Benny Green

Monterey Jazz Festival

At the age of 19, Benny Green moved to New York City to join legendary vocalist Betty Carter’s band and never looked back. He would then assume the piano chair with some of jazz music’s most important instrumental groups, including Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Freddie Hubbard, and the Ray Brown Trio. With these artists he would receive an invaluable artistic education, learn to embody the artform and master the music.

In 1988 he released his debut album as a leader Prelude on Criss Cross Records, which featured Terence Blanchard, Javon Jackson, Peter Washington, and Tony Reedus. In 1990, he signed with Blue Note Records, for which he made seven recordings. These records featured some of the best musicians working in the idiom including Stanley Turrentine, Ron Carter, Ray Drummond, Christian McBride, Victor Lewis, Lewis Nash and Carl Allen. In 2000, he would begin recording with Telarc Records. These albums featured his collaboration with guitarist Russell Malone. Benny has released six albums on Sunnyside Records since 2013, including his latest, Solo, released in 2022.