Max Bennett (musician)

Max Bennett
Bennett in San Francisco, 1976.
Background information
Born	(1928-05-24) May 24, 1928 Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Session musician
Instruments	Bass guitar
Years active	1949–present
Associated acts	L.A. Express
Website	maxbennett.com

External video
Oral History, Max Bennett talks about the origin of the name LA Express as well as his start in song-writing. Interview date November 29, 2007, NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Oral History Library

Max Bennett (born May 24, 1928) is an American jazz bassist and session musician.

Biography

Bennett grew up in Kansas City and Oskaloosa, Iowa, and went to college in Iowa. His first professional gig was with Herbie Fields in 1949, and following this he played with Georgie Auld, Terry Gibbs, and Charlie Ventura. He served in the Army during the Korean War from 1951 to 1953, and then played with Stan Kenton before moving to Los Angeles. There he played regularly at the Lighthouse Cafe with his own ensemble, and played behind such vocalists as Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez through the 1970s. He also recorded with Charlie Mariano, Conte Candoli, Bob Cooper, Bill Holman, Stan Levey, Lou Levy, Coleman Hawkins and Jack Montrose.

Bennett recorded under his own name from the late 1950s, and did extensive work as a composer and studio musician in addition to jazz playing. He played bass on many records by The Monkees and The Partridge Family, and was one of the musicians Frank Zappa used for the Hot Rats project. He also played on later Zappa albums such as Chunga's Revenge. His studio work also included bass on the Lalo Schifrin soundtrack to the 1969 film Bullitt as well as Greatest Science Fiction Hits Volumes 1-3 with Neil Norman & His Cosmic Orchestra.

Bennett continued with his own band, L.A. Express, which included Joe Sample, Larry Carlton and John Guerin, under the leadership of Tom Scott. After this band, Bennett formed his own group Freeway, and currently heads his most recent band, Private Reserve.

Discography

As leader

• Max Bennett Quintet (Bethlehem Records, 1955)
• Max Bennett Sextet (Bethlehem, 1956)
• Max Bennett Septet, Quartet & Trio (Bethlehem, 1956)
• Max Bennett with Charlie Mariano (Bethlehem)
• Interchange (Palo Alto Records, 1987) U.S. Top Contemporary Jazz #13
• The Drifter (1987) U.S. Top Contemporary Jazz #21
• Images (TBA Records, 1989)
• Great Expectations (Chase Music, 1993)
• Max Is the Factor (Fresh Sound, 2006)

As sideman

3

With Bob Cooper

• Coop! The Music of Bob Cooper (Contemporary, 1958)

With Howard Roberts

• Antelope Freeway (Impulse!, 1971)

With Lalo Schifrin

• There's a Whole Lalo Schifrin Goin' On (Dot, 1968)
• Mannix (Paramount, 1968)
• Bullitt (soundtrack) (Warner Bros., 1968)
• Rock Requiem (Verve, 1971)
• Enter the Dragon (soundtrack) (Warner Bros., 1973)

With Gábor Szabó and Bob Thiele

• Light My Fire (Impulse!, 1967)

TV, film and motion picture soundtracks written by:

• Michel Legrand
• Nelson Riddle
• Michel Colombier
• Quincy Jones
• Tom Scott
• John Williams
• Henry Mancini
• Lalo Schifrin
• Johnny Mandel
• Charlie Fox
• Artie Butler
• Billy Byers
• Elmer Bernstein
• Michael Melvoin

External links

• Max Bennett discography at Discogs
• Max Bennett at the Internet Movie Database