Max Bennett (Tom Scott, Frank Zappa, Joni Mitchell)

Courtesy of Max Bennett Com

Aside from musos and voracious record collectors, his name is unknown – though his contribution to 20th Century popular music is omnipresent. He was the epitome of the term “sideman” and could likely be among the most recorded bassists in history.

 

Max Bennett forged timeless electric and upright grooves on countless film scores helmed by Lalo Schifrin, Nelson Riddle, Quincy Jones; television scores (Mannix); high profile gigs (Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Paul Anka), and seminal sides by Frank Zappa, Joni Mitchell, Paul Williams (Phantom of the Paradise), Babs Streisand (Stony End), Joan Baez (Diamonds & Rust), The Monkees, Hoyt Axton, George Harrison, Ry Cooder, Ray Charles, Tom Scott & The LA Express, and The Partridge Family to cite a very, very select few.

 

An accomplished composer and band leader with a dozen or so albums under his own name, Max’s career spanned the upright, to the trad Fender four string to extended range

 

Max Bennet Sound & Vision…

 

Tom Scott: Good Evening Mr. & Mrs. America https://youtu.be/z5cFmCsCcLc

 

Max with Joni on a killer live version of “Woodstock” https://youtu.be/ad7YyKhBl8c

 

Dig Max on upright with Frank Zappa “Little Umbrellas”  https://youtu.be/z5cFmCsCcLc

 

Max on the Mannix theme song by Lalo Schifrin https://youtu.be/kLTb3_-pdU4

 

Max Bennett & Freeway “When I Think of You” https://youtu.be/1F_K0z5cSpA