David Benoit
David Benoit was born in Bakersfield, California, United States on August 18th, 1953 and is the Pianist. At the age of 70, David Benoit biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.
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David Bryan Benoit (born August 18, 1953) is an American jazz pianist, composer, and producer based in Los Angeles, California, United States.
Since 1980, Benoit has charted over 25 albums and has been nominated for three Grammy Awards.
He also serves as music director for the Asia America Symphony Orchestra and the Asia America Youth Orchestra.
Early life
On August 18, 1953, David Bryan Benoit was born in Bakersfield, California. He began studying piano with Marya Cressy Wright at the age of 13 and then continued his studies with Abraham Fraser, who was the pianist for Arturo Toscanini. He attended Mira Costa High School. At El Camino College, he concentrated on theory and composition, investigating orchestration with Donald Nelligan, and later took film scoring lessons taught by Donald Ray at UCLA. Heichiro Ohyama, assistant conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, began his musical training with him and then continued with Jan Robertson, director of UCLA's conducting section. He performed with Jeffrey Schindler, Music Director of the UC Santa Barbara symphony orchestra.
Career
He began his career as a musical director and conductor for Lainie Kazan in 1976, before moving on to similar roles with singer/actresses Ann-Margret and Connie Stevens.
His GRP Records debut album, Freedom at Midnight (1987), made it to number 5 on Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. 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. An earlier "live in the studio" (direct record, no mixing or overdubs) album on Spindletop Records, This Side Up (previously 1986), was re-released on the GRP label.
Waiting for Spring (1989) made it to number 1 on Billboard's Top Jazz Albums chart. Shadows, from 1991, made it to number 2 on the Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.
Out of respect for one of his main influences, Bill Evans, he dedicated his 1992 album Letter to Evan to him.
Many of his songs employ a string section, most notably on his American Landscape (1997) and Orchestral Stories (2005) albums.
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 Marc Antoine and trumpeter Chris Botti. He also did the music for "Peanuts" in the later specials, after Vince Guaraldi's death. The album made it to number 2 on the Top Jazz Albums chart. An earlier cover of Guaraldi's "Linus and Lucy", recorded in 1985 for the aforementioned album This Side Up, enjoyed notable radio airplay and helped to launch the smooth jazz genre.
Benoit has arranged, conducted, and performed music for many popular pop and jazz artists, including Russ Freeman and the Rippingtons (he was involved with the band in its formative stages, and they often appeared on each other's albums), Kenny Loggins, Michael Franks, Patti Austin, Dave Koz, Kenny Rankin, Faith Hill, David Lanz, Cece Winans, David Pack, David Sanborn, The Walt Disney Company and Brian McKnight. He paid homage to one of his chief influences, Leonard Bernstein, by playing, arranging, and performing on The Songs of West Side Story, an all-star project produced by David Pack which achieved gold sales status. Benoit contributed to the Rippingtons's debut album, Moonlighting, which was named the most influential contemporary jazz album of all time by Jazziz magazine.
The Benoit/Freeman Project album was given 41⁄2 stars by AllMusic, the highest rating Benoit has received from the service, and the album made it to number 2 on the Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart from Billboard.
Benoit's music can be heard during The Weather Channel's "Local on the 8s" segments. His version of "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" by Vince Guaraldi is included on the album The Weather Channel Presents: Smooth Jazz II (2008). In May 2011, Benoit began hosting a morning program at jazz radio station KKJZ in Long Beach, California.
Benoit has performed at the White House for three U.S. Presidents: Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, and George Bush Sr. Other dignitaries he performed for include Colin Powell, Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, former Los Angeles mayors Tom Bradley and James Hahn, as well as Senator Dick Durbin.
Awards and honors
- 1989: Every Step of the Way, Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Jazz Performance
- 1996: GRP All-Star Big Band, Grammy nomination for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance
- 2000: "Dad's Room" from Professional Dreamer, Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Composition