BennyReid.com

Press

Philadelphia Daily News - Pick of the week for live jazz!
By Shaun Brady

At 26, saxophonist Benny Reid is younger than most musicians who straddle the border between smooth and traditional jazz, a boundary so fierce that only vets like David Sanborn or the Yellowjackets dare traverse it. But Reid eschews the standard drum machines and R&B covers in favor of meditative originals. On his debut CD, "Findings" (Concord Jazz), Reid's lilting alto almost sounds more like a guitar than a sax. It might not qualify as new age, but "Findings" may be more melodic than any recording of waterfalls and bird calls.

All About Jazz
By George W. Harris

Concord has been aggressively looking for new young talent. Last year's findings of Taylor Eigsti, Erin Boheme and Christian Scott were quite pleasant surprises. This new discovery, altoist Benny Reid, has put out an unbelievably mature and impressive debut cd, complete with very strong self-penned compositions in which to spotlight his chops. His songs have a catchy reminiscence of Pat Metheny, but also an eerie ambitious resemblance to Kenny Garrett's "Beyond The Wall." Dramatic landscape sweeps, sentimental overtures and rhapsodic interludes are found in abundance on this sophisticated yet accessible work.

Reid's warm alto is well suited to these sentimental compostions that were dedicated to his sister, who died at the tender age of 13. Each song has a tender and reflective aspect, like the pastoral ""Transient Melody" which also features Jeff Taylor's gentle wordless vocals a la Richard Bona, mixed with some inspiring guitar work by Richard Padron. Pianist Aaron Goldberg takes time away from his solo work and employment with Kurt Rosenwinkle to provide some sensitive support and soloing on "Findings: A Quest For Peace" as well as the driving "Dancing With My Father", which also has Reid and the rhythm section charging on all 6 cylinders. Look for this cd, and for this artist when he comes to town. He's going places!

Jazzradio247.com - Feature Interview
By Rick Holland
JazzRadio247.com

The Star Ledger - Feature Article
By Zan Stewart
Star Ledger

The Westfield Leader - Feature Article
By Christie Storms
Click the link and go to page 23
Westfield Leader

The Westfield Leader - Concert Review
By Christie Storms
Click to read review of Cd Release Party!
Westfield Leader

Jazz Connection Magazine - Feature Article
By Stephen Fratallone
Jazz Connection Magazine

Barnes & Noble.com
By William Pearl
"For saxophonist Benny Reid, melody is music's summit...That he achieves what he aims for on his debut album is proof of both his wide compositional ambitions and his striking instrumental talent...At 26 years of age, Reid is a comer, a smart young jazz figure with that most valuable of artistic qualities: vision." Barnes&Noble.com

Billboard Magazine
By Dan Ouellette
"Benny Reid makes his noteworthy premier with "Findings". His set, with nods to the soundscape of the Pat Metheny Group, feature fine originals with such bandmates as Aaron Goldberg and Reuben Rogers."

The Urban Music Scene
By Rob Young
"Benny Reid bursts onto the music scene with one of the brightest offerings of 2007 on his Concord Jazz debut titled "Findings.""
"...there's over fifty minutes of incredible gems with extremely long track times. You'll find Reid's debut quite attractive in the way it beckons you with each note as his bright yet simplistic shades and colors of his alto horn soars with consistency throughout." Click and scroll to the bottom

Song With Orange
By Kellen Yamanaka
"The Indiana University graduate has a full, buttery alto sax sound with a touch of grit at moments. His luminous songs on Findings provide the perfect backdrop for his haloed tone. Then again, his tunes are actually dramatic enough to be the focus themselves." Song With Orange

Smother.net
By J-Sin
These days you'd be hard pressed to find something truly fresh and original coming out of the smooth jazz camp and that's precisely what makes Benny Reid so special. As a twenty-six year old he puts a young face and mind to an old genre and style of music. Strong alto saxophone play is what propels this young phenom to the top of many jazz critics must-have lists. "Findings" is an atmospheric piece-of-mind sort of jazz album that you can easily relax and space out alongside. Smother.net

CNet.com
The young saxophonist and composer gains deep emotional resonance by moving outside traditional jazz structuring. Instead of cycling around a single melodic passage, Reid's tracks cycle through abstracted movements. The result is less "impressive" (most of jazz's goal) than evocative (Reid's). Cnet.com

Daily Vault
By Jason Warburg
"...Melody - this disc offers it in spades - and passion - these guys play like they mean it. But I think there was also an element of pure admiration for what these guys are attempting here - to my ears, anyway - which is a kind of classic/modern jazz hybrid, an approach to arrangements and solos that respects form and structure and doesn't overplay, yet simultaneously manages to stretch out and breathe in a variety of different ways." Daily Vault Review

The Celebrity Cafe.com
By Carissa Chesanek
Reid's soft jazz sound relaxes the soul by making the listener want to sit down, lay back and put their feet up. His album, Findings, can really do no wrong. The music is beautiful and inspirational. The notes just seem to move so freely throughout the air.

Jazz Echo
"Reid shines on its amazingly mature debut album "Findings" not only as soloist on his instrument, but also as a visionary composer."