A powerful, piano driven performance is the central element in Bennett’s new song, I Come from The Future. The track is characterised by the absence of a distinctive main theme as the melody is well-hidden inside the exciting chord progression. A warm welcome into Bennett’s latest album, RXB3, recorded during the pandemic, in collaboration with Adam Armstrong and Julian Edmont.
Read our interview with the pianist and composer below.
Describe your sound in three words please!
bounce, power, mirth
I Come from The Future is based on a very interesting chord progression that feels it can be looped indefinitely. Tell us a chord progression you wish you had composed yourself.
The “Autumn Leaves” progression or anything by Michel LeGrand.
How did your interaction with Indian raga music begin?
I went to a party at Preity Zinta’s apartment in Mumbai where I met the singer Dhanashree Pandit-Rai. We both speak French so we decided to do a small raga meets jazz presentation together at the Alliance Française. There were around twenty people at that show but one of them booked us for the Mumbai Festival. There was something in the sound of our collaboration that people really reacted to.
In this album you have worked together with Adam Armstrong and Julian Edmond. In terms of collaborations, do you have any musician(s) you would love to play with?
In American music: Migos, In Indian music: Kaushiki Chakraborty
And who is your favourite pianist?
Yefim Bronfman. He can really phrase beautifully at a high volume. As far as groups with piano/keyboard: BadBadNotGood and Gogo Penguin
You have played live in numerous countries over the years. Do you have any memorable stories to share with us or something that made an impression?
In India, they always had trouble finding me a piano. I once did a concert on a small Casio. They also have a lack of piano tuners so I kept seeing the same tuner in different cities. I asked him if he liked the piano. He said, “I hate it. It’s made me deaf.”
What should we expect from you in the near future?
A jazz quartet with sax shaman MaZ Parker, a series of videos with violinist/filmmaker Johanna Burnheart.
How do you spend your day when you are not making music?
Making videos for the music, reading, baking, playing the dozens.
Thanks Richard!
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