Soul-jazz bass ? Jazz-fusion bass? Just call it…Gary King!

A giant of the instrument, Gary King is revered among serious players for his groundbreaking tenure as house bassist for Bob James’ Tappan Zee imprint, and numerous releases on the CTI label, among others.

A monster groove player (and soloist), King anchored seminal sides by James, George Benson, Grover Washington Jr., Idris Muhammad, Alphonse Mouzon, Stanley Turrentine, Lenny White, Gato Barbieri, Roberta Flack, Joe Farrell, Maynard Ferguson, Hubert Laws, Mark Colby, Steve Kahn, and Tom Scott to cite a select few.

Gary’s unique gritty tone (which he often coaxed out of a Gibson hollow-body instrument) coupled with his expansive harmonic and rhythmic expertise set the standard for modern day “smooth jazz” players.

How many times Gary has been sampled in the hip-hop / digital Tik-Tok era?

Gary King Sound & Vision…

Bob James – “Touchdown” https://youtu.be/nS_k4E1vN_E

Alphonse Mouzon – “Funky Snakefoot” https://youtu.be/FownCLxUZX8

Tom Scott – “New York Connection” https://youtu.be/cBaqH796W60

Grover Washington Jr. – “Mr. Magic” https://youtu.be/yo9lI_cn2wo

Eric Gale – “De Rabbit” https://youtu.be/E_d3C-Z5J8s

Idris Muhammad – “Power of Soul” https://youtu.be/3GB2w1J8FyY

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