From the chilly reaches of upstate New York, come the sunny stylings of the The New Beat as fashioned by Michael Benedict’s new group Jazz Vibes. Multi-Instrumentalist Benedict is a mainstay of the upstate NY jazz scene having fronted a big band there for several years and is a veteran of such diverse groups as the Loren Schoenberg and J.R. Montrose bands, as well as the Spike Jones Orchestra. This new small group allows Benedict to switch gears after disbanding his big band of over 10 years and work in a much more intimate musical environment. It was time for Benedict to feed another side of his musical personality. The New Beat of the title refers as much to Benedict’s switching of musical gears as it does to the music itself.

The collection opens with the first of three featured Antonio Carlos Jobim compositions, Triste. The group launches right into the New Beat with Benedict and pianist Greg Speck contributing very musical solos before a percussion break with Brian Melick. Triste is followed by another timeless Jobim composition, Desafinado. Benedict & Co. give this one a nice smoky after-hours feel. The fluidity of Benedict’s vibraphone chops are well suited to this “Off-Key” samba and the rhythm section smolders suitably behind Benedict.

The group ratchets things up with a positively groovy reading of Mongo Santamaria’s timeless classic Afro-Blue popularized in the sixties by recordings of the tune by John Coltrane and Cal Tjader. Benedict really cuts loose on this one before handing things over to pianist Speck with percussionist Melick and drummer Mark Foster cutting loose. All are securely anchored by bassist Linda Brown. A good time is clearly being had by all.

Next up is a composition by the late, great, and sadly underappreciated Gary McFarland. McFarland, who also played vibes, distinguished himself as a composer and arranger of the highest order in the early sixties New York City jazz scene. He died under murky circumstances in 1971 at the young age of 38. The track recorded here is the melancholy Eye of the Devil originally composed in 1966 for the film of the same name starring David Niven and Sharon Tate. It is a sad and wistful piece that stays with you long after the recording has faded to a close. McFarland was one of a handful of American jazz musicians who truly understood the delicate beauty of the bossa nova.

One of Gary McFarland’s biggest musical influences was Miles Davis, and Davis’ composition Boplicity from the Birth of the Cool recordings of 1949 is given a rousing samba workout by the group. The Birth of the Cool recordings, along with those by Cool alumni Gerry Mulligan with Chet Baker were some of the biggest influences on the burgeoning bossa-novers in early fifties Brazil, so this composition’s inclusion here is very much in keeping with the “New Beat” theme of this album.

The second composition on this album stemming from a film production comes via Luiz Bonfa’s theme for Marcel Camus’ film production of Black Orfeus, the film that single-handedly launched the bossa-nova craze outside of Brazil. It is an instantly recognizable tune that never grows old. Filled with the wistful c’est le vie sadness that characterizes much of the bossa nova movement, Benedict’s group gives this one a slightly up-tempo reading that loses none of the emotion inherent in this timeless song.

Returning to the Gary McFarland songbook Benedict covers McFarland’s homage to Jobim, Once We Loved. Bursting with beauty and sadness, this composition made its debut on McFarland’s 1966 Verve disc, Soft Samba Strings and Benedict & Company’s reading is one of the best, a quietly soulful iteration. It should be noted that Michael Benedict’s inclusion of two Gary McFarland songs is no coincidence. Originally hired by Gary McFarland’s widow Gail as a music teacher for their son Milo, Benedict and Gail have been married for over 25 years and have a daughter of their own.

Closing out this collection is the last of the Jobim songs, One Note Samba, a light-hearted and humorous composition that ends this collection on a high note. At the end of this collection it is clear that this music is as much a part of Michael Benedict’s musical soul as the big band he fronted for so many years. The joy apparent in this collection is simply infectious. There will no doubt be many more recordings to come from Michael Benedict Jazz Vibes. The group already sounds like it’s been together for 10 years!

-Kristian St. Clair, Film Producer of “This is Gary McFarland” -Seattle, Washington