Pause Stop have been part of the Duo's live shows for months with some, like "Best Reason To Buy The Sun" and "Hate Frame," dating back to the release of their debut album. Unlike many albums recorded by musicians who excel at the live performance, Play Pause Stop ably captures the exhilarating energy their dynamic produces on stage. Not averse to the recording process, the Duo exhibit a deft proficiency for the recording studio: nicely pairing overlapping keyboard tracks on "Echo Park" with Russo's complex drum beats and inserting a majestic chorus into "Play Pause Stop" that replicates the spontaneous singing that often accompanies live renditions of the title track. They also venture outside of their comfort zone, deviating from their traditional formula on "Memphis," a sweet rolling tune that closes the album and features Russo on acoustic guitar. On "Powder," Russo plays a mellow melody over Benevento's lilting keyboards before going full bore into a roaring organ and drums finale that their fans have come to expect.

Refreshingly, the Duo are committed to getting their music heard; embracing the distributive power of the Internet by making the first three tracks "Play Pause Stop," "Echo Park" and "Soba" easily available for downloading. After playing Lollapalooza next weekend, the Duo will take a bit of a working vacation, playing a handful of shows with Bustle In Your Hedgerow – their Led Zeppelin cover band with Dave Dreiwitz of Ween and Scott Metzger, formerly of Particle – before returning to the road for slate of dates on the West coast.

Labels: Benevento/Russo Duo, Joe Russo, Marco Benevento

By: David Schultz

Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon, Marco Benevento and Joe Russo Join Lesh For A Jamming Night On Long Island

While Deadheads worldwide prepare to honor the memory of Jerry Garcia on the 11th anniversary of his passing, Phil Lesh & Friends, the eponymously named band led by the Dead's bassist, and Ratdog, guitarist Bob Weir's longtime band, are doing more than simply keeping the Grateful Dead's legacy alive; they are adding a satisfying afterword to the band's storied career. Despite the lack of any significant new material since Garcia's death, both Lesh and Weir have proven to be consistently successful touring attractions by using the same simple, battle tested formula: play Grateful Dead songs for Grateful Dead fans. The old fans still turn out in droves but it's the new fans, most too young to have experienced the Dead in their prime, if at all, that are keeping this franchise afloat. This past week, both Lesh and Weir brought their respective "second acts" to New York: Phil & Friends playing an outdoor show on the Long Island Sound at the Nikon at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York; Weir bringing Ratdog to New York City's world-famous Radio City Music Hall.

Since gathering his friends around him, Lesh's Friends have included musicians of All-Star proportion, including such notable names as Steve Kimock, Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon, Al Schnier and current Lesh fave Ryan Adams. His current group of Friends is comprised of musician's musicians: singer Joan Osborne, guitarist Larry Campbell, keyboardist Rob Barraco, pedal steel guitarist Barry Sless, drummer John Molo and saxophonist Greg Osby. Osborne may be Phil's most recognizable Friend, having had a moderately successful solo career highlighted by the 1995 radio success of "One Of Us." The versatile and multi-talented Campbell handles lead guitar duties, coming to the Dead bassist's side after spending much of the past decade touring with Bob Dylan. Campbell, one of the newer members of the band, joins longtime Friends Barraco, Sless and Molo. Veteran saxophonist Greg Osby rounds out Phil's latest batch of acquaintances, braving the often troublesome brass-unfriendly winds of Jones Beach. As Phish's Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon and the Benevento/Russo Duo (unofficially referred to as G.R.A.B.) have been opening a good number of Phil & Friends' summer shows, Anastasio, a former Friend himself, has been regularly joining in the fun, usually replacing Sless during the second set. For their Jones Beach show, Anastasio did not disappoint: without fanfare, he returned for the second set to the unabashed delight of the crowd.

Even though his name is on the marquee, Lesh hardly conveys a sense of superiority or entitlement because the songs on the setlist are primarily Grateful Dead chestnuts. Instead, he disperses the leads of the various songs, smartly matching each Friend to the proper song: Barraco's voice perfectly suited the evening-opening "Playing In the Band" and the encore of "U.S. Blues;" Larry Campbell handled vocals and fronted the band on an extended run through "Big River" and Osby replaces the distinctive guitar runs of "China Cat Sunflower" with weighty saxophone licks. When not dancing sultrily along with the music, Osborne delivered bluesy vocals, standing out on a lengthy trip through "Stella Blue." Even Anastasio got into the act, his voice and guitar a perfect match for second set's opening couplet of "Scarlet Begonias" and "Fire On The Mountain."

