Jazz Connection Magazine

Canadian Saxophonist Eli Bennett Is Tearing Up Jazz World While Finding His Muse

Nineteen-year-old Canadian saxophonist Eli Bennett, above, holds a

musical resume of a season veteran. While in high school, he has won

more awards than any of his Canadian peers. However, he's the first

admit that he is a "work in progress."

His parents wrote his lighthearted birth announcement which read: Daryl and Betty Reproductions are pleased to announce the signing of their first recording artist: Eli Parker Bennett. Although an immediate record release has not been scheduled, Eli will be rehearsing while his parents nurture and develop his career.

Now, nineteen years later, those words are taking shape into self-fulfilling prophecy. The award-winning tenor saxophonist and composer from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, has been tearing up the jazz world up north and it looks like it will only a matter of time before he is more widely recognized.

"Jazz is my creative vehicle to express myself now," said Bennett, who turns 19 on March 9, via telephone from his home in Vancouver.

The teen saxophone titan with a gentle voice and a big musical sound is establishing an impressive résumé, having performed with over a dozen music legends including the recently deceased Oscar Peterson, Hank Jones, Maria Schneider, Roy Hargrove, James Moody, Barry Harris, and Patti Austin.

He has also won more awards and honors than any other high-school student in Canada, and that award-winning trend appears to be going full steam ahead while he currently attends college.

In addition to performing on half a dozen film scores, Bennett has also been featured on countless television and radio shows such as ET Canada, MTV, CTV’s Canada AM, and CBC Radio.

Although having such a depth of musical experiences and talent at such a young age, Bennett will be the first to tell you that the artistic vision he has for himself is still being defined, as he is a "work in progress."

"I'm still trying to find my own voice," he said. "My ultimate goal is to just express myself through the music and to make other people feel emotions through the music."

Bennett was born in Vancouver, the oldest of three sons of Daryl and Betty Bennett. His father is a professional drummer and film scorer

while his younger siblings, Jonah, age 16, is interested in computer technology (he designed his older brother's official website), and Lucas, age 11, is currently studying classical piano.

At age 9, Bennett and his family moved to Los Angeles. A home schooled student, Bennett's mother encouraged him to become involved in extra curricular activities such as playing in the home school marching band comprised of other home schooled students in the area.

It was at that time his parents presented their first-born son with an alto saxophone, which seemed to be an excellent match. The young Bennett agreed to practice the instrument for at least 30 minutes a day for one year, he said.

"Actually, the home school band wasn't that bad of a thing," Bennett said with a laugh.

After his year apprenticeship on the alto, Bennett then took up the tenor saxophone, using the very same horn that his father used to played when he was a kid. It was soon evident that the tenor saxophone and Eli Bennett would be mutually good for each other.

Four years later, when the Bennett's returned to Vancouver, the young saxophonist enrolled in the local high school band and that's when the jazz bug bit him, he said.

"I started to hang around people my age who were into jazz music and who played jazz," Bennett said. "That's when I began to take a big interest in it."

It was the improvisational aspect of jazz that captured Bennett's soul, he said.

"The music can never be played the same way twice," Bennett said. "It's exciting to interact with people within the context of spontaneous creativity of the music."

Bennett then went from being a jazz aficionado to the one of the musical genre's most active participants.

"I then progressed practicing from to three to six hours a day," he said. "It grew from there."

While some would consider practicing for such long periods of time a chore, Bennett viewed it as a pleasure, a fun activity that would always bring him on the brink of discovery, he said.

"I have so much fun when I'm practicing," he said. "I'm constantly finding new things. (When I'm home) I usually start in the afternoon. I spend a lot of time on long tones and soft tones. Tone is very important to me. Persons with a great tone can play one note and it sounds amazing as opposed to a person playing six billion notes with a bad tone and it doesn't sound good. Practice never gets boring for me. I actually have to force myself to stop. (laughing)"

In addition to on-the-job training of tooting his own horn, Bennett spent hours of additional homework listening to recordings of jazz giants. He cites his early influences as John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Joe Henderson, Michael Brecker and Chris Potter.

