Father-son show displays Benack jazz dynasty
It’s common to pass on physical characteristics like eye and hair color. Passing on musical talent? That’s a bit rarer, and the idea immediately raises questions of “nature vs. nurture.” But there are anecdotal instances of this around the world. Take Pittsburgh’s jazz scene, which boasts its very own musical dynasty, a trio of “Benny Benacks” spanning three generations.
Grandfather and bandleader Benny Benack — now deceased — and grandson Benny III chose the trumpet as their weapon of choice, while Benny Jr. (or Benny II as they numbered themselves to help people keep it straight) is a sax man. All three played, trained and played professionally in Pittsburgh in a decadesspanning trio of careers.
The youngest Benny, now 31, moved to New York City to complete his education in 2009 and has embedded in the scene in the Big Apple. Still, he comes home sometimes to play with his dad for special occasions. On Thursday, the two Bennys are performing together at the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden with a complement of New York and Pittsburgh musicians. The outdoor event includes a pop-up café and bar. Tickets are $65 to $120; pittsburghbotanicgarden.org.
“I’m biased but I say this everywhere I go: Pittsburgh has one of the strongest native jazz scenes in the country,” said Benny III. “It’s something you don’t find in many different cities.” He cited Con Alma’s two locations in Shadyside and Downtown as the “gold standard” for Pittsburgh venues these days. “They’re committed and devoted to fostering Pittsburgh musicians and Pittsburgh jazz,” he said. “They view it as a way to support local working musicians.” Other musicians have credited Con Alma and other establishments for helping to reinvigorate the city’s scene in recent years. Due to Pittsburgh’s location between New York City and Chicago it was once a major thoroughfare for jazz that produced numerous famous talents like Mary Lou Williams and Ahmad Jamal and Erroll Garner and more, particularly in the Hill District. Pittsburgh is experiencing something of a renaissance at the moment, with bars and breweries and several festivals and presenters like Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild hosting regular performances, a mixture of local talent and national touring talent. For his part, Benny III started out playing piano, but when he was 8-years-old he told his parents he was going to become a trumpet player. He’s currently a member of Postmodern Jukebox, a performance collective that covers modern pop in an old-timey style that’s earned millions of streams on Spotify.
Still, he credits his father, Benny Benack Jr., for his first professional experience. Benny Jr., now 65, said his father never pushed him to study music.
“He advised me not to go to school for music,” he said. “I got a business degree from Duquesne — he said get a day job.”
He now works as a senior vice president at Dollar Bank and continues to perform around Pittsburgh on the side.
Benny III will also perform in Foxburg at Lincoln Hall on Saturday for the Allegheny RiverStone Center for the Arts in Clarion County (allevents.in). He never knew his grandfather, but older jazz fans in Pittsburgh have remarked that he has an uncanny resemblance in mannerisms and posture to the original Benny when he performs. One of the best surviving clips is of Benny Sr. performing on “Mister Rogers Neighborhood,” a clip still available on YouTube.
Jeremy Reynolds: jreynolds@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1634; Twitter: @Reynolds_PG. Mr. Reynolds’ work at the PostGazette is supported in part by a grant from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Getty Foundation and Rubin Institute.