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resenting the bourbon soaked brain-child of multi-instrumentalist Kris Bauman and guitarist Luca Benedetti; The Dang-it Bobbys. Formed in 2004, the two Brooklyn based musicians distill classic Country and Bluegrass music, ferment it with modern indie sounds and age it with the intricate harmonies from the Golden Era of Jazz. The result is strikingly original, at once both playful and poignant. Bauman and Benedetti have created a blend of American music that is sometimes quick picking, sometimes blue, and always entertaining.
Featuring musicians from the New York City bluegrass, jazz, rock, and country music scene, The Dang-it Bobbys are a true melting pot of American music, showcasing the talents of jazz/classical violinist Alan Grubner (Henry Threadgill, Howard Levy), bluegrass mandolinist Dan Marcus (Norah Jones), jazz bassist Chris Higgins (Pat Metheny), and the 2001 Rockygrass Dobro champion, Todd Livingston (Earl Scruggs).
The Dang-it Bobbys garner influence from all facets of American music, from bluegrass and country to jazz and blues. It is this collection of styles, coupled with the artistry of the adroit musicians that give The Dang-it Bobbys a true Americana sound.
About Kris…
Kris Bauman is a multi-instrumentalist who has been performing professionally since he was sixteen. He studied jazz performance and composition at The New School’s jazz and contemporary music program, where he learned from such masters as Reggie Workman and George Garzone. Kris has performed extensively in and around New York City since his arrival there in 1996, and has toured Europe several times. He was awarded a full scholarship to the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Academy in 2002. His performances can be heard on many albums, and he was featured with bassist Alexis Cuadrado on NPR’s Studio 360. Bauman has also worked in collaboration with multi-media artists and choreographers, and in 2008, he won a New York Dance and Performance Award for his compositions in the piece “Vanishing Point”. Bauman works in a variety of musical genres including Country/Bluegrass with his group “The Dang-it Bobbys”; Jazz as a leader and sideman, including performances or collaborations with vocalist Bobby Short, saxophonists Seamus Blake and Loren Schoenberg, composer/arranger Jason Lindner, and guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel; Rock/Pop with engineer Mike Barnard (Christina Aguilera, The Strokes) and Ilhan Ersahin (Nublu records); R&B/Soul with recording artist Bilal (Interscope).
About Luca…
Guitarist Luca Benedetti hails from Rome, Italy and moved to the U.S. upon completing high school. In 1991 he attended the Jazz Composition program at Boston’s Berklee College of Music and moved to New York City in 1996 where he completed a M.A. in Jazz Studies from The City College of New York under the guidance of legendary Jazz bassist, Ron Carter. Luca would later be asked to perform professionally with Mr. Carter on several occasions, including ASCAP’s Hall of Fame honoring Milt Hinton and Artie Shaw. A multifaceted guitarist, Luca performs regularly in NY with a variety of bands and in many genres. He has toured the U.S., Europe and Japan with acclaimed Soul/R&B artists, Cooly’s Hot Box and Angela Johnson, the Jazz/Funk outfit, ULU, and established Cuban Surf Rock Band, The Cuban Cowboys. Luca has also performed on nationally aired TV commercials, Off-Broadway musicals and scored the music to KPI TV’s feature film, “Lucha Libre: Life Behind The Mask”. Currently, Luca is busy pickin’ and grinnin’ with alt-bluegrass/folk band, The Dang-it Bobbys.
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