DetoxPod 133 : Benny Benack III (Musician)

Benny Benack III is a trumpeter and jazz/standards vocalist originally from Pittsburgh PA and now making his home in Harlem, NYC. He's built up quite a following over the years, and has a new album scheduled to be released this spring. Benny takes us through his childhood, where he almost seemed pre-ordained to be a musician (most of his family works somewhere in music). We talk about jazz's reputation as kind of a stick in the mud genre and what he's doing to keep things relevant to younger folks. We also talk about the brutal schedule most gigging musicians have to endure, and how he handles the constant influx of gigs-flights-gigs. Benny is also very vocal about social issues and goes deep into what it took for him to get comfortable enough with himself that he can discuss issues surrounding race and sexuality. You can follow Benny on socials at bbjazziii.