Jimmy Bennett-Guitar/Lap steel/vocals,
Ray Grappone-Drums/vocals,
Peter Bennett-Bass/vocals
Influences
Levon Helm, Muddy Waters, Koko Taylor, Albert King, BB King, Alexis P. Suter, Robert Johnson, Elmore James, Jimi Hendrix, The Band, Lightin'Hopkins, The Allman Brothers, Warren Zevon, Stevie Ray, Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, Sly& the Family Stone, The Rolling Stones, The Blues Brothers, Elvis, Elvis Costello, The Levon Helm Band, The Midnight Ramble Experience...ETC...
MUSIC: THE NEWCOMER AND THE LEGEND
Alexis P. Suter & The Bennett Brothers receives assist from Levon Helm
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 09/29/06
BY RICHARD SKELLY
CORRESPONDENT
Any blues singer will tell you there's a close connection between the blues and gospel music.
Alexis P. Suter, an up-and-coming vocalist from Brooklyn, knows this. Suter was raised on gospel music and began singing in church as a 4-year-old with her mother's choir.
In February 2005, Brooklyn's Hipbone Records released Suter's debut album, "Shuga Fix." She's accompanied on the record by the same musicians who'll accompany her Saturday night at the Sugar Shack in Highlands: drummer Ray Grappone, backing singer Vicki Bell, bassist Peter Bennett and guitarist Jimmy Bennett. A newer addition to the band is keyboardist Bruce Katz, who was sent their way by former Band member drummer/singer Levon Helm.
Helm has gotten into Suter's corner in a big way: He features the Alexis P. Suter Band at his monthly Midnight Ramble sessions at his home studio in Woodstock, N.Y.
"He sees something in us and (we've) got to respect that," Suter said. "So we're grateful because we know that his knowledge of this business is worth more than anything you could purchase anywhere, from anybody."
Suter's "Shuga Fix" is an amalgamation of styles that includes the classic blues of "Teacher Man" and "Rollin' and Tumblin' " as well as touches of gospel, rap and house music grooves. Hipbone Records, founded by Grappone and Bell, primarily was a house music label before shifting gears in recent years to include blues-based releases from the Bennett Brothers and other New York area musicians.
Suter counts her mother, Carrie, and Ruth Brown among her biggest inspirations to become a singer.
"When I was very young I used to sneak and listen to the radio or watch Ruth Brown on TV, and that goes back as far as I can remember," Suter recalled, "and my mother is totally a gospel and hymns person. She's definitely not with jazz and blues, but she appreciates it, as long as it's about being creative.
"But I also have a lot of male influences, people like Barry White, Isaac Hayes, Cream and War," Suter said.
Her forthcoming CD/DVD on Levon Helm Studio Records should be out by December, Suter reckons, "and hopefully by this time next year, we will be a nationally known act and doing more blues festivals. We're learning as we go along. Levon is our shepherd and we are his flock."
The Bennett Brothers have a flair for blending the new
and the old... casting classic tunes in a new light, and
then hitting us with something completely fresh.
Their debut release 3 Minutes to Midnight is
produced by Hipbone co founder Vicki Bell known
for her stylish work with Open Door, Alexis P. Suter and
other underground notables. The disc offers an inventive mix
of eclectic rock, twang and swampy grooves together with
solid blues rooted song writing. It has 12 songs, 3 are covers
and 9 are originals penned by Bennett.
The players are Jimmy Bennett on guitar, lap steel
and vocals, Peter Bennett on bass and Ray
Grappone on drums and percussion.
Guest musicians on Cant Find A Reason are
Levon Helm on drums along with Amy Helm on
vocals. The horn section is Jay Collins
(arrangements, Sax) and Richard Bolger (Trumpet)
(Greg Allman Band). New York session pro Jim Abbott
provides keyboards and Charlie Wolfe joins on the
blues harp.
