John benitez bass biography of abraham
John Benitez – Markbass!
Latin Jazz Bassist of the Future
John Benitez
by Eugene Holley, Jr.
A new kind music has emerged in New York City.
John benitez bass biography of abraham
It blends the swing and the sound of surprise of North American jazz with the Afro-Iberian derived rhythms and musical forms from the Caribbean, Central and South America.
Ever since he arrived to the Big Apple from Puerto Rico in 1993, acoustic/electric bassist John Benitez has been one of the key players in this vibrant, Pan-American genre.
He’s performed with an impressive array of musicians including Danilo Perez, David Sanchez, Eddie Palmieri, The Mingus Big Band and Wynton Marsalis.
His debut recording as a leader is entitled Descarga in New York(Khaeon).
It features a hemispheric assemblage of young musicians: Cuban Drummer Dafnis Prieto, Puerto Rican conguero Richie Flores, African-American tenor/soprano saxophonist Ravi Coltrane and the gifted Venezuelan pianist/composer Luis Perdomo.
“I didn’t want to do just a ‘Latin jazz&#