Downtown faves The Benevento-Russo Duo used to play gigs in NYC all the time, but these days you’re much more likely to see one of Joe or Marco’s side project than a Duo show. Well New Yorkers, you’ll have a chance to catch a special acoustic Benevento-Russo Duo show on August 17 at the Highline Ballroom as part of the first-ever Highline Piano Series.
[Photo by Sarina Caterina Di Mento]
As part of our timeless Everybody Wins When I Plug Something And In Return They Offer Me Free Shit To Give Away we’re offering up five pairs of tickets to the show on the 17th. All you have to do is leave a comment below telling us about your favorite Duo song in fifty words or less to enter. Please don’t enter more than once and be sure to leave your comment by 11:59 PM on Tuesday night as we’ll be selecting at random and notifying the winners on Wednesday. Here’s a clip to get you pumped…
The Benevento-Russo Duo – Sunny’s Song
Best of luck to everyone and don’t miss this show!
21 Responses
My favorite duo song would have to be My Pet Goat. Not only for the fact that it is one of the most rarely played Duo songs, but because it describes everything I love about this band. It showcases Joes furious drumming skills, along with the mad scientist play of Marco on keys.
Sure it’s an easy choice…can’t think of many songs period that are as chameleon in style as BECKY. The song is never played the same way twice – EVER!! Themes to the intro vary almost nightly while the proper portions are played with an intensity unmatched in rock n roll.
Always loved “Soba” the best. It captures a perfect mix of Marco’s various tones, mixing in a clean melody line with his patented heavy distorted keys and includes a great chord progression that builds over the course the tune.
Of course, it’s the finale of the tune that always gets me: that high-energy, bliss-inducing breakdown, where Joe drops the e-drums and Marco folds all the melody lines and chords into one another, creating a perfect mess of distorted beauty.
Soba’d, wp
becky. under 50 words? here’s one word: DUH! 🙂
Becky rules. I never speak more than 50 words. its dangerous.
I don’t know the name of my favorite duo song, their songs all kind of blend into one sort of experience, it involves getting into a groove because i was playing close attention to the players going bananas. it was always cool to hear them in grab do billyjean teases. wait, the mike and the italians tour sussikind hotel song.
I have to say Darts was an incredible album. Ive seen the duo numerous times and they always surprise the crowd. the improvisations and the way they flow through songs with such dynamics is magnificant. Plus they are incredibly nice guys. duo fan, Bryan
Powder! for a couple reasons.
1- Whenever I hear that song, I feel like I’m about to start some sort of epic journey; it is pure drama, right to the end! And 2-I loved when Joe swings the guitar around his back, grabs his sticks in one fell swoop and is still so feverishly awesome. Yeah, duo!
It wasn’t until I encountered a track mis-labeled as “Love Song” (really Sunny’s Song) from Ft Lauderdale 12-30-05 that I fell full force for the band. It starts with Marco disciplining a few chatters in the front row and embarks on a 4:09 journey of circuit-bent keys and drums bliss.
I like “Something for Rockets.” But on a side note I would like to point out a sudden realization; John Scofield looks exactly like the father from Into the Wild, you know William Hurt. It is eerie. By the way Selena Alert.
Anything played live – The first time I saw the Duo was at BB King’s w/ Mike Gordon…amazing!
Love that you guys posted a clip of my favorite jam, “Sunny Song.” Saw this live a couple of times, but fell in love with it at Jam on the River 4 or 5 years ago. The Duo went on after Soulive and as the sun was starting to set they went into Sunny’s Song and it was just perfect…almost majestic.
The extra jazzy version of Mephisto on Raw Horse. A new twist on an old favorite.
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Becky
i gotta go with memphisto. slow, fast, all over the place great. it defines the duo for me.
9×9. chills.
Mephisto is my fav. I have been a Marco fan since the days of the Jazz Farmers! Watching him go from playing college parties and bars in the Poconos to playing with the Duo in NYC and Philly, then too huge outdoor sheds with Phil, Trey and Mike was a super cool experience for me. I remember watching him and “thinking this dude is going to make it big, he is pure talent and he is driven” It was really enjoyable to think it then watch him do it!
Big Whopper-frenetic, dirty jazz, and the interplay between the guys gives you whiplash when you’re trying to keep up! Surprising that no one called out “Dragonfly” as a favorite…. :>)
Im going to go with Becky, for 2 guys playing, there is so much music going on. Would love to see them acoustic.
Sunny’s Song…such a deep song, filled with so much emotion. dare i say…’epic’. the guys absolutely love playing it also. its very keys driven, but folks might not know that Joe Russo actually wrote the song.
Mephisto is my fav. I have been a Marco fan since his days with Jazz Farmers! Watching Marco go from playing parties and bars in the Poconos to playing with the Duo in NYC and Philly, then too huge sheds with Trey and Mike was an experience for me!