The Jazz Organ Scene

New Caledonia

May 2006 click here to read his story!

Michel Bénébig Michel Bénébig was born 27th June 1964 in Nouméa, New Caledonia. Michel discovered the Hammond organ through hours of listening to his parent's old vinyl recordings. At 7 years of age, Michel was surprised and excited by seeing Rhoda Scott on the television. At 11 years old, he played bass guitar, accordion, electronic organ and the synthesizer in various orchestras and bands all over New Caledonia.   Michel joined the Territorial School of Music of Nouméa, and followed traditional courses of piano. In 1990, Michel headed to Besançon, France, to complete a 2-years degree at the local Academy of Music. It was here that an enthusiastic friend first introduced Michel to the real thing: the Hammond organ, an L-100 model. Michel knew there and then that Hammond was the instrument for him!   Upon returning to New Caledonia, Michel ordered a Hammond XB5 model, just to get started. Michel became a music teacher at the Territorial School of Music, the same school he attended as a student, at the same time launching an intensive study of Hammond organists such as Jimmy Smith, Jack Mc Duff, Jimmy Mc Griff, Shirley Scott, Rhoda Scott, Wild Bill Davis, Richard "Groove" Holmes, Joey Defrancesco, Lonnie Smith, Charles Earland, and so many others.   In February of 1995, fate took a lucky turn, Michel came in contact with "Keyboard Exchange International", an American company located in Florida that is dedicated to the restoration and exportation of vintage Hammond Organs. Michel spent a month here carrying out a specialised technical training course. He also began recording an instructional video which was sold with organs in order to give young and budding organist a kick start into the world of Hammond.   Whilst on the trip to Atlanta in Georgia, Michel had the extreme pleasure of meeting the great Jimmy Mc Griff. Michel was helping Joe Vaughn, the owner of the B3 being used for Jimmy Mc Griff's tour in the small town of Rome. When Jimmy himself asked Michel to play - the whole time Michel was playing a tune from Jimmy Smith, Jimmy Mc Griff remained next to him, tapping along, providing strong encouragement and praising Michel's footwork: "Not bad for the 2 years old Hammond player!" Another pleasurable moment was the meeting with the master, Jimmy Smith, in Oakland, California at "Yoshi's" famous Jazz-Club, in 1996. The makings of wonderful memories are also meeting organists such as Larry Goldings, Duck Jethro, Ronnie Foster, Rhoda Scott, and many more.

contact:	hammondbenebig@lagoon.nc
	www.facebook.com/benebigmichel
Soundcloud:	www.soundcloud.com/michelbenebig
	Click on the logo to see Michel's tour dates.

Michel Bénébig Quartet no label recorded November 2001 live at Poteaux in Nouméa/New Caledonia	Michel Bénébig, organ Rodger Fox, trombone Cameron Allen, sax Stéphane Renier, drums
Live At The Rhumerie no label recorded August 2003 in Nouméa/New Caledonia	Michel Bénébig, organ Nicolas Durel, guitar Jacky Salmon, drums
Live In Melbourne Sound Vault Records SV0600 recorded live 11 February 2007 in Melbourne/Australia	Michel Bénébig, Hammond New B-3 organ Vaughn Roberts, trumpet Adam Simmons, alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax Mike Jordan, drums
Sunlight Special no label recorded 2009 in Nouméa/New Caledonia	Michel Bénébig, Hammond New B-3 organ Shem Bénébig, vocals Dixon Nacey, guitar Andrew Dickeson, drums
Black Cap no label recorded January 2012 in Pasadena, CA/USA	Michel Bénébig, Hammond New B-3 organ Doug Webb, sax Frank Potenza, guitar Paul Kreibich, drums
Yellow Purple no label recorded 2013 in Hayward, CA/USA	Michel Bénébig, Hammond New B-3 organ Shem Bénébig, vocals James Levi, drums, percussion Carl Lockett, guitar
Nouméa To New York no label recorded April 2015 in USA	Michel Bénébig, Hammond New B-3 organ Carl Lockett, guitar Lewis Nash, drums Houston Person, tenor sax
Kuic no label recorded October 2016 in Auckland/New Zealand	Fabienne ‘Shem’ Bénébig, vocals Michel Bénébig, Hammond B-3 organ Carl Lockett, guitar Roger Manins, sax Ron Samson, drums
Blue Note In My Suitcase no label recorded September 2023 in Melbourne/Australia	Michel Bénébig, Hammond B-3 organ Le Grand B3 Big Band c/ by Lachlan Davidson

	"Everyday I Have The Blues", extract from the DVD "Concert 10 December 2005" 09:03 - 8,490kB
	"Mr. Jim", live at P.B.S. Radio 106.7FM, Melbourne/Australia, 2007 06:49 - 6,406kB
	n/a

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