By Michael Walsh

Experimental jazz pianist Marco Benevento will be playing The Main Pub in Manchester, Conn. on Friday May 7 in support of his latest album, Between the Needles and Nightfall.

Benevento will be aided by his trio, made up of The Slip members Marc Friedman (bass) and Andrew Barr (drums) and Benevento himself.

Benevento is a staple in the New York music scene, making a name for himself with his psychedelic and modern jam-inspired jazz playing and his endless list of musical collaborations. Benevento has played with a number of highly skilled musicians in the jam band and jazz genres, including Tea Leaf Green’s Reed Mathis, Charlie Hunter and memorable tour with the band GRAB, which matched Benevento up with Joe Russo and Phish’s Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon.

The New Jersey-born pianist also worked on the latest album from jazz band Garage a Trois, Power Patriot, with Mike Dillon (Les Claypool’s Frog Brigade), Stanton Moore (Galactic) and Skerik. In addition, Benevento has recorded four solo albums and four albums with Joe Russo as the Benevento/Russo Duo.

Among Benevento’s most outstanding work is his Live at Tonic album, which in rare fashion happened to be his debut solo recording. Live at Tonic was recorded throughout a string of November 2006 shows in New York City and featured many of the aforementioned guests.

Benevento set up shop at Sullivan Hall, a Greenwich Village music space, to run a residency of performances where the promiment modern jazz musician invited all of his musical friends to jam along with him. Benevento had the shows recorded, which led to the creation of his first DVD, Live in NYC: The Sullivan Hall Residency, a series of performances that matches up with Live at Tonic on the visual side.

Drum and bass artist Wyllys from Chicago is set to be Benevento’s opener. The 21+ show starts at 9:30 p.m. with tickets running only $12 a piece.