Michel Bénébig Quartet Live at ATO

Michel Bénébig - Michael Howell - Roger Manins - Ron Samsom

Born in New Caledonia, Michel started out as an eleven-year-old musician playing bass, accordion, keyboards, and electronic organ. While playing in a variety of dance bands, he studied classical piano and music theory at the École Territoriale de Musique de Nouméa (ETM), where he was awarded the first Golden Medal in New Caledonia's history in 1988. From 1990 to 1992, he received classical piano training at the National Conservatory of Music in France, but in June 1992, he taught himself to play the Hammond B3 Organ, a life-changing switch that defined his career.

Michel has toured and recorded extensively and is widely recognised as one of the leading Soul-Jazz organists in the world, and one of the few French jazz organists to be included among the official Hammond Organ Family of Artists.

“Michel’s command of the Hammond B3 is astonishing. If you want a masterclass in cool, watch him in action. He has an intuitive feel for jazz, and every move, every pregnant pause, every gesture becomes part of a deep unfolding story. As the legendary masters of the past leave us, Michel is poised to occupy that hallowed space.” — John Fenton