American Landscape
Long before his GRP days, when pianist David Benoit began adding electronics to his albums, he scored TV shows and recorded albums of acoustic piano and strings. Back then, he was known not so much for his playing but for his composing and arranging. On his first release for GRP, 1987's Freedom at Midnight, Benoit composed and arranged "Morning Sojourn," showcasing an articulate contemporary horn-and-string arrangement reminiscent of the symphony-meets-the-Wild-West style of his mentor, Dave Grusin. And though he has yet to do an entire album of piano and strings, Benoit consistently reminds us of his expertise in this area on a track or two of his recent albums. "A Personal Story" from 1997's American Landscape offers a good example.--- JAZZIZ MagazineCopyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc.--From Jazziz