Jeff Benedict
Jeff Benedict is a Professor of Music Emeritus at the California State University, Los Angeles and a 30-year veteran of the Los Angeles music scene. He holds a B.M. and an M.A. from the Lamont School of Music and a D.M.A. from the University of Texas at Austin, where he was a student of Harvey Pittel. He is in demand as a classical recitalist and clinician and performs regularly with the Los Angeles Saxophone Quartet. He has appeared with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Pacific Symphony, the Aspen Festival Orchestra, and the Tanglewood Fellowship Orchestra.
He is an accomplished jazz performer as well, currently performing in the L.A. area with the Dave Askren/Jeff Benedict Quartet. They have released four CDs, most recently "Denver Sessions" on Tapestry Records. He is also the leader of the Jeff Benedict Big Big Band. DownBeat magazine called their 2019 recording The Weather Is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful “sophisticated, uplifting big band music, executed with precision and passion by some of L.A.’s finest jazz soloists and section players.”
He has performed with many jazz luminaries including Toshiko Akiyoshi, Randy Brecker, Nick Brignola, Eddie Daniels, Carl Fontana, Curtis Fuller, Slide Hampton, Jimmy Heath, Hubert Laws, Wynton Marsalis, Bob Mintzer, Diane Schuur, Lew Soloff, Billy Taylor, Mel Torme and Joe Williams. He is currently an Associate Instructor, teaching Saxophone at Riverside City College. He is an Eastman Winds Artist.