Keyboardist Marco Benevento rarely stands still. Over the past 15 years, he’s dabbled in a little bit of just about everything, from experimental jazz to jam-band grooves, all the while collaborating with the likes of AC Newman, Kevin Morby, John McEntire , Brad Mehldau, and Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead, not to mention running his own record label, the Royal Potato Family. His latest album, Let It Slide (due 9/20), explores yet another corner of the contemporary music scene, with a decided stripped-down new wave/krautrock vibe intermingled amongst his normal improvisational tendencies.
The title cut serves as a good example, with a notably hooky refrain and bubbling musical backdrop for Benevento’s epigrammatic vocals. It’s decidedly retro, as is its charmingly way-lo-fi, self-made video. The album is produced by Leon Michels (of El Michels Affair) and is inspired by their mutual friend, the late Richard Swift, and the combination of all three musicians’ free-wheeling innovations makes for one of Benevento’s most compelling albums to date.
In reference to Swift’s influence, Benevento says, “One of our best friends, Richard Swift, a legendary musician/producer, passed away during the recording of this record. He was the one that actually connected me with Leon Michels who produced the album. So needless to say he was on our minds every step of the way. Leon mentioned how involved Swift was in ALL parts of his own art, from playing all the instruments, to creating all of the artwork, to making videos for his tunes. So, Richard truly inspired me to make my own video for this song.”
Benevento hits the road with the album with some East Coast dates in October:
10/10 - Buffalo, NY - Iron Works
10/11 - Ithaca, NY - The Haunt
10/13 - Woodstock, NY - The Colony
10/17 - Portland, ME - Port City Music Hall
10/19 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
10/20 - Northampton, MA - Gateway City Arts
10/23 - Fairfield, CT - FTC StageOne
10/24 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/25 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts
10/26 - Washington, DC - Pearl Street Warehouse