Being home schooled through Heritage Christian School of Kelowna's on-line program provided Bennett with a well-rounded education as well as the flexibility to be able to dedicate himself to saxophone practice, he said.

"I had many benefits while being home schooled," Bennett said. "To make a comparison, I went to public high school briefly in tenth grade. In my opinion, public school is such a waste of time! I couldn't stand it. I get my stuff done here at home quicker. I spend the time at what I need to study at my own pace rather than going with the flow at the teacher's pace. That's how I was able to practice six to eight hours a day. I didn't have to put up with the stuff that usually goes on in high school."

While some may argue that while home schooling may be more academically focused, it's out of focus when it comes to developing strong, socially integrated adolescents. Bennett disagrees.

"I received a better education and spent time on music rather than goofing off with kids at school," he said. "I spent my time doing what I love instead of wasting my time. I have a lot of friends from different area. I'm not deprived socially at all."

Bennett also became more involved with Christian studies during his home school experience. Having grown up in church, he accepted Jesus Christ into his life as his Lord and Savior at age five. At 16, he felt led to attend a church closer to home. He began attending an Alpha Course at the Coastal Church in downtown Vancouver, led by pastors Dave and Cheryl Koop. This led to my decision to be baptized, he said.

Bennett's Christian faith is a very important part of who he is, and he sees his faith and his career as one.

"God has given me this talent,' he said. "By putting him first, He blesses my career. He's given me everything I have. He is the greatest Teacher. He will always come first. That's how my career will succeed."

At age 16, after three years of dedicated practicing, Bennett won the Rico Reed Award for the Best Student Saxophonist in Canada at Musicfest Canada in May 2005.

That same year Bennett joined his first tour band, Five Alarm Funk, a twelve-piece jazz-funk group based out of Vancouver. He stayed with that group for two-years, recording its eponymous-titled CD on the Warner Brothers-Canada label in 2006 that's brimming with original funk and afro-beat grooves. (See www.fivealarmfunk.com )

"It was a great experience," Bennett said. "The group gave me an entirely different flavor of music. It also gave me road experience and it taught me how to getting alone with eleven other people stuck in a touring van."

"Ironically, I was the youngest member of the band and even in a funk band I was surrounded by the rock and roll style of life," Bennett said. "I'd be the one going to bed right after the gigs, not partying, not drinking, not smoking. My respect, oddly enough, went down in the group. I wasn't really a part of the group, per se. I guess that's what I had to sacrifices to keep my values and morals. It was definitely worth it."

Bennett, far right, in a taped performance for CTV News with Amanda Tosoff -

piano, and Josh Cole - bass.

Bennett also teamed up with his father to co-lead a jazz group called Art of Time. Although popular among connoisseurs of jazz in Vancouver, the group was short-lived, according to Bennett.

"Playing with my dad is a always a great experience for me," Bennett said. "We have a great connection, a deep mental connection. He's taught me a lot. I really enjoy playing with him. I play with him as much as I can."

The senior Bennett, a 2002 Gemini Award (Canada's version of the Emmys) nominee and a two-time Leo Award nominee, which honors the best in British Columbian television and film production, has also accompanied his son playing in a quartet that includes pianist Amanda Tosoff, and either Josh Cole or Sean Cronin on bass.

In fact, this quartet - with Bennett, Tosoff, Cronin and drummer Morgan Childs - recorded three tracks Shift, Julia's Blues, and Lullaby Of The Leaves - this past September for the West Coast CBC radio show Hot Air. Cronin and Tosoff contributed original compositions for the show while Bennett's ever-present bold, mature, signature sound colors and shades the proceedings. (Check out the group's hot sounds on Bennett's web site at www.elibennett.com/AudioClips.htm)

Bennett has also performed with the October Trio, a Vancouver-based acoustic jazz ensemble led by Josh Cole, along with tenor saxophonist Evan Arntzen and drummer Dan Gaucher, that continues to garner rave reviews for their tasteful and eclectic style of music. (See www.theoctobertrio.com ) Bennett has subbed for Arntzen, also a formidable force to be reckoned with on the saxophone and a close friend, on a few occasions.

