A self-titled album arriving more than twenty years into a career signals something intentional, a moment of distillation. Benevento has long been a fixture in the jam and improvisational world, his keyboard work threading through collaborations with Joe Russo and beyond, but this release finds him planting a flag squarely in his own creative territory, drawing on Afrobeat and electronic influences without losing the live-room warmth that his longtime fans know well. For more than two decades Woodstock, NY-based pianist Marco Benevento has been amassing an extensive body of work. His studio albums and live performances set forth a vision that connects the dots in the vast space between LCD Soundsystem and Leon Russell, pulsating with dance rock energy, but with smart, earthy songwriting to match. Introduced by the pair of shimmering Al Howard collaborations, "Winter Rose" and "At The End Or The Beginning," his latest album Benevento also features fellow single "Marco & Mimo," a delectably lo-fi track built upon analog synths and drum machines, with inspiration drawn from artists like Frances Bebey, William Onyeabor and Kiki Gyan. Tracklist Side A 1. Let It Snow 2. White Christmas 3. Jingle Bell Rock 4. The Christmas Blues 5. O Christmas Tree Side B 1. The Christmas Song 2. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm 3. Happy Holiday 4. The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) 5. O Little Town Of Bethlehem UPC: 020286237938Label: Royal PotatoRelease Date: 6.10.22Format: LP Vinyl
