Marco Benevento officially released his brand new studio record, Glera, on July 24. This follows the release of his 2024 live album, Barn Burner: Live at Levon’s, recorded at the famous Levon Helm’s Studio in his hometown of Woodstock.
Glera is his first solo studio release since Benevento (2022), and was produced by Big Crown Records. This was his first release via the new label.
Benevento is most notably known for making up ⅕ of the touring giant JRAD; one of, if not the best, Grateful Dead tribute bands doing it today. He has worked alongside legendary artists from Freddie Gibbs, to Madlib, to Leon Bridges, and has played some of the biggest festivals in the states and beyond, including Bonnaroo and Coachella. When he’s not endlessly touring on the road, he curates and hosts Follow The Arrow; a music festival in the Hudson Valley / Catskill region celebrating 5 years this past June.
Big Crown Records calls Glera a “genre-bending jazz record that folds in soul and reggae’s elastic low end with an open-door sense of possibility.” The eclecticism of this release showcases Benevento’s strong songwriting capabilities, regardless of whichever way the music bends. When referring to the wide array of genres he pulls from on Glera, whether it be jazz, rock, indie or even funk, Benevento prefers to call them “raw materials”.
“Benevento was already thinking like a producer – listening for texture, tension, and negative space, and for the strange emotional alchemy that occurs when groove and curiosity collide. His new album Glera sharpens that instinct into focus, presenting Benevento not only as a virtuosic keyboardist and bandleader, but as a composer building worlds from rhythm, tone, and feeling.” He transports you into the universe of old Italian cinema with songs like “Zio Tony”.
It was these Italian film scores that initially inspired Marco to begin writing Glera. “Zio Tony” features Molly Lewis, and he continues with this trend of collaboration across the entirety of the record. Italian vocalist Marianne Mirage is featured on the second track, “Turnandot.” This mysterious and dream-like song makes you feel as though you’re floating down-stream. Benevento and Mirage’s use of spoken-word adds to the cinematic feel and quality that the album already exudes. Tracks like “Big Top”, that bring a full horn section and non-stop groove to the forefront, continue to have that undeniable Italian influence. He coins it “circus funk”.
“Sprezzatura’s” laid back, yet chaotic nature makes it the perfect soundtrack for any television crime show. Benevento’s jazz chops shine on this one. “Houdini” has an almost Snarky Puppy-like quality. Benevento has a knack for writing extremely memorable melodies. Simply put, these tunes just make you feel good and make you want to hum along. “Frizzante” the albums opening track, is a defining example of this. Right off the bat, you know you’re in for a real treat with this release.
Big Crown Records says that “Marco Benevento is operating at the highest level, shaping sound with purpose and curiosity. This album announces itself loudly—both outward-facing and deeply intimate. It’s music that moves—across genres, tempos, and registers—while remaining anchored to the joy of discovery. It’s a record that embodies motion, carrying the past forward without ever standing still.” Benevento’s creativity, authenticity and virtuosity remains unmatched and unquestionable on his latest release.
Glera is currently available on all streaming platforms here. You can support Marco Benevento directly by purchasing the album on Bandcamp here or by going to marcobenevento.com
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