London born pianist & vocalist BENET McLEAN has been involved in music since the age of 3! He began on violin, (a quarter-sized model of course!), & whilst training to become potentially a concert violinist, he also soon became interested in other forms of music such as jazz, bebop and a young genre rising under the name of Hip-hop. Soon teaching himself other instruments such as guitar, piano, electric bass, alto saxophone, as well as of course singing & composing, a musical 'melting-pot' began to 'cook'! Benet's second album, released January 2009 "IN THE LAND OF OO-BLA-DEE" does not disappoint. As a follow up to his first, "CLICHES (FOR ANOTHER DAY)", the writing and playing from this powerful and multifaceted performer is very refreshing. About the music McLean says: "It's an embodiment of all of my musical past, from the violin, which I played from a very early age, through to my singing and working in many different kinds of genres and bands. The 'Oo-Bla-Dee' can be an open window or can represent somehow the unknown . . . . or the future."
A list of artists Benet has played, toured & worked with internationally since the early 90's would include: OMAR, YEHUDI MENUHIN, DENNIS ROLLINS, SIR SIMON RATTLE, DAVE O'HIGGINS, TY, STEVE WILLIAMSON, CARLEEN ANDERSON, JEAN TOUSSAINT, TOMMY SMITH, CLEVELAND WATKISS, YELLOW STATION BLUE, PHILLIP BENT, ORPHY ROBINSON, KEVIN HAYNES' Groupo Elegua, ROACHFORD, MAXI JAZZ (Faithless), LOOSE TUBES, DON LUSHER, and many more
"Fast-rising young pianist BENET McLEAN has a piano technique that seems to bring Art Tatum's music into the 21st century, drawing on classical music, postbop, hip-hop & beyond."- 'THE GUARDIAN'.
"Cliches (For Another Day) is a CD that crackles with energy, talent and originality." - HUMPHREY LYTTLELTON, BBC Radio 2
"He has gone from strength to strength . . . . McLean's mixture of swing, hip-hop, jazz and classical music never fails to enthuse and excite!" - THE EVENING STANDARD
McLean himself is a class act: apparently capable of playing anything he can conceive in what is an extremely fertile musical imagination, he shone in all his solo passages, " - THE VORTEX JAZZ REVIEW
"UK Jazz fans can no longer ignore the sounds of rap now that accomplished musicians like Benet McLean are incorporating it so skillfully into their albums. Check this album out!" - JACK MASSARIK, BBC Radio 3 'Jazz Line-up'
"Muscular Contemporary Jazz. A fine quartet." - TIME OUTMagazine "McLean's playing is very special." - JAZZWISE Magazine
