Album Notes

Currently the bass player with Santana, Benny studied music composition at the University of Hawaii, while playing bass with a number of visiting jazz artists including Richie Cole, Barney Kessel, Howard Roberts, and The Crusaders.

Moving to San Francisco in 1983, Benny played with Ray Obiedo, Andy Narell, Pete Escovedo, and many others. He joined Sheila E. in 1984, appearing with her in the seminal rap film Krush Groove.

He joined the Miles Davis band in 1988, traveling extensively as well as appearing in the Warner Bros. video Miles In Paris, and on albums like Dingo (a soundtrack album with Michel Legrand), and Miles Around The World.

Benny has been recording and touring with Santana since 1990, playing bass as well as writing and producing with them. Appearing on the 1999 blockbuster hit album Supernatural, Benny won 8 Grammy Awards™, including Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, and Song Of The Year, collaborating with Dave Matthews, Rob Thomas (of Matchbox 20), and others. He also appears on the 2002 Collaboration Of The Year, "Game Of Love" with Michelle Branch from the Shaman album.

Other projects have included premiering a contemporary piece for electric bass and chamber ensemble at the L.A. Museum Of Modern Art entitled The Book Of Beginnings IV, written for him by New York composer Joel Thome; producing artists like Edi Xol, Bay Area jazz guitarist Gregory James, and flamenco artists Sol Y Luna and Chuscales, among others; writing multimedia music for ComputerLife, Computer Gaming World, the Sprint web site and others; and recording with such diverse artists as John Lee Hooker, Zucchero, Booker T. Jones and Keola Beamer.

This is his first solo release, and he is working on a second release as well as a bass instructional video.