The Benjy Davis Project
THE BENJY DAVIS PROJECT
Benjy Davis (lead singer, acoustic guitar) writes songs that deal with real life, stirring
feelings with which listeners young and old can instantly relate. The arrangements are
delivered through the combined musicianship of six talented individuals who creatively
come together as one unique voice, The Benjy Davis Project. The group has quickly
gained a national audience and the attention of music business veterans. They were a
surprise hit of the 2003 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, selling out all of their
CDs at the Virgin Records tent immediately following their performance and were the
two-week festival’s top group at Virgin’s autograph table. A Virgin Megastore
representative said he was caught by surprise, not ready for the eruption of something
like Beatlemania. Their CD titled “More Than Local” became one of the top 25 discs
sold in New Orleans the week of their performance.
Their music has a hypnotic, rhythmic quality with meaningful lyrics and memorable
melodies that become quickly ingrained in the listeners’ minds. When you hear a Benjy
Davis Project song for the first time, you recognize it as uniquely theirs yet strangely
familiar as if you have heard it before. After a few repetitions fans are singing along with
the lyrics and moving with the rhythm. It is rare for songs to so immediately be absorbed
and recalled by listeners. The musicians deliver a fresh rock sound that draws from
multiple influences. They are all in their early 20’s and grew up in the same Louisiana
city, Baton Rouge, experiencing similar influences that contribute to the group’s original,
seamless quality. Groups that have endured (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The
Allman Brothers and U2), all have this early regional incubation together in common.
Benjy Davis, Mic Capdevielle (drums, congas, percussion), Michael Galasso (keyboards,
harmonica, vocals), Brett Bolden (bass), Anthony Rushing (violin, vocals) and Jonathan
Lawhun (electric lead guitar) have been together about two years, but come across as a
well seasoned group. Their tour dates have carried them across the United States with
a number of high profile performances that found them sharing festival and club stages
with John Mayer, The North Mississippi Allstars, Buckwheat Zydeco, Sonny Landreth,
The Gin Blossoms, Sister Hazel, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Better Than Ezra, Graham
Colton, and Cowboy Mouth. “We think they are something special and may be ready to
be the next big thing,” said Michael Dempsey, director of Waterfest in Oshkosh,
Wisconsin, where the band opened for the Gin Blossoms.
Writing for the online musicians’ resource, Performermag.com, Monica Arrington
said
