Chris Bennett Interview

Grammy nominated singer and composer Chris Bennett speaks about Giorgio Moroder, Anita O'Day and her latest album, Sail Away - The Tahiti Sessions.

Chris Bennett is a Grammy nominated jazz artist with flawless vocals and classic disco chic that never seems to quit.

Chris Bennett’s Accomplishments Are Countless.

Where do you begin to discuss the brilliant career of a professional like Chris Bennett? She’s an artist with countless achievements, some of which include singing back up vocals on Donna Summer’s mega disco hit “Heaven Knows,” and releasing a number of albums, including a new solo effort, Sail Away – The Tahiti Sessions.

This doesn’t even encompass the time Chris spent with the band Munich Machine and record producer, songwriter and performer Giorgio Moroder.

Suite101 arranged a telephone interview with Chris Bennett as she strolled along the beach in Venice, California.Thank you to It’s Always The Right Time Media Relations for this opportunity.

Chris Bennett Interview - Giorgio Moroder, Munich Machine, and Disco Divas Unite.

Suite101: Early in your career you worked with the celebrated Oscar winner Giorgio Moroder. How did you initially meet him?

Chris Bennett: In the beginning of my career, I started out singing with Jim Nabors in Las Vegas, in a nightclub type of act. Sometime after that I went over to Germany to do some singing, and it was in Munich where I met Giorgio Moroder, in the management office of a record company there. He liked my voice and eventually he had me work on a number of Donna Summer’s songs; “Heaven Knows” was one of them. Giorgio was terrific.

Suite101: Tell us about your work with Giorgio Moroder’s band Music Machine.

C B: In the days when disco was really big, in the seventies, Giorgio Moroder produced the band Munich Machine, which was also a personal project of his. I recorded a dance version of the Procol Harum song Whiter Shade of Pale for the album, Munich Machine Introducing Chris Bennett – A Whiter Shade of Pale. I was also featured on the only duet album Giorgio ever made, Love’s In You, Love’s In Me, which we made as Giorgio and Chris.

Suite101: I read the Munich Machine Introducing Chris Bennett album was initially released in 1978, and it’s now been re-released.

C B: Yes it has, and it’s very exciting.

Suite101: Is it available online?

C B: Yes, and I have the link on my website.

Suite101: I understand you met jazz singer Anita O’Day?

C B: About twenty five years before she died is about the time I first met Anita. One day my manager asked if I would like to meet her. Of course I grew up with jazz, so I immediately said sure. When we met I remember Anita was wearing those false eyelashes that she had, and she didn’t really go out of her way to get overly friendly with me. She was still working out every week with her accompanist at that time.You know that she’s still inspiring.

Suite101: Sail Away – The Tahiti Sessions is your other current release. Perfidia and Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out To Dry are two songs that I admire from the album; is there any special story behind these recordings?

C B: Thank you. Yes, there is a concept behind the music. The album is an intimate story about a woman’s personal journey. The idea for the album came when I was in Tahiti . The last day of my initial trip there, when I was house sitting, I discovered a recording studio that was fantastic. I called Eric Doney, who plays piano on the album. I loved recording in Tahiti because the weather there is moist which is great for my vocal chords.

Suite101: What is the Everybody’s Got a Right – Disco Divas Unite Tour?

C B: I’ve written a new song, Everybody Has a Right, about gay marriage, and I’ve teamed up with Pattie Brooks, a popular disco singing great who used to be on the same record label as me, to debut the song the first week of November, at the Gay Pride Parade in Palm Springs. We’re thinking about a supporting concert tour and a television special.

Suite101: You've worked on many hit songs and worked with so many influential artists. Is there anything you haven’t done yet, but would still like to do?

C B: A couple of things come to mind. I’d like to go to the next level, like Anita O’Day, and I’d like to write a Broadway musical. There was a time when I wanted to be Mary Martin, you know.

Chris Bennett’s flawless vocal delivery lends itself to a sound that’s somewhat of a cross between Hildegard Knef and the West Coast Cool School of Jazz, with a bit of classic disco chic thrown in for good measure. No matter how you look at it though, Bennett has always been and still remains a civic minded beauty with an extremely fine voice and a shining heart of gold.