Bennett Brandeis began playing the guitar at the age of six. He learned to play the clarinet for the school orchestra, then returned to the guitar at 15, playing in several local bands.
He studied at the Grove School of Music in Los Angeles, where he immersed himself in the worlds of harmony, music theory, arranging, composition and performance. He then studied at the Berklee College of Music, where he graduated with honors.
While working in studio orchestras, including a stint as guitarist for the television show Magnum P.I., and local clubs in Los Angeles, he accepted an offer to join a Japanese group, Shonentai. He moved to Japan, touring the country and performing throughout Southeast Asia.
He returned to L.A. where an offer to perform with Marilyn McCoo turned into a two year gig, including a tour with the reunited Original 5th Dimension. Seeking to present himself as an artist in his own right, Bennett began performing as a leader. In 1994, Bennett formed Baton Records. The first release, "Jazz Guitar" consists of original music as well as an inventive re-working of standards. Released in 1995 it is a trio recording with Bennett on electric guitar, Joe LaBarbara on drums and Dave Carpenter on bass. During this time, Bennett performed in almost every jazz club in Los Angeles, headlined Jazz festivals and was invited to perform in Brazil.
The second release "The View From Above", released in 2001, consists of all original music performed by Bennett playing nylon guitar, and synths with Kendall Kay on drums and Mike Faue on percussion.
Baton Records is now proudly releasing Bennett's third CD, "Storytelling". Entirely consisting of original music, this CD showcases a quartet augmented with percussion and synths. With Bennett on electric, nylon and steel string guitars, Dave Carpenter and Octavio Bailly on bass, Kendall Kay and Jerry Kalaf on drums, Louis Durra on piano and Mike Faue on percussion as the core group, a wide palette of music is presented, crossing stylistic boundaries as the music deems necessary. From Asian influenced Bossa Nova to Contemporary Jazz, "Storytelling" is a rich tapestry with guitars and strong compositions as the threads that tie it all together.
Bennett Brandeis is a four-time recipient of ASCAP's Popular Music Award and is listed in the Who's Who World of Jazz.