"Josh is a wonderful musician and I'm grateful to have played with him," Bennett said. "Josh has also played on my television appearances. Evan is a great guy and we are good friends. In fact, we both study under the same private saxophone instructor."

In addition playing to gigs for TV and clubs, Bennett has also performed at major jazz festivals including the 2006 Ottawa International Jazz Festival where he opened for McCoy Tyner, the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, and the All-Canadian Jazz Festival in Ontario, where he performed with Canada’s best high school jazz quintet three years consecutively.

He then caught the attention of the Grammy Foundation and was invited to the Grammy Awards to play in the 2007 Gibson/Baldwin Grammy Jazz Ensemble, an 18-piece band comprised of the best high school jazz musicians in North America, and to play in its four-member Grammy Jazz Combo. In addition to the big band and combo, a jazz choir was also a part of the Grammy Foundation's extravaganza to celebrate excellence in the music industry.

"When I first got the call, the Grammy people told me they were excited to have me play for a number of their events," Bennett recalled. "They said I would be the first horn player ever to be in the Jazz Combo."

Bennett shared the featured soloist spotlight with tenor saxophone giant James Moody during the big band's performance of the Grammy's "Salute To Jazz" program at the Music Box Theater in Hollywood.

"That was an amazing event," Bennett said. "James (Moody) was wonderful. The level of these high school players were all high. They are all geniuses."

Joining Bennett in the Jazz Combo were Yuma Sung, piano; Greg Chaplin, bass; and Corey Fonville, drums.


Eli Bennett soloing as a member of the 2007 Gibson/Baldwin Grammy Jazz	Eli Bennett playing with members of the 2007 Gibson/Baldwin Grammy Jazz
Ensemble, an 18-piece band comprised of the best high school jazz musicians in	Combo. Pictured are Greg Chaplin, bass, and Yuma Sung, piano. Not pictured
North America.	is Corey Fonville, drums.

"The guys in the Jazz Combo are a great bunch of musicians," Bennett said. "Playing in the Jazz Combo opened the door for me to be featured at a lot of Grammy events. It gave me lots of exposure. It's probably been the most exciting musical experience I've had to date."

Like Julius Caesar who "came, saw, and conquered," so has Bennett, whose whirlwind has taken off in high style. Since his Grammy appearances, he's become the recipient of even more awards, including the 2007 Fraser MacPherson Scholarship, the Dal Richards Scholarship, the Yamaha Kando Award, Canada’s highest IAJE scholarship award, the 2007 DownBeat Magazine Award for best high-school composition for his Mistaken Perception. (Hear Bennett's tune on his MySpace web page at www.myspace.com/elibennettmusic) The piece originally debuted at the 2006 Telluride (CO) Jazz Festival. Performing the tune with Bennett were the Telluride Jazz All-Stars.

More recently, Bennett was bestowed the prestigious Oscar Peterson Grant for Jazz Performance, a $10,000 grant awarded by the Hnatyshyn Foundation, a private Canadian charity which recognizes one outstanding young jazz musician every year who goes onto study jazz at the post-secondary level of education.

"What an honor to receive the Oscar Peterson Award!" Bennett said gratefully. "He's a jazz icon from Canada and I was extremely fortunate to receive this award in his name."

Last December, Bennett was selected to be a member of the Clifford Brown/ Stan Getz Fellowship All-Stars, an instrumental combo chosen from an international pool of talented high school students. The program was established through a unique collaboration between International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE )and the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA). Under the direction of Dr. Ronald C. McCurdy, Chairman of the Jazz Studies Department and Professor of Music in the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, the six-man CBSG All-Stars performed January 12 at Fairmont Royal York Ballroom in Toronto. Joining Bennett were Jonathan Ragonese, Saxophone – Manhattan School of Music, New York, New York; Conrad Jones, Trumpet – Cleveland Institute of Music, Cleveland, Ohio; Javier Nero,
Trombone – Evergreen High School, Vancouver, Washington; Greg Chaplin, Bass – Milford High School, Hopedale, Massachusetts; and Jake Sherman, Piano – Boston Latin School, Boston, Massachusetts.

