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Bennett Paster

Bennett Paster - Keyboardist, composer, and musician Paster is one of New York City’s most creative and versatile musicians. He has performed original music at clubs, concerts and festivals in the United States, the Caribbean, South and Central America, Central and South Asia and throughout Europe. He has performed with jazz and blues stars Wallace Roney, Keb Mo, Robben Ford, Kurt Elling, Curtis Stigers, Rufus Reid, Bill Stewart, Billy Hart, Peter Erskine, Albert “Tootie” Heath, Ndugu Chancler and Yosvany Terry among others. He has also performed with musical theater and cabaret stars Christine Ebersole, Ann Hampton Calloway and Michael Cerveris. Fluent in a variety of different styles and musical idioms and equally talented on piano, organ, and electric keyboard, Paster co-led the Latin jazz ensemble Grupo Yanqui with bassist Gregory Ryan; they co-led a trio with Keith Hall on Skyline (2004) and Invisible Horizon (2006).  His funky organ trio Organic! has two releases: The Undoing (2001) and Sweets (2006), and Paster fronted all-star groups on Relentless Pursuit Of The Beautiful (2012), and Indivisible (2019).

Gear

Steinway B piano, Hammond organ, Wurlitzer electric piano, Fender Rhodes electric piano, Hohner clavinet, Moog Model D and many more.

Click here for gear listing of Benny's Wash and Dry, my studio in Brooklyn.


Tags

320
Album Review

Bennett Paster & Gregory Ryan: Grupo Yanqui Rides Again

Read "Grupo Yanqui Rides Again" reviewed by John Barron


A shared love for Latin music is what drives the partnership headed by pianist Bennett Paster and acoustic/electric bassist Gregory Ryan, known as Grupo Yanqui. Formed in 2001, the like-minded associates combine the musical influences of Afro-Cuban and Brazilian rhythms with an American jazz perspective. Grupo Yanqui Rides Again, the ensemble's second release, features clever composing and arranging from the two leaders along with first-rate musicianship.

There's an abundance of energy emanating from this disc. The opening “Tones for Jones ...

351
Album Review

Bennet Paster & Gregory Ryan: Grupo Yanqui Rides Again

Read "Grupo Yanqui Rides Again" reviewed by Michael P. Gladstone


This album is a winning effort that presents urban Latin jazz, led by pianist Bennett Paster and bassist Gregory Ryan. Grupo Yanqui Rides Again is a solid interpretation of mostly original material proffered up by the leading duo. The album contains the combination of Latin ideas and the talent of saxophonist Chris Cheek and trumpeter/flugelhornist/percussionist Alex Norris. In addition, hand percussionist Gilad certainly adds the flair of Latin jazz to the sound. For those not previously fond ...

241
Album Review

Bennett Paster and Gregory Ryan: Grupo Yanqui

Read "Grupo Yanqui" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Some of the Best things are Self-Produced...

 

Grupo Yanqui (pronounced Group-o Yan key) is headed by the young New Yorkers Bennett Paster and Gregory Ryan. These guys play a brand of jazz that is very much in your head. It is erudite and inventive and very, very listenable. Gregory Ryan's “Miller Time" is a Lee Morgan “Cornbread" Hard Bop played with a Bobby Watson Latin flare. Other Latinesque tones come from Bennett Paster's “Mona Se Queda" and the standard ...

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98

Recording

Bennett Paster, Gregory Ryan and Keith Hall Release New CD: Skyline

Bennett Paster, Gregory Ryan and Keith Hall Release New CD: Skyline

Source: All About Jazz

The jazz piano trio is alive and well! Skyline, the new CD from Bennett Paster, Gregory Ryan and Keith Hall emphatically proves it. Recorded in Brooklyn, NY, this recording showcases three talented young musicians who have a broad vision of modern jazz. These guys really swing, but they also cover significantly more ground. In their insightful, melodic original compositions, Paster, Ryan and Hall incorporate R&B, funk and Latin grooves authoritatively. In addition, they've included their interpretations of three favorite standards: ...

INDIVISIBLE

“A very fine keyboardist and pianist, Bennett Paster grows by leaps and bounds with every project.  On his new CD Indivisible, he doesn’t synthesize his influences, but rather turns every composition into his own private vision of blues, mainstream jazz, funk, New Orleans and beyond… He displays bebop sensibilities while reserving the best of his immense talents for a sense of teamwork.”

MGN, Hot House Magazine

“Deeply moving grooving jazz”

Dick Metcalf, Contemporary Fusion Reviews

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Radiance

Self Produced
2023

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Indivisible

Self Produced
2019

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Grupo Yanqui Rides...

Miles High Records
2009

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Grupo Yanqui Rides...

Miles High Records
2008

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Grupo Yanqui

Unknown label
2002

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