CAL BENNETT
ARTIST•SAX•KEYS
COMPOSER• ACTOR •ARRANGER•PRODUCER

If you’ve ever been at a Laker game and heard the name Cal Bennett, it’s because since 2003 he has been a regular performing the National Anthem before 18,000 adoring Laker fans.  Cal began his professional career in 1971 when he was the featured soloist on Isaac Hayes’ "No Name Bar" from the Academy Award- winning Shaft LP.  Since then, Cal has also performed and/or recorded with Stevie Wonder, Toni Braxton, Angie Stone, Bobby Lyle, Carl Anderson, Ice Cube, New Birth, Rob Mullins, The Agape International Choir, Ben Vereen, , Siedah Garrett, Niki Harris, Tito Jackson, Jay King from Club Nouveau, Jack Ashford and the Funk Bros. and George Clinton, just to name a few. And if lately, you’ve been in the southeast region of the country and have seen a commercial for the Georgia State Lottery featuring Cal on tenor sax being surrounded by musicians from a symphony in black tie, it is just a part of being involved in what Cal calls the “Industry Life”.  

In 1996 Cal's debut CD, “A Stolen Moment”, soared to number 11 on the Billboard Jazz Contemporary Chart.   Following that, In 1997 Cal served as musical director for Toni Braxton on her debut on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.  In 2003 Cal performed at the Playboy Jazz Festival opening for the likes of Al Jarreau.  In 2006, Cal again performed on The Tonight Show, this time as the featured soloist for music taken from the movie “Tsotsi” which won an Academy Award in the Best Foreign Film category with South African troubadour Vusi Mahlasela.  

In addition, he was the featured jazz artist in the Starbucks’ print campaign, Hear Music as well commercials for Time Warner, AT&T, H&M Clothes, Johns Hopkins Medicine and Panasonic Japan.  Cal has also written and produced music for two feature films, "Venice Underground" and "The Passion Network", a Showtime original film. Cal was also picked in 2014 play part in the Academy award winning film, "Whiplash" and the director Damien Chazelle called again for the Academy Award winning "La La Land" 2016.  

In 2018 Cal released of his newest project, "Got 2 B-Revolutionary" on Big Earthbeat Music (BEMusic) in association with Bindelari Music -

Influenced by: Miles Davis, Kenny Garrett, The great Maceo Parker, Herbie Hancock, Grover Washington, Jr.   Cal has carved out his own "Niche" with (Nu-Jazz), a fusion between Jazz, Hip Hop, Soul and R&B.  "Might As Well Be" REVOLUTIONARY  

PIPS Restaurant and Wine Bar - Los Angeles

Hal's Bar & Grill - Playa Vista, CA

Playboy Jazz Festival (2003, 2006)

The Tonight Show w-Jay Leno

(2006) Flute - "Silang mabele" Tsotsi

(1997) Sax, Music Director for Tony Braxton