Justin Benzino

Justin Benzino

“Syos was a breath of fresh air for me. I was amazed by how comfortably and easily it played, without sacrificing the tone and dynamic potency of my metal mouthpiece. They’re versatile, affordable, and fun to play - the perfect vessel to let your personality shine through your sound!”

Cameron Gallagher Reading Justin Benzino 2 minutes

Justin Benzino, tenor saxophonist, learned saxophone through school band in his hometown of Buffalo, NY. After making his professional debut performing covers as part of Cleveland's Discovery Band at age nineteen, he moved to Pittsburgh and immersed himself in the city's local original music scene. In addition to his performances and recordings with The Moat Rats, his studio work can be heard on many albums both in and out of Pittsburgh.

As a performer, Justin brings a lively energy to the stage. Never one to stand still, he is known for dancing, jumping, and running through the crowd with his saxophone. His talent for keeping an audience engaged ensures that no performance is quite the same as the last.

Justin maintains an active presence in Pittsburgh music, performing regularly with the Pop/R&B/Soul cover band Charelle Unique & Soul Drip, and as a member of the praise team at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church of Duquesne. He also plays at weddings and events as a solo act with backing tracks, or as a duo with a pianist.

Primarily, Justin performs in the Derek Woods Band, a nationally touring Americana quartet. He joined the band in 2024, fulfilling the duties of fellow Syos artist Joe Scheller. Within that year, he completed two national tours with the band and had the honor of performing at Groundhog Day 2024 in Punxsutawney, PA, and at Yasgur Road Reunion to celebrate the 55th Anniversary of Woodstock.

In addition to these shows and tours, the band released their album The Light on all streaming platforms in 2024, featuring artists such as Jackson Stokes and Fred Mascherino. The music video for their song Thank You For Being Here, which Justin is an actor in, was nominated at the Josie Awards in Nashville, TN this year.

Justin plays on various Syos mouthpieces for his saxophones: a dark blue Yanick Coderre 8 on tenor (occasionally switching to a bright pink custom 9* step baffle with a medium chamber), a black Spark 7 on alto, and a green Scott Paddock 8 on baritone.

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