In 2005, when Lesh co-hosted the Jammy Awards, he joined temperamental guitarist Ryan Adams for a sterling performance of "Wharf Rat" and "Bird Song." Since then, whether present or not, Lesh has incorporated an Adams song into most of his shows. On this temperate evening at Jones Beach, he included Adams' Cold Roses track "Let It Ride." In contrast to the crisp first set, Lesh & Friends' second set consisted of spacey, drawn-out instrumentals. The effect may not have been entirely intentional: too often, Lesh seemed to be singing without realizing that his voice wasn't making it to the audience. When Lesh's microphone did work, he struggled with the words to "Dark Star" and "The Other One," replacing the ones he forgot with a sheepish grin that brought laughter from the crowd.

Admirably, Lesh and Weir are doing more than just fostering interest in the continually thriving Deadhead scene: having inspired numerous other bands with their psychedelic improvisational live performances, the two are exposing their fans to bands and musicians that are carrying on the Grateful Dead tradition. While Lesh pairs up with Anastasio, Gordon and The Duo, String Cheese Incident, fronted by the bluegrass loving Bill Nershi, will receive equal billing with Weir's Ratdog. The cross-pollination of the Dead's older fans with Phish's and String Cheese's younger fans has resulted in exceptionally full and wide-ranging evenings of music. In contrast to String Cheese, G.R.A.B. comes with a more complex subplot. Similar to how Lesh and Weir have moved forward in the post-Dead universe, G.R.A.B. have been drawing interest as an intriguing chapter in the ever-developing post-Phish saga. This episode: how will the Phish duo interact with the Duo?

Their lengthy opening set at Jones Beach encompassed the balmy early evening, consisting of a nice mix of Anastasio's solo material, a couple Gordon compositions, a Benevento/Russo Duo tune (the gorgeous "Something For Rockets") and a pair of wonderfully eclectic covers. The sharing endemic to the jamband scene spread comprehensively throughout the foursome: Anastasio and Gordon's fame, experience and recognition providing the rub to the Duo; Benevento and Russo's freshness, youth and innovative energy spreading to the veteran musicians. At 5:00, while most of the audience obliviously tailgated or remained stuck in the Friday evening morass known as the Long Island Expressway, The Duo performed an all-too-brief opening set focusing primarily on material from their new album Play, Pause, Stop. Those who made it into the amphitheatre early quickly learned why Benevento, an inventive keyboard player, and Russo, a masterful drummer, have drawn the raves they have received, including the 2005 Jammy Award for New Groove Of The Year. Strutting their estimable stuff much earlier in the afternoon freed the Duo to fill less prominent but still significant supporting roles for Anastasio and Gordon.

Even though G.R.A.B. had a couple weeks together under their belt, they were still finding their comfort zone with each other. Benevento and Russo are adept at predicting what directions each will go in; obviously, so are Anastasio and Gordon. As a foursome, they seem to be in the final stages of finding a true comfort zone, resulting in some wandering instrumental interludes. On the opener, "Plasma," they engaged in some traditional jamming; offering more distinctly Phishy jamming later in the set on "Suskind Hotel" and "Dragonfly." The shrewdness of the group's decision to cover Wings' "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey," which segued nicely into Stealers Wheel's "Stuck In The Middle With You," wasn't matched by the actual performance; a trait shared by a number of Phish's covers (e.g. "Tubthumping," "Gettin' Jiggy Wit' It"). The reaction of the audience to the familiar tunes, especially Gerry Rafferty's Reservoir Dogs classic, indicated that they appreciated the effort. In closing with Anastasio's "Shine," G.R.A.B. finished on the highest of notes, even if the bespectacled singer's voice seemed to give out during the set closer.

Lesh & Friends, along with Ratdog, are continuing a legacy that began in the sixties, extending their reach to a newer generation of fans. Towards the end of Lesh's show, he guided the band into an old Dead set-closing standard, a percussion-heavy, thumping version of "Not Fade Away." The classic Buddy Holly song seemed sharply poignant: anyone boating on the Sound that night surely heard the honest and heartfelt exhortation of Deadheads, both young and old, joyously proclaiming a truth that has become self-evident over these many years: "No, our love will not fade away."

Labels: Benevento/Russo Duo, Bill Nershi, Bob Weir, Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia, Joe Russo, Marco Benevento, Mike Gordon, Phil Lesh, Ratdog, Trey Anastasio

Late last week, Trey Anastasio announced on Sirius Radio and Marco Benevento confirmed from the stage at New York City's Bowery Ballroom, that the Benevento Russo Duo would unite with Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon for a series of sure-to-be-electrifying summer shows. The group, billed as G.R.A.B., will play ten dates with Phil Lesh & Friends.

