Richard X Bennett’s new album of ambient jazz explores pain, garbage, and chemotherapy
If you’ve only just come across the very talented New York-based pianist and composer Richard X Bennett like I have, I won’t blame you for being fooled by his colourful and easy-going nature. Whether it’s his funky sense of fashion, or watching him busking under the Manhattan Bridge, or seeing him carry around a comically tiny grand piano, or just watching a video of him playing the air piano on a wall — you could be forgiven for thinking that Richard X Bennett is not a serious musician.
In fact, sometimes I find that the people who take themselves too seriously, aren’t actually naturally talented at all — they’re trying to hard, and as a result, all the humor is left behind. When people are just “having fun with it,” they are talented enough to have the headspace to do it with a smile. Think: Tiger Woods making it look easy in his hey-day. Or Michael Jordan playing side-games and cracking jokes with other players on the court in some of the most pressurized games of his career.
I’m not saying that Richard X Bennett is the Michael Jordan (or Tiger Woods) of jazz, but he does have a pretty impressive resume. He has performed at Lincoln Center, The Guggenheim Museum, The Rubin Museum, The Brooklyn Museum, Central Park Summerstage. He’s produced twelve albums. He’s worked with record labels from across the world including India, America, and Great Britain.
So while his eclectic outfits, flashy sunglasses, and infectious smile might deceive you… don’t be fooled. Richard X Bennett is a seriously talented artist.
If that wasn’t impressive enough, he continued to demonstrate his relentless optimism when in November 2023 he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. What most people do in that situation is collapse under the life disfiguring pressure of it all. What he did: channel the experience into art.
“Obviously cancer overwhelms your life,” admits rXb, “but making art during this time was cathartic. Hopefully these pieces will impact and help others as well. I’d be delighted if it gave people some deep pleasure.”
The result of his catharsis: a new album entitled, Scavenger, and a twenty-five minute six-part video that includes lo-fi drawings, trash, botany, mutating cells, prison destruction and some idiosyncratic dancing. Ultimately the project explores what rXb was going through during his six month long treatment and road to recovery. A heroic effort in the face of a challenging turn in life that would have been all consuming to nearly anyone else.
Have a listen to three of my favorite tracks off of Scavenger below, and have a wander over to Richard X Bennett’s Bandcamp page to support the album in full.
Richard X Bennett – Woven with Gold
Richard X Bennett – Love and Garbage
Richard X Bennett – Backgammon