La Hora Del Blues
by Vincent Zumel, Barcelona, Spain
One of Bennett's abilities is they really knows how to do a good mixture
of classic r&b sounds with the most modern musical fashion. Somebody
dared to define them as 'the new light of a living musical sun' or 'the
fresh clear water of northern Montana sources'. Apart from these poetic
comments, the cd gives us twelve innovative songs that combine
contemporary electric blues with swampy-grooves, all spiced with root
blues music. Jimmy Bennett sings, plays guitar and lap-steel, his brother
Peter plays bass and the great Ray Grappone plays drums. Also are guest
musicians legendary and admired Levon Helm on drums and his daughter
Amy singing at 'Can't Find A Reason'. A good cd coming from Hipbone
Records. Finally only encourage Hipbone to publish some more interesting
related to blues cds like this one. Excellent!
Compilations
"Suncoast Blues Vol. 2" (Suncoast Blues Society)
"Deep Blue Hip" (Hipbone Records)
Currently the Bennett Brothers are the back up band
for Blues and Soul phenom Alexis P. Suter.
They have performed with some of the best in blues
and rock and roll including Levon Helm, Rick Danko,
Hubert Sumlin, Garth Hudson, BB King, Elvis Costello, The Muddy Waters Band and Little Sammy Davis. Bennett are
one of the tightest 3 piece units in the business and
should not be missed!
WHAT'S NEW...
THE BENNETT BROTHER...
Hi to all! We hope that your summer is going good! We have some nice performances in July coming up. Come on out and join us if you can. We would love to see you! Thank you again and again for your support! It is so very appreciated! THE ALEXIS P. SUTER BAND JULY PERFORMANCES Thursday, July 9th - 7:00 - 8:30 PM Battery Park / Wagner Park NYC River and Blues Series www.rivertorivernyc.com (click calendar date for all info) Friday, July 10th @ 4:30 PM The Briggs Farm Blues Festival 88 Old Berwick Hwy Nescopeck, PA 18635 www.briggsfarm.com Saturday, July 11th @ 6:30 PM The New York State Blues Festival Clinton Square, Syracuse, NY www.nysbluesfest.com Saturday, July 18th @ 8:00 PM Allentown Symphony Hall - WDIY Special Event! 23 N. 6th Street (Rodale Room) Allentown, PA www.wdiy.org Thursday, July 23rd @ 11:00 PM The Stephen Talkhouse 161 Main Street Amagansett, NY www.stephentalkhouse.com Sunday, July 26th @ 9:00 PM The Pocono Blues Festival Closing Party Boulder View Tavern Big Boulder, PA www.boulderviewtavern.com
Hi everybody, just here to say our new RORY GALLAGHER HAWK BOOSTER is ready for shipping. Have a listen if you get a chance, All the best, Stevie Flynn.
Yeah man, it's a "sign from God"...LOL. Havin' a great time, & good excersize for my heart! I'm sure you boyz are busy, and sorry I've been out of touch, just been swamped with everything... LOVE TO ALL! YOUR ROAD DADDY
Drop by my page my friend. I posted a video and MP3 of me doing one of the hottest versions of “Voodoo Child” that you’ll ever hear.....guaranteed to make you smile! …..and you can download the MP3 for free!
THE ALEXIS P. SUTER BAND APPEARING @ THE TURNING POINT ON SATURDAY, MARCH 14TH!
Hope you are doing great!
We go on at 9:00 pm this Saturday, March 14th at the club, located in Piermont, NY. Please come out and join us in this beautiful venue! We would love to see you there!
The Alexis P. Suter Band Saturday, March 14th @ 9:00 pm THE TURNING POINT 468 Piermont Avenue Piermont, NY 10968 TEL: 845-359-1089 www. turningpointcafe. com
Well guys, It is all moving pretty quickly for us right now. The Vagrants have signed a world wide deal with Warner Chappell publishing. The Vagrants new "Be True" CD is coming out into shops hard copy in various territories shortly, but you can get an advance copy at i Tunes if you want a copy. Check out the new songs on Myspace and drop me a comment on which you like, or don't like!!!
