Benny Benack III Quartet

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Matt Baker

Benny Benack III and trumpet.

Benny Benack III

A charismatic triple threat — trumpet, voice and sharp-witted charm — Benny Benack III brings his touring quartet for two shows of jazz standards, original tunes and vocalese storytelling. Known for his work with Postmodern Jukebox and regular appearances with Emmet Cohen’s trio, Benack's rep as one of jazz’s most agile entertainers is growing, with recent accolades including the No. 1 spot in the DownBeat Rising Star Male Vocalist poll. His repertoire nods to Broadway and bebop, Mister Rogers and Roy Hargrove — always played with heart, wit and precision. For this tour launching the new Midwest Jazz Collective, Benack is backed by pianist Tyler Henderson, bassist Caleb Tobocman, and drummer Charles Goold.

media release: Triple-threat jazz star Benny Benack III will be performing two shows (7:00 & 9:00pm) at Café CODA with his touring quartet on Monday evening, April 7. Voted the #1 Rising Star Male Vocalist in DownBeat magazine’s most recent critics poll, and #8 Rising Star Trumpet in that same poll, Benny’s Madison appearance is part of a regional tour organized by the new Midwest Jazz Collective, and includes stops in Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Indianapolis, and Cleveland.

Benny’s repertoire is a mix of jazz standards, Broadway show tunes, and original compositions. Among his many talents, he is an accomplished “vocalese” lyricist, writing engaging lyrics to improvised jazz solos, as he does here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evVDxThlc3o, on the Gigi Gryce composition “Social Call” (in a duet with the great young vocalist Veronica Swift) and on Duke Ellington’s “In a Mellow Tone” (in another duet with fellow trumpeter-vocalist Bria Skonberg), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkel3xlU20k.

A major star in his home community of New York City, 34-year-old Benny has benefitted from a long-term partnership with international jazz hero Emmet Cohen, whose trio backs Benny on his latest album, “Third Time’s The Charm.” Here are two of Benny’s originals from that album:

• “Catching Drift,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XJQ4FykFDQ

• “Roylike” (his tribute to the late trumpeter Roy Hargrove, one of his mentors), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XJQ4FykFDQ

For his CODA shows, Benny will be accompanied by pianist Tyler Henderson, bassist Caleb Tobocman, and drummer Charles Goold.