Juno Award nominated saxophonist and five-time LEO AWARD nominated film composer Eli Bennett is one of Canada’s most awarded and recognized emerging musicians. Returning for his second year as LEO AWARDS Musical Director, Bennett has performed twice at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles and has shared the stage with Grammy Winners Oscar Peterson and the Neville Brothers, is a two-time recipient of the CBC Galaxie Rising Star Award from the National Jazz Awards, and was awarded the Vancouver Mayor’s Arts Award for music as well as the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal from the Premier of BC.
Bennett’s debut jazz album Breakthrough spent three months on the homepage of iTunes Canada Jazz as one of the top selling albums of 2015, received a nomination for 'Jazz Album of the Year' from the Western Canadian Music Awards, as well as the silver medal for 'Jazz Album of the Year' at the Global Music Awards.
As the composer of over thirty film productions including feature and short films, documentaries and web series, he was recently awarded two SOCAN Foundation Awards.
The LEO AWARDS Band:
Eli Bennett (saxophone), Jay Leonard (guitar),
Jay Esplana (keys), Jason Nickel (bass), Jonny Holisko (drums).