Marco Benevento @ Hollywood Artspark

Marco Benevento’s new work Let It Slide introduces a gritty, soulful edge to his unique brand of high-octane keyboard wizardry—an uptempo, uplifting sound he playfully describes as “hot dance piano rock.” For all Benevento’s virtuosity on the keys though, the songs are driven primarily by intoxicating grooves, with spare drums and minimalist bass lines underpinning infectious, intentionally lo-fi vocal hooks. The resulting vibe is a timeless one, filtering elements of vintage R&B and soul through modern indie rock and pop sensibilities and peppering it with the kind of adventurous improvisation that Benevento’s come to be celebrated for worldwide.

He returns to South Florida for a free show at the Hollywood ArtsPark Amphitheater with his band, which features bass player Karina Rykman.

Dubbed “one of the most talented keys players of our time” by CBS Radio, Benevento has released six critically acclaimed solo albums over the last decade, performed everywhere from Carnegie Hall and Newport Jazz to Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo, and worked in the studio and on the road with a long list of musical innovators from the world of jazz, funk and groove.