Song:Linus and Lucy
Album:Masterpieces: Best of the GRP Years
Pianist David Benoit has been a Smooth Jazz staple since the 80s. He is probably best known for taking over the scoring of the Peanuts cartoons after the death of Charles Schultz. Benoit's cover of Linus and Lucy is one of his most popular recordings. He was born Aug. 18, 1953 in Bakersfield, CA. He learned to play piano as a child and he studied theory and composition at El Camino College and UCLA. His big jazz influence is Bill Evans. Benoit began his career in 1976 as an accompanist first for Lainie Kazan and then for Connie Stevens and Ann-Margret. He was also a sideman for Alphonse Mouzon among others. Benoit released several albums on AVI Records, a label known mostly for disco but they recorded jazz as well. He signed with GRP Records in 1987. But before that, he released a couple of albums on what seems to be his own label. It appears that GRP picked them up after he signed. Benoit first recorded Linus and Lucy on the 1985 album This Side Up. It has turned out to be one of his most popular recordings. This original version features special guest Ernie Watts on soprano sax. Other musicians are Grant Geissman on guitar, Jerold Weber, Michael Lang and Randy Kerber on keyboards, Bob Feldman on bass, Tony Morales on drums, Del Blake on percussion and The L.A. Modern String Orchestra conducted by William Henderson. You can get Linus and Lucy on this comp CD. Since then, Benoit has been a regular at the top of the jazz charts. And he has been an arranger and conductor for all kinds of artists especially The Rippingtons. After Charles Schultz' 2000 death, Benoit was chosen to take over the music for any future Peanuts cartoons. After Universal closed GRP and folded it into Verve, Benoit recorded for Concord's Peak label. His latest CD So Nice was released in 2017 on Shanachie. Here's David Benoit performing Linus and Lucy with an orchestra and a sax player who is not identified. There is no date on the video either. The video was used to promote an upcoming 2008 concert.
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