Bennett Alliance is a Boston-based record label and production company, founded by saxophonist Daniel Bennett. Daniel Bennett lived in Rochester for many years, where he played professionally with artists like Joe Santora, Ted Poor, and Ike Sturm. In 2002, Daniel Bennett moved to Boston to complete his Masters degree at the New England Conservatory. Bennett formed a drummerless trio there with fellow Rochester native John Servo. With Servo on bass, the trio was joined by acoustic guitarist Chris Hersch. The group played a strange clash of jazz, folk, and 20th century minimalism.
Daniel Bennett
In 2003, the Daniel Bennett Group began performing extensively throughout Boston and New York. During this time, Bennett began searching for a way to promote his niche-oriented jazz music. With a strong cult following but little money, Bennett Alliance was formed. The first Bennett Alliance Music Fest was held in Honeoye Falls, New York in the summer of 2003. The festival started off as neigborhood concert, but quickly grew from there.
In 2004, Bennett Alliance returned to Honeoye Falls with better funding and more experience to learn from. The festival moved to the Honeoye Falls Fireman's Field, a well known venue that seats over 300 people. The second annual fest featured Rochester artists like guitarist George Collichio, Courtney Streb, as well as out-of-town acts like Los Angeles-based synth-pop group Joy Electric, Daniel Bennett Group, and Yi Chen Chang.
David Fiuczynski- December 3, 2006
In the summer of 2006, Bennett Alliance teamed up with west coast indie label Velvet Blue Music to put on the third Bennett Alliance Music Fest. The festival returned to Honeoye Falls with a fresh line-up of jazz and rock groups from across the country. Some of the new groups on the bill included Colin Stack & Novelty Act, Map, and Gary Murray.
In the winter of 2006, Bennett Alliance began producing a monthly concert series at the YMCA Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Bennett Alliance Concert Series has featured national music artists like drummer Billy Martin (Medeski, Martin, & Wood), saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi, indie songwriter Denison Witmer, and guitarist David Fiuczynski of the Screaming Headless Torsos.
Billy Martin (Medeski, Martin, & Wood)- Dec. 7, 2007
The momentum in Boston and Rochester was strong enough for Bennett Alliance to expand into a record label. In the winter of 2007, Bennett Alliance successfully released albums for the Kode and Daniel Bennett Group. In the summer of 2007, Bennett Alliance returned to Rochester for the fourth annual Bennett Alliance Music Fest. The festival featured guitarist Charlie Hunter, as well alt country hero Gregory Paul, Daniel Bennett Group, Kerry Hoffman Trio, and the Jazz Mad Lab.
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Daniel Bennett & Charlie Hunter- July 21, 2007
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Bill Frisell (August 16, 2008)
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