The foursome came about when the Duo and Gordon, who have performed together as a trio on numerous occasions, joined Anastasio at a Brooklyn recording studio to lay down some tracks for the former Phish guitarist's new album. For their summer dates, the all-star jam band will play some new songs as well as draw on their respective repertoires. As an added bonus, The Benevento Russo Duo will open up each show with a set of their own.

The dates announced so far:

June 28: Raleigh, NC - Alltel Pavilion at Walnut Creek
June 30: Camden, NJ - Tweeter Center At The Waterfront
July 1: Homdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
July 2: Saratoga Springs, NY - SPAC
July 3: Hartford, CT - New England Dodge Music Center
July 7: Wantagh, NY - Nikon Theater at Jones Beach
July 8: Darien Center, NY - Darien Lakes PAC
July 9: Bethel, NY - Bethel Woods Center For The Arts
July 11: Scranton, PA - Toyota Pavilion
July 12: Essex Junction, VT - Champlain Valley Fairgrounds

Labels: Benevento/Russo Duo, Joe Russo, Marco Benevento, Mike Gordon, Trey Anastasio

By: David Schultz

In awarding Wetlands Preserve founder Larry Bloch the Industry Insider Award at this year's Jammys, former Wetlands booker Jake Szufnarowski deviated (hopefully) from his prepared remarks to announce, "I think it's a crime that The Benevento Russo Duo didn't win a single award. If Joe (Russo) and Marco (Benevento) had been here, they would tear this fucking place down." While not inspiring presenters to go into unprovoked apoplectic fits, Marco Benevento and Joe Russo are gearing up for the most important summer of the Duo's young career. Since winning the 2005 New Groove of the Year Jammy award, the Duo have tirelessly been on the road, supporting their debut release Best Reason To Buy The Sun, growing their reputation as an innovative live act and preparing material for a new album to be released later this year.

At the Bowery Ballroom this past Friday night, Benevento and Russo presented some newer songs from their upcoming album, tentatively entitled Play, Pause Stop, while reworking some familiar tunes. Russo and Benevento face one another while playing, each occupying half the stage, making their setup an interesting logistical oddity. This allows Benevento to occasionally face the audience but Russo remains in profile for the entire evening. In the past, Benevento seemed a little uncomfortable on stage, appearing to hide behind his long mane of hair while churning out electrifying melodies from his multitude of keyboards. This past Friday, Benevento appeared extraordinarily comfortable and his keyboard work came across as increasingly more focused. When not rolling his arms in ways that would tear the rotator cuffs of mere mortals, the apparently double-jointed Russo seemed to amuse himself by inventing different ways to play the drums. Seemingly bored with traditional drum work, Russo's a marvel to watch, poking, prodding and acrobatically striking the set from a variety of seemingly impossible angles. Benevento performed less impressive gymnastics, stretching his lanky frame between his usual keyboard menagerie.

The Duo played their newer material early in the show, opening with the longtime live staple "Play Pause Stop." The keyboard/drum formula doesn't seem like it would lend itself to a wide variety of music, but Benevento and Russo explode that belief in nuclear proportions. Their newer material, which this night included "Echo Park," "Something For Rockets" and "Soba," sounded remarkably different from their prior efforts, showing a promising creative bent. The show built to a powerful close. Benevento and Russo worked a bossa nova intro into funky percussive "Becky," an avant-garde interlude into "Scratchitti" and slammed into a bone-shaking version of "Best Reason To Buy The Sun," which isn't on the album that bears its name. If it appears on the new album, it will cause the most song-to-album confusion since "Houses Of The Holy" appeared on Physical Graffiti.

As they did on their last visit to the Bowery Ballroom, the Duo closed the set with a Radiohead cover. During "Paranoid Android," the pair imaginatively interpreted the intricate Radiohead song into a keyboard/drum masterpiece. Near the close of the song, Russo left the stage allowing Benevento a lengthy opportunity to solo before a hushed crowd. In contrast to their last Bowery appearance, the audience remained respectfully quiet for the softer interludes and readings of "Mephisto" and "Memphis," featuring Russo on acoustic guitar, weren't drowned out this time by crowd chatter.

