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The New York roots and blues singer/songwriter Jimmy Bennett grew up in Brooklyn and has been lively on the native roots & blues scene for many years, principally as sideman. He only recently made a splash on the acoustic blues scene along with his new album Sunday Morning Periods, a superb file that began throughout the pandemic and showcases his refined and stylish fingerpicking expertise. The Covid pressured many people into isolation, however like all perilous instances, it sparked creative inspiration among the many shut-in creatives. Jimmy Bennett expressed that he felt “worry, dread and hopelessness”– sentiments shared by many people in 2020 because the world round us virtually utterly shut down. Artists specific inside feelings by means of their craft, and Bennett initially channeled his in a video of himself enjoying a particular composition Easter Morning Melody, an inspiring, upbeat, and fluid fingerpicking instrumental. That contribution of musical pleasure gave individuals a raise. This album, a sheer listening pleasure, carries on that sentiment.
On Sunday Morning Periods the bard delivers 10 principally authentic songs, an amalgam of acoustic roots & blues and Americana. Bennett sings and performs acoustic and resonator guitars. He’s joined by John Ginty on classic vibe piano, Hammond organ and drums. Ginty additionally produced, recorded and combined the album down in Saratoga, Florida.
Uninitiated listeners could hear this file and assume that it’s Jorma Kaukonen. Bennett’s pure vocal vary is conspicuously much like Jorma’s. Each are swift fingerpicking stylists with an impeccable alternating bass method. Significantly on Will I See You Once more, and on the traditional sounding blues Mr. Charlie, that comparability is suitable. Most evidently, Bennett is clearly simply pretty much as good as his most well-known compatriot, however he’s no copier. He’s a very excellent instrumentalist and superb singer, and these songs actually carry a punch. The album is constantly even song-to-song, every delicate and fairly virtuosic. Importantly, he touches the soul.
Sunday Morning Periods is a candy file that deservedly places Bennett on the map as one among our most interesting modern guitar instrumentalists and singer/songwriters. A present for our troubled instances. All that, however he should be underneath the radar of many acoustic blues followers.
Thecountryblues.com caught up with the artist through telephone in June 2023, to let him inform his personal story:
“My first expertise enjoying guitar, I used to be very younger. I used to be actually interested in the TV after I heard the Bonanza theme music. I acquired a guitar after I was six years outdated, and I began enjoying within the church with the nuns in Brooklyn throughout the Sunday people mass, round 1966/ ’67. I keep in mind studying the way to play “Amen,” the music that Sidney Poitier had sang within the film again then. I discovered Blowin’ within the Wind and all these nice outdated people songs like This Land is Your Land. From there, I discovered concerning the blues and nation music. Johnny Money, Bob Dylan, Merle Travis, Hank Williams, George Jones, and Glen Campbell – I simply saved researching and dealing my approach again into the blues with the Reverend Gary Davis, Robert Johnson, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and Blind Blake.
I began enjoying open mics after I was simply 8 or 9 years outdated. By the point I used to be 14 or 15, I began enjoying reveals with every kind of bands. I began to play professionally after I was 16 or 17 years outdated, touring and enjoying consistently, seven nights every week. We have been enjoying numerous nation and nation rock music, something from Hank Williams to Charlie Daniels. We used to play the Outdated Lone Star in Manhattan and golf equipment all through town and the tri-state space (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut). We toured all by means of the Midwest, Southeast, Southwest. And we have been consistently enjoying.
I’ve all the time been writing songs, singing and enjoying acoustic guitar. Among the finest stuff we had carried out musically was enjoying golf equipment in New York Metropolis when the music and the musicianship was so superior. All people from James Brown to Levon Helm, to Lightnin’ Hopkins would are available in Greenwich Village consistently. Plus, we performed up on the Levon Helm’s barn in Woodstock the place he held his well-known Midnight Rambles with him again within the early 2000s. It was principally the Bennett Brothers, me and my brother, and Levon Helm, who was simply popping out of his most cancers remedies. He was enjoying drums with us and Garth Hudson and Amy Helm would take part. We had additionally been working with Alexis P. Suter. The musicians we met and performed with on the barn have been simply large. It’s actually nice once you’re in an surroundings with nice musicians on a weekly foundation, and all people’s sharing and writing and creating new stuff, these have been a number of the nice reminiscences I’ve of enjoying music.
I simply attempt to play music to make the world a greater place, make individuals neglect their troubles. That’s what music all the time was, should you keep in mind a number of the finest instances of your life. Generally a chunk of music comes into your head and that’s to me nice music. I suppose that’s how I began enjoying the Sunday Morning Periods was to make me really feel higher at such a horrible time. That was the one factor I needed to provide. I wish to be remembered as any individual who might make individuals really feel good once they wanted a couple of minutes to neglect about their troubles. All of us acquired our issues in life that take us away from having fun with life. Generally music will convey again, even when it’s just for a couple of minutes.
Proper now, I’m principally enjoying with my brother Peter, we’re the Bennett Brothers. I even have a mission with the Alexis P. Suter Band. We’re recording a file within the Hudson Valley – at Lee Falco’s studio. I’m within the strategy of doing a tribute album for my outdated producer and file firm Ben Elliott. That’s with John Ginty, the gentleman that recorded my file – and he’s presently on the street I feel with the Allman Betts mission – that’s with sons of Gregg Allman and Dickey – Devon Allman and Duane Betts. So these initiatives are all developing.
Songs come to me in numerous varieties. Generally a music will are available in one piece. I acquired to hang around with a beautiful, most gifted songwriter named Leonard Cohen. He informed me that generally a music might take 10, 20, 30 years. He’s proper, as a result of there are nonetheless songs that I’ve from years in the past that I nonetheless revisit. S ome of those that haven’t been accomplished, they simply sit there as a result of I haven’t discovered the remainder of the music to go along with it. I keep in mind driving down from the mountains, having a music in my head within the automotive, attempting to file it – pull over and write one thing down.
John Ginty pushed me into doing Sunday Morning Periods. I could not have carried out it if it wasn’t for him. He stated you bought to do that file. I by no means needed to be the entrance man. I’m not the best singer on this planet. It occurred to fall into place anyway. Working with John was a beautiful expertise. It introduced me to a spot I by no means thought I might be, however it feels good.”
On Sunday Morning Periods Bennett covers a candy model of Johnny Money’s Ring of Fireplace. He lets free on some critical foot stomping, unbridled Delta model slide blues on the fierce instrumental Snow Sliding. His blues prowess kicks into gear on Katy Mae, a swift slide blues piece. Damaged River Stream is one other superb, joyous fingerpicking instrumental. He closes the album with one other Delta slide blues Serenade for New Orleans, with the pandemic lament “Serenade, candy parade, gained’t have a good time no extra, what about tomorrow, will assist be on the best way?”
Sunday Morning Periods is a superb file that deservedly places Bennett on the map as one among our most interesting modern guitar instrumentalists and singer/songwriters. A candy reward for our troubled instances.
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