Note: This page is managed by Paul with the help of one of his very cool fans .
Paul Benoit has been playing music in the Seattle area and touring for twenty years. He’s performed and recorded with numerous songwriters including Dan Bern, Reggie Garrett and Laura Love. After studying music and literature at the University of Washington, Paul joined the band Crosseyed, an electric/acoustic roots rock group which released two albums and toured throughout the western U.S. with its popular, high energy shows.
In 1997, Paul co-founded a band called Hanuman, a four-piece, all-acoustic instrumental ensemble. The eclectic nature of this new band, blending jazz, bluegrass, country and rock'n'roll with African beats, prompted Paul to experiment with new musical styles and instruments. He travelled throughout Asia, Europe, Latin America, and India studying instruments such as the sitar and the Indian slide guitar. Hanuman released four albums, sold over 8,000 recordings and toured the U.S., playing at clubs, festivals, and theaters, up to 200 dates a year. In 2001, the band received Best Touring Band and Best Album awards from Sounds of Seattle and was voted best new band by the Seattle Weekly. In 2004, various members reformed as The Hanuman Collective and recorded another CD.
In 2002, Paul recorded an eleven song solo CD whose title, Dopamine, was inspired by the neurotransmitter of the same name. The album is a moody exploration of emotion, from love to loneliness, and draws on the style of Americana traditions such as folk, blues, country and pop. Paul’s songwriting and sound continued to evolve with the lush and complex arrangements of his second CD, Combustible, released in 2005 and named a top-12 DIY CD in Performing Songwriter magazine. The album features veterans of the first CD (Bill Malloy on bass, Dan Weber on drums), and other talented Northwest musicians, including Dan Tyack on pedal steel, Darren Loucas on lap steel and Lewi Longmire on Hammond organ. Paul composed the soundtrack to the film “Diggers,†which won the IFP/Seattle Spotlight award and premiered at the 2007 Seattle Intenational Film Festival. In 2007, Paul released his 3rd solo CD, Lazy Eye, a collection of 10 new songs recorded primarily with acoustic guitar and band. In 2008, Paul released a six-song EP entitled All the Miles. In January 2009, Paul released his 4th solo CD, Bluebird -- check out the title track on his MySpace player and have a listen.
Paul continues to perform with his band and solo throughout the Pacific Northwest. For booking and contact info, click here .
Some CD titles are available at CDBaby and iTunes (launch iTunes, then click on this link.) You can also listen to Paul's music on LAST.FM .
Lyrics are rich with imagery. Rhymes are fresh, lead lines are mellow and the whole package is solidly grooving and easy on the ears...
Top DIY Picks, Performing Songwriter
Combustible, a smattering of folksy acoustic guitar driven tunes flavored with Paul's smoky voice and pensive delivery...an album like this allows one (yes, ME) to tend to your bleeding ears and your broken heart at the same time with whimsical melodies deliberating life's eternal reflection.
Kotori Magazine
The authoritative string-playing of the bluesy Benoit and the bluegrassy Law keep musical interest high, whether they are playing tunes drawn from Appalachia or India".
Paul de Barros, Seattle Times jazz critic
But all that matters is that Hanuman's blend of jazz, blugrass, country and rock'n' roll with African beats sounds damn good. These guys play acoustically with mandolins, guitars, bass, and percussion, and structure their songs around tight improvisations, which alternately swing, groove, and rock.
The Stranger
While being mesmerized by their live performance, one can discern African rhythms, Far-and Middle Eastern exotica, funk, blues, jazz, and progressive-rock riffs. Bottom line: it's truly amazing what the multi talented group incorporates into a sound that is ultimately very original.
Ballard News Tribune
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