Jazz Connection Magazine

Benny Reid has been on a quest of self-discovery since he was a teen. While he hasn't come to any definitive conclusions as yet, much of what he has been searching for has come to a focal point in Findings, his debut CD for Concord Records.

The six-track disc showcases the 26-year-old alto saxophonist's prowess as a composer and musician “mixing expansive post-bop improvisation with atmospheric contemporary jazz…”. The music for Findings, composed over a two-year period, flows with dramatic melodicism that is saturated with a provocative and atmospheric pulse. It spans a pallet of emotions, while providing a relaxing yet stimulating vibe. It flurts with a smooth jazz sound while not settling in any one particular jazz camp. It's fresh and potent, full of verve.

Findings features Reid on alto saxophone, keyboards, and vocals on Transient Melody and Waves Of Red; Richard Padron on guitars; Aaron Goldberg on piano, Rhodes; Reuben Rogers on bass; Antonio Sanchez on drums; Jeff Taylor on vocals; and Ryan Fitch on percussion on Destiny? and Dancing With My Father.

Findings opens up with Destiny?, a deceptively simple piece with a sophisticated bravato to it. Two wordless vocals also grace the album's canon, providing an ethereal feel: Transient Melody and Dancing With My Father.

Waves Of Red, a progressive piece with post-bop overtones, is an offering that Reid dedicated to his departed sister who had red hair, while Findings: A Quest For Peace starts off with a more laid-back, classic straight-ahead sound then switches to a funk groove, then reverts back to the classic sound.

Bringing Reid's musical excursion to a close is Legend, a tune that starts off dancing lightly but progresses to an intensely powerful finish.

Reid is a unique new voice on the contemporary jazz scene, and someone to watch.

Findings definitely provides a magical musical mystery tour for the listener.

Track selections: Destiny?, Transient Melody, Findings: A Quest For Peace, Waves Of Red, Dancing With My Father, Legend. (Total time: 53:16)