David Benoit, (born May 9, 1953) is an American jazz fusion / contemporary jazz pianist, composer and producer, who is from Los Angeles, California. He has been nominated for five Grammy Awards. May 9 is the 129th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (130th in leap years). ... 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Bitches Brew (1970) by Miles Davis is considered the most influential early fusion album. ... Smooth jazz is a controversial term, denoting a form of music that many jazz lovers do not consider to be a form of jazz, and that others do. ... Grammy Award statuette The Grammy Awards, presented by the Recording Academy (an association of Americans professionally involved in the recorded music industry) for outstanding achievements in the recording industry, is one of four major music awards shows held annually in the United States (the Billboard Music Awards, the American Music...

His debut album, "Freedom at Midnight" was his biggest seller and most popular album. Benoit also says that it was his favorite album to produce, because it was when "everything came together," as he stated in an interview on smoothviews.com.

One of his best albums to date, "Inner Motion," has the hit piece "MWA", or, "Musicians With Attitude." Also, moving peices "Houston," "A Last Request," "South East Quarter," and "Deep Light" give the record it's flavor. Does anyone know what inspired him to write "Deep Light?"

Out of respect for one of his main influencers, Bill Evans, he dedicated his 1992 album, "Letter to Evan" to him. William John Evans, (better known as Bill Evans) (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was one of the most famous jazz pianists of the 20th century; he remains one of the major influences on post-1950s jazz piano. ...

Many of his songs employed a string section, most notably on his "American Landscape" and "Orchestral Stories" albums in 1997 and 2005, respectively. He has said that it is his dream to release a symphonic album.

In 2000, after the death of Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz, he released a memorial album entitled "Here's To You, Charlie Brown: 50 Great Years". Collaborators included the chorus group Take 6, guitarist Mark Antoine and trumpeter Chris Botti. Peanuts was a syndicated daily comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950 to the day after Schulzs death, February 13, 2000. ... Charles Monroe Schulz (November 26, 1922 – February 12, 2000) was a 20th-century American cartoonist best known worldwide for his Peanuts comic strip. ... Take 6 is an American a cappella gospel music sextet formed in 1985 on the campus of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. ... Chris Botti (born October 12, 1962) is an American trumpeter and composer. ...

He is a close friend of The Rippingtons' guitarist and lead Russ Freeman, and they often appeared on each other's albums. They also released collaborative efforts "The Benoit/Freeman Project" and "The Benoit/Freeman Project 2". The Rippingtons are a contemporary or Fusion jazz group that are often considered Smooth jazz. ... For the pianist see Russ Freeman (pianist) Russell Donald Freeman is a jazz guitarist, composer and bandleader born in Nashville, Tennessee on February 11, 1960. ...

For more information on Benoit, go to www.benoit.com.

Discography

Notes are original released years.

References

• Much of this article comes from the equivalent Japanese-language article (accessed on April 8, 2006).

External links

• Benoit.com
• Complete Discography (including sideworks)