Halfway through the show, Benevento confirmed the rumor that they would be joining Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon on tour this summer. His excitement apparent, Benevento took delight in tweaking his future tour mates, noting that he and Russo used to listen to Phish when they were growing up. The present plans seem to have the foursome, who became acquainted with each other while recording Anastasio's new album, playing three weeks of dates with Phil Lesh & Friends. Two former Phishmates playing with a keyboard player and drummer for which they have an affinity will surely have jamband fanatics salivating. While Benevento and Russo could and never will replace McConnell and Fishman, a Benevento/Russo/Anastasio/Gordon quartet gives rise to some extremely intriguing possibilities.

The Duo's summer will entail more than some high-profile shows with their famous friends. After a couple early May shows in New Jersey, the Duo will appear at the Jam On The River at Penn's Landing, Warren Haynes' Mountain Jam at Hunter Mountain, Wakarusa Music Festival in Lawrence, KS, the 10,000 Lakes Festival with Mike Gordon in Detroit Lakes, MN, Lollapalooza in Chicago's Grant Park and the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan. Benevento and Russo's predilection for sitting in with other musicians make them custom made for camaraderie bred by the festival atmosphere. If 2005 was the Benevento Russo Duo's year to be the new groove, 2006 is shaping up as their year to be the dominant groove.

Labels: Benevento/Russo Duo, Joe Russo, Marco Benevento

By David Schultz

At first blush, keyboardist Marco Benevento and drummer Joe Russo, more familiarly known as the Benevento Russo Duo, do not appear musically intimidating. With a stage setup evocative of two outcasts who have staked a claim in the basement to privately create weird and unusual music, Benevento and Russo face each other rather than their audience. This past Thursday night at New York City's Bowery Ballroom, the Duo, feeding off each other's energy, pounded away like mad scientists showing off the inimitable sound that won them New Groove of the Year at the 2005 Jammy awards.

The BR2's "new groove" stems from Benevento's creativity with the keyboards. Like a demented Beethoven, Benevento musically shifts back and forth between the traditional and the innovative while physically shifting between his Wurlizter electric piano and synthesizer. Equally important, Russo displays his brilliance by never letting the percussion, essential to the mix, overwhelm or distract from the overall sound. Most of the compositions start with Benevento laying down a series of harmonious musical phrases over Russo's whip-quick, staccato drumbeats in a neo-prog rock montage. With interplay more familiar to a jazz duo, the Duo exhibit an uncanny feel for each other's musical style. Reminiscent of the Friends episode where Ross unveils his "sound," Benevento has a penchant for adding squelches, squeaks and other odd noises from his synthesizer into the mix. The comparison ends there though: Ross wasn't a ridiculously talented keyboardist and Chandler wasn't a kick-ass drummer. To the rowdy approval of the Ballroom audience, Benevento and Russo fused their distinctive amalgam of sound, building each song to impressive, majestic crescendos more characteristic of classical music.

The Duo dedicated a fair portion of Thursday's performance, the penultimate show of the eastern leg of their fall tour, to their debut release, Best Reason To Buy The Sun. The album fairly captures the musicianship of the band but only offers glimpses of the energy Benevento and Russo generate live. With Benevento wildly bouncing around between his multitude of keyboards and Russo a frenzied dervish behind the drums, the Duo fleshed out the 70's funk, blaxploitation-soundtrack feel of Becky, hit the harder edges of Scratchitti and brought a moodier, jazzier sensibility to Welcome Red. Slower songs like the Curtis Mayfield-tinged Mephisto and Memphis, a new song featuring Russo on guitar, provided a pleasant change of pace but fell flat with the audience which was politely appreciative but generally unmoved by the softer tunes.

Since their formation in 2002, BR2 has developed an interesting and creative repertoire of covers. They have been known to break out entire sets of guitar-free Led Zeppelin covers or lengthy free form versions of Phish tunes, often with Mike Gordon lending a hand on bass. On this night, the Duo closed out their show with a funky, upbeat rendition of Radiohead's Myxomatosis. During the encore break, Marco Benevento exploded the myth of the hedonistic, self-centered rock star when, through an open stage door, he could be seen receiving hugs and kisses from his parents. Perhaps still feeling the familial vibe, Benevento invited the audience on stage to circle around them for their encore of My Pet Goat.

The maxim that writing about music is akin to dancing about architecture aptly applies to descriptions of the Benevento Russo Duo. To truly appreciate the Duo's accomplishments, they need to be heard as they have created a different and refreshingly unique sound. The symbiosis that occurs on stage between the two is infectious and it is impossible to not be drawn in by their insanely inventive musicianship. At times Benevento and Russo can be baffling, at others they can make you see God – and in the end, isn't that little glimpse of heaven all we really want?

Labels: Benevento/Russo Duo, Joe Russo, Marco Benevento