David Bentley Quartet - Third Stream Revisited

The Third Stream – the largely unexplored musical territory that lies between the realms of jazz and classical music. The genre, forged in the late 50s and 60s by such jazz luminaries as the Modern jazz Quartet, Dave Brubeck and Joe Zawinul, is revisited here by cellist Danielle Bentley and a jazz trio comprising David Bentley (keyboards), Andrew Shaw (bass) and Joe Marchisella (drums). Repertoire includes original compositions along with fresh interpretations of familiar melodies from the jazz repertoire.

David Bentley is best known as a jazz and blues performer. Best known as a pianist-songwriter, he has appeared at major festivals including the East Coast Blues And Roots Festival and the Melbourne International Jazz Festival - as well as accompanying US jazz legends alto saxophonist Phil Woods, vibraharpist Milt Jackson and singer Mark Murphy.  

Rhythms magazine reviewer Al Hensley says of Bentley's latestb CD Last Man Standing:

 “For decades a mainstay of the Brisbane jazz and blues scene, singer-songwriter David Bentley combines elements of both genres into this 51-minute set of ten original compositions – plus a funky reworking of Mose Allison’s Everybody’s Cryin’ Mercy.

A gifted pianist, Bentley achieved overseas chart success in the mid-70s having penned In A Broken Dream for Rod Stewart with whom he recorded the song in 1969 while working in Britain with the band Python Lee Jackson.

Bentley has lost none of his creative edge as this, his first release in a decade, clearly testifies. Playing piano, electric piano and organ, Bentley leaves plenty of room for his first class team of session musicians to performing some scorching solos.

Effectively weaving soulful vocal backing, vibrant horns, reeds and a cello around a skin-tight rhythm section and the guitars of Jim Kelly and Kirk Laronge, he varies the combination according to the melodic patterns of each piece.

From the double-shuffle rhythms of All Through Talking to the fonkified New Orleans beat of Lie To Meand its kindred James Booker/Dr John inspired second liner Chiang Rai Hilton, Bentley’s keyboard prowess is highly impressive. His innovative stylings on Refugee and Only Human display finely honed arranging talents.

Originality is a keystone of his lyrical work. Musing on a diverse range of themes, Bentley’s melancholy, urbanely sophisticated discourse, Irretrievably Blue and gospel-tinged affirmation Soul Rites give way to social commentary in Passport To The Blues where he asks: “Do we really need a sequel to World Wars One and Two?”

Not content to rest on his laurels as an award-winning journalist, Bentley strives for perfection as a musician and, as such, deserves parallel recognition.”