Oscar Benton Explained

Oscar Benton
Birth Name:Ferdinand van Eis
Birth Date:3 February 1949
Birth Place:Haarlem, Netherlands
Death Place:IJmuiden, Netherlands
Genre:Blues, pop
Years Active:1960s–1980s[1]
Label:Decca, Philips, DGG Records, Pathé Records

Oscar Benton (born Ferdinand van Eis; 3 February 1949 – 8 November 2020) was a Dutch vocalist. He was also the founder of the Oscar Benton Blues Band in 1967. The band rose to fame in 1968 by being a runner up in the Jazz Festival, Loosdrecht, the Netherlands.

Personal life

Benton was born on 3 February 1949 in Haarlem. He studied mandolin and the violin at the conservatory.[2]

On 8 November 2020, Benton died in IJmuiden at the age of 71.[3]

Career

Oscar Benton Blues Band

In 1968, the Oscar Benton Blues Band released its first album, Feel so good. In 1969, they released the album The Blues Is Gonna Wreck My Life.[4] In 1971, they released Benton ‘71.[5]

Monica and Oscar Benton

He recorded two hit singles with the Dutch singer Monica Verschoor as "Monica and Oscar Benton" in the 1970s.[6]

Blue Eyed Baby Band

In 1974, the band changed members and also the name by becoming Blue Eyed Baby. Oscar himself changed his stage name to Billy Boy Bishop.[7] The "Blue Eyed Baby" released the LP Blue Eyed Baby.

Solo

Oscar released his 1981 homonymous album the Bensonhurst Blues, written by Artie Kaplan and Artie Kornfeld, and produced by the EMI Records. The Bensonhurst Blues, which is considered to be Oscar’s best hit, was part of the soundtrack of the 1999 movie La Bûche.[8]

Earlier it was on the soundtrack of the film Pour la peau d'un flic (1979) which features Alain Delon. The earliest version of that song is that of Artie Kaplan in his 1973 album Confessions Of A Male Chauvinist Pig produced by the Hopi Records. The Italian singer Adriano Celentano, in his 2004 album C’é Sempre un Motivo, included an Italian version, named Vengo del Jazz.[9] The single became a number one hit in France in December 1981, and the album was certified gold.[3] A famous Romanian singer, Margareta Pâslaru, sings it in Romanian under the title Spuneam că nu-mi pasă (Bui bui bui). Another Romanian singer Aurelian Andreescu also recorded a Romanian language version of this song titled Îndrăgostitul. The song became the musical theme of the TV show Crazy Horse in the early 2000s.

In 2011, he released his CD album, "Oscar Benton is Still Alive".

Starting in 2016, guitarist Johnny Laporte and Oscar Benton recorded a new album titled "I Am Back". It was released on CD, Vinyl and as a digital album in 2018.[10]

Discography

Albums

Year Title Label
1981 Bensonhurst Blues Pathé Records
1983 My Kind Of Blues Polydor
1984 If You Go Away Folegandros
1994 Best Part Of My Life SilenZ Records
2018I Am Back

Singles & EPs

[11]

Year Title Label
1972 Everybody Is Telling Me Imperial[12]
1972 All I Ever Need Is You Imperial[13]
1973 Bensonhurst Blues Pathé
1974 [EMI distribution]
1981 Bensonhurst Blues EMI
1982 I Believe In Love Bleu Blanc Rouge, Carrere
1983 Not The Same Dreams Anymore Biram
1983 Not The Same Dreams Anymore Bleu Blanc Rouge
1983 Woolly Boolly Boogie EMI
1984 If You Go Away (Ne Me Quite Pas) Bleu Blanc Rouge
1986 Ooh What A Night! Biram
1996 Ze Is Zoals Jij Columbia

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Oscar Benton. www.allmusic.com. 17 March 2013.
  2. HET ALLERLAATSTE OPTREDEN VAN OSCAR BENTON BINNENKORT OP DVD EN CD. Blues Magazine. 9 November 2020. nl. 2011.
  3. News: Haarlemse blueszanger Oscar Benton (71) overleden. Haarlems Weekblad. 9 November 2020. nl. 9 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201109232110/https://www.haarlemsweekblad.nl/lokaal/mensen/374682/haarlemse-blueszanger-oscar-benton-71-overleden. dead.
  4. Web site: Oscar Benton Blues Band. https://web.archive.org/web/20140317165805/http://www.mtv.com/artists/oscar-benton-blues-band/discography/426240/. dead. March 17, 2014. MTV. 17 March 2013.
  5. Web site: Benton 71. www.allmusic.com. 17 March 2013.
  6. Billboard - May 6, 1972 "Unit Gloria and a new duo, Monica and Oscar Benton. Among the well-established international Bovema groups are the Cats and Brainbox, who have scored many major hits in Holland and ...
  7. Web site: "BENSONHURST BLUES" : LE MYSTÈRE. www.bortch.com. 17 March 2013. French.
  8. Web site: Bûche, La (1999). www.soundtrackcollector.com. 17 March 2013.
  9. Web site: Adriano Celentano. www.whosampled.com. 17 March 2013.
  10. Web site: Oscar Benton maakt comeback. www.bluesmagazine.nl. nl. 2018-07-18.
  11. Web site: Oscar Benton. www.discogs.com. 17 March 2013.
  12. Performed by Monica & Oscar Benton.
  13. Performed by Monica & Oscar Benton.