Benny Poole, Jackson Jazz Legend, Passes Away

Benny Poole poses in front of the Evan Struck mural “Thrive” this past June. JTV photo.

(December 8, 2020 12:32 PM) Benny Poole, Jackson Jazz Legend, passed away Saturday, December 7 at the age of 91. He leaves behind his wife Christiane, a loving family, and a large community of dedicated fans.

Benny Poole, a well-known Jackson jazz musician who performed tirelessly into his 90’s, wrote and recorded dozens of songs, and played at venues throughout the world, had been struggling with health issues the past few months.

Benny was naturally drawn to music as his mother was a piano player and he used to sit and watch her play. He fell in love with the saxophone after being influenced by Wardell Gray, who lived in Jackson for a brief time early in his career. Gray played with the Benny Goodman, Count Basie and Earl Hines orchestras. Many jazz saxophonists copied his style of playing, as did Benny.

With the influence of Wardell Gray, Benny started playing the sax in his late teens and early twenties. Benny, in an interview with the Hillsdale Collegian said, “I didn’t have a home because we were too poor to have a home. So I bought a saxophone book, and I studied the book from the first page through to the very last. Through that I taught myself how to read music, and so when I did get a horn, it was pretty easy for me then. I started a big band. I had up to a 14-piece orchestra, and that was one of my first ones.”

Benny performed and recorded for decades, producing records that enjoyed success on various charts in the United States, Asia, and Europe. Some of his more popular songs include Pearl, Baby Pearl, Espen Home, I Can Dig It, Hi-Heel Sneakers, Sorry ‘Bout That, and That’s Allright.

Benny Poole had opportunities to travel the world and performed with Stevie Wonder, James Brown, BB King and Marvin Gaye.

Bringing top talent to perform in Jackson was a source of pride for Benny. Benny was established enough in his early years to recognize and bring musicians to Jackson to perform with him. Artists such as Gene Harris, Lyman Woodard, Eddie Russ, Alvin Jones, and Abbey Lincoln came to Jackson for shows.

Benny played in several bands over the years and was best known for the past three decades as a solo performer in Jackson and throughout the United States and internationally. In one band, Benny played with Alvin Wilson, who he considered one of the world’s greatest jazz drummers. Benny also played with Gene Harris, Abby Lincoln, Richard “Groove” Holmes, Grant Greene, Claire Fischer and many others.

In 1967, Benny recorded a pair of funky jazz songs (Sorry ‘Bout That and Pearl, Baby Pearl) that broke through on the national charts and have become collector’s items, particularly in England, where Poole’s name is still well-known among fans of the “Northern Soul” movement from the 1960s. Benny’s recordings were popular on the charts of legendary Detroit radio station WJLB in the 1960s.

Over the years, Benny had opportunities to leave Jackson and make a career in the music industry. His roots here and family responsibilities were behind his decision to record and perform part-time while raising his family. “I was given many opportunities to go big time, but turned it all down to take care of my family,” Poole told an interviewer.

In recent years, Benny performed at Bella Notte Ristorante and various Jackson venues, the Jackson County Fair, cruise ships, the Soaring Eagle Casino and clubs in Mexico, Florida and Arizona.

This past summer, Benny Poole was honored as the subject of a large mural by Jackson artist Evan Struck. The mural honors Poole’s jazz history in Jackson and is on the side of Nite Lite, a downtown Jackson restaurant where Benny performed frequently.

Benny has received many honors and recognition, including proclamations by the City of Jackson, the State of Michigan and Jackson College. In 1984, his hometown adopted a song Poole wrote and recorded, “Jackson, We Like It Here”.

News of his most recent honor came last Friday evening from Lee Hampton, Jackson College Vice President of Diversity. Hampton told JTV that Benny Poole was chosen as the recipient of the 2021 Jackson College Martin Luther King, Jr. Medal of Service Award. Hampton delivered the news to Benny’s wife Christiane who was able to inform Benny of the honor before his passing.

Jackson College was in the midst of organizing the annual tribute for next month at the time of Benny’s passing. Hampton says the College was planning a virtual event and is now making plans to honor Benny posthumously.

In a tribute to her husband published a few years ago, Christiane wrote, “In the decades of music performances, Benny’s love of people merged with his love of music. His style, and variety, sets him apart from other performers. His willingness to showcase all the talent he discovered so that they could become everything they could be. In other words, the music you produce is a reflection of the person that produces it.”

The family is currently making final arrangements and will provide details for a personal obituary later this week.