****RINGER OF THE WEEK***THE BATON FROM BRECKER…Eli Bennett: Breakthrough (Live In Poland)
The wake of Michael Brecker is still felt to this day, and the latest to successfully ride his white caps is Canada-based Eli Bennett, caught here concert in Poland while returning to his find his grandfather’s countryside farm. Bennett returned to his roots there and here with a formidable team of Pawel Tomaszewski/p-key, Robert Kubiszyn/b...
The wake of Michael Brecker is still felt to this day, and the latest to successfully ride his white caps is Canada-based Eli Bennett, caught here concert in Poland while returning to his find his grandfather’s countryside farm. Bennett returned to his roots there and here with a formidable team of Pawel Tomaszewski/p-key, Robert Kubiszyn/b and Pawel Dobrowolski/dr hitting running on all 8 cylinders at a gig during the Ruinach Festival.
Bennett has that big bold and brawny tone akin to Brecker disciples Bob Berg, Bob Mintzer and Chris Potter, but he makes it all his own in concert, creating a dark, ominous and foreboding sound on the nimbus “Let’s Roll” while hovering like he’s just about to explode in a downpour on the lovely and haunting rubato of “Forever”. Tomaszewski at the Rhodes jostles with the leader on a rich duet on the intro to “Step On It” before Dobrowolski pops the team into overdrive for a wild white knuckler, while the drummer lays down a hip and funky backbeat around Kubiszyn’s solo on “Blues For Whatever” and sizzles with him for a busy undercurrent that Bennett boogie boards over during “Mistaken Perception”. Best of all is when Bennet preaches from the pulpit on the mellow gospel toned “Breakthrogh” with a clarion call of a tone that both draws you in and blows you back. This guy’s got more flavor than Kielbasa; when’s he hitting LA?
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