Before famed New York club Tonic had to close its doors in April, keyboardist/organist Marco Benevento, one half of jam/groove outfit Benevento Russo Duo, spent an entire month in the venue collaborating with a wealth of musical talent.
The resultant material, much of which was improvisational or remade classics — Thelonious Monk’s “Bye-Ya,” Pink Floyd’s “Fearless,” and Leonard Cohen’s “Seems So Long Ago” are among the covers — filled this three-CD collection.
The focus is on Benevento hitting the keys, but the guests — including Mike Gordon (Phish), Bobby Previte (Coalition of the Willing, Dialed In, Strike), Mike Dillon (Critters Buggin, Les Claypool, Garage A Trois), Steven Bernstein (Sex Mob), Matt Chamberlain (Critters Buggin, Fiona Apple), and many more — provide their share of flare.
Although many styles are traversed, Benevento is left to showcase his skills at jazz piano while often without the loops and synthesizers that characterize his work in the Duo. The improvisation is done to a hit-or-miss effect; there aren’t too many greatly memorable moments, but Benevento‘s handwork can be beautiful despite a bit of blandness.
More than anything else, Live at Tonic demonstrates the splendor of musical friends and acquaintances weaving through both raucous improvisations and refined tranquility.
– Scott Morrow
Marco Benevento (Ropeadope)