In February, Bennett won the 2008 Fraser MacPherson Scholarship, a $2,000 prize, for Best College Jazz Musician in Western Canada. In addition to winning two consecutive years, he is the first musician to win both high school and college categories.

Bennett has also performed on five Canadian film scores including Decoys (2004), Love On The Side (2004), A Perfect Note (2005), while composing additional music to both Engaged To Kill (2006), and The Entrance (2007).

"My dad did the music on these films and I played on the scores for them and I did some writing under his supervision," Bennett said.

Since September 2007, Bennett has been enjoying his freshman year at Humber College in Toronto, majoring in Jazz Performance and Composition. He attends Humber College on a full scholarship.

While Bennett is a phenomenal force as a player, his compositional works are also an integral part of his music. While at Humber College, he is looking to fine-tune his already natural talent in that area.

"Composing music is an area where I can express myself through my own creative voice," Bennett explained. "I like creating things that I can play and challenge myself. I'm looking to put out a CD in the near future containing my own compositions. I think it ties with the film scoring aspect. I want to study that deeply while in college."

But Bennett will candidly tell you that playing music comes much easier to him than writing music, he said.

At Humber College, Bennett is a member of the Humber College Studio Jazz Ensemble, 21-piece big band, under the direction of Denny Christianson. The Ensemble just completed a six-day concert tour in February of the United Kingdom.

On April 2, The Humber College Studio Jazz Ensemble will be performing with four-time Grammy Award nominated guitarist Mike Stern at Humber College and on April 14 the Studio Jazz Ensemble will perform at the Rex Jazz Club in Toronto. For updates on Bennett's performance schedule, log on to official website at http://www.elibennett.com/Schedule.htm

While pop and rock rule the roost on the musical charts, Bennett finds himself on a mission of sorts of helping to introduce jazz to his peers. His role as an "evangelist" is bearing some fruit. By doing so he helps to keep the jazz continuum alive.

"I think that's a goal for everyone to do who is into jazz," Bennett said. "I still want to explore the ways how to keep the music fresh and to present it to a larger audience. There a lot of young people here in Vancouver who respect me, which is really great. They've picked up the saxophone and have started to play. It's really great that I can inspire younger players. Even people my own age come to see my shows."

While Bennett agrees that on some level he is making a contribution to jazz, he is also aware that any possible impact by him on the jazz scene can not be assessed at this time.

"I'm not quite sure I'm at that level yet," Bennett said modestly. "I don't even have a CD out as yet. I don't think I have an good answer to to that as I am just starting out."

Bennett may indeed be just starting out, but he's coming out of the chute like a champion thoroughbred race horse. With each new experience he's building, he's envisioning, he's goal-setting, and in doing so he's turning many heads.

"I want to get a CD together with my own quartet on a label featuring my own compositions," Bennett said. "I eventually want to study film scoring at the University of Southern California (USC), and to go to New York and play there for a bit. I also plan to go international with my artistry. I also want to go back to California and play. I have friends in the San Francisco Bay area who are talking about putting a show together for me at Yoshi's Jazz House in Oakland. Hopefully, I can get out that way to do that within the next year."

Impossible dreams and goals? No, not all. Not for Eli Bennett. The young man with the horn faces life and career with high hopes and expectations. His life story is unfolding in ways of which authoress Sue Atchley Ebaugh wrote: "Within our dreams and aspirations we find our opportunities." In fact, the way things are panning out for Bennett, it looks as if musical greatness will indeed be his destiny.

"I just keep shooting high," Bennett said. "My mentor always says, 'If you shoot really high and you miss, then you've missed high. But if you aim high and hit high, then everything worked out.'"

Jazz Connection Magazine . March - April 2008 . www.jazzconnectionmag.com