2020

Freddie Hubbard - Blues for Duane

Avishai Cohen Trio - To The Bird

Here is an exciting live version of Blue, Yellow, White (BYW on the set lists;)  The original  is found on our studio album, Low Electrical Worker.  This version is from a tour of Italy in 2007 and it heavily features the Kneebody cueing system.  Most noticeable changes in the music are initiated by a musical message from one of the players.

Blue Yellow White

Marvikom - this is what one would be forced to call a medley.   A song from the trumpet player Shane called Marvin and Clyde is given an ending taken from Fender Rhodesologist Adam Benjamin's piece, Oblarvikom. Ben Wendel takes an amazing solo in the middle.  Listen for the disappearance of the bass drum around 2:15.  Our drummer Nate Wood used to regularly shred bass drum pedals on the road.  It's crazy how he can still play this strong and hard while his gear is disintegrating!!
   - Shane Endsley

Marvikom

"Portrait " by Charles Mingus - Arr. by H.White Jr - Bobby Blackmon Vocals - from the Horns of the Golden Ram produced by Nick Brunner for "Blue Dog Jam" Capitol Public Radio Earth Day 2014

"Portrait" By Charles Mingus

Listen in and find out why I hesitated to release this conversation (until now) as well as a whole buffet of topics from musical influences, saxophone practice routines, how Kneebody came to be, and Ben's words of wisdom to college-bound, would-be professional jazz musicians. And don't miss the hilarious A/B test I put Ben through at the end.

Track played before our conversation begins is Leaving from Ben's 2012 release Frame.

Hope you enjoy!

PS, I'd love to know what you think. Did you dig this? I have more conversations recorded. Should I release them? Leave a comment below and let me know.
http://bobreynoldsmusic.com/ben-wendel

Here's a rough outline of what we covered:
- Kneebody origins, Eastman School of Music and how Kneebody functions as a band (hint: no charts)
- Ben's origins as a classical saxophonist and bassoonist (19:00)
- Meeting (and learning from) legendary drummer Billy Higgins (22:00)
- Why LA…and later, NYC (24:40)
- The dreaded "who are your favorite sax players" question (25:50)
- Ben's answer to the question "If I wasn't playing the saxophone, I'd be …" (36:38)
- Composing process (hint: minimal materials, maximum results) (37:05)
- Ben's ideal musical setting (40:10)
- Practicing philosophy/methodology (41:30) **Note: I'm not sure what happened here, but I seem to be missing a piece of Ben's answer…it's mostly me rambling…until this next part, which is awesome:
- A or B? — 7 lightning-round questions for Ben (43:00)
- Ben's advice to young musicians aspiring to make a career in jazz. (44:10)

Conversation with Ben Wendel (Saxophonist, Composer, Kneebody-er)

Lisa Ekdahl - My heart belongs to daddy

‘Kneedelus’ Out Now -
Brainfeeder: http://found.ee/kneedelus
iTunes: http://found.ee/kneedelus-it
Spotify: http://found.ee/kneedelus-sp

Taken from ‘Kneedelus’, released 27th November 2015 on Brainfeeder.

Following game-changing releases from Thundercat and Kamasi Washington in 2015, Brainfeeder once again dips into LA's crucible of jazz and deep electronics to shine the spotlight on instrumental quintet Kneebody’s collaboration with electronic veteran and serial innovator Daedelus. A multi-headed beast straddling rock, jazz, and electronic music, the ten-song set titled Kneedelus explores the theory of technological singularity - the notion that humans and computer technology will increasingly blend together - in spirited and enterprising style. 

Follow ‘Daedelus’ -
Facebook: http://found.ee/daedelus-fb
Twitter: http://found.ee/daedelus-tw

Follow ‘Kneebody’ - 
Facebook: http://found.ee/kneebody-fb
Twitter: http://found.ee/kneebody-tw

http://daedelusmusic.com
http://kneebody.com

http://brainfeeder.net

Out Now

Kneebody & Daedelus - 'Drum Battle'

Kneebody & Daedelus - 'Platforming'

196x Meridiana Records S.R.M. 503
STEREO compatible

Orchestra directed by ROBERTO PREGADIO

MELODIE E RITMI - JAZZ GRANDE ORCHESTRA

Mario Nascimbene - MELODIE E RITMI: JAZZ GRANDE ORCHESTRA

http://www.dominorecordco.com/artists/robert-wyatt/

Robert Wyatt - "What A Wonderful World"

1. Suffering - Lars Danielsson
2. Traveller's Defense - Lars Danielsson

Tarantella

Lars Danielsson and friends (work in progress)

Miles Davis 1970 (track 4)

The insanely talented Kneebody (an ensemble of musicians some term Jazz, but really are far more out there then what the word would now suggest) and whom I've had the pleasure of working with on a few occasions, have performed a kind of cover of my recent "Platforming" (video here http://youtu.be/a1AJZp4twR0 ). We worked together on realizing this recording and the future looks bright for more cross-over, even perhaps an LP?!? Learn more about Kneebody (http://kneebody.com/)

Platforming (Kneebody remix cover collaboration)

Midday Prayers, for clarinet, soprano & 19 players

Giya Kancheli; Jan Garbarek - Midday Prayers

Bob Reynolds is a saxophonist, composer, and educator known for his work with John Mayer and Snarky Puppy. He has worked with Michael Bublé, Usher, Josh Groban, Amos Lee, Richard Bona, Eric Harland, Aaron Goldberg, Bernie Worrell and Leo Nocentelli, among others. He’s composed over 50 songs, released 6 albums, and received 4 ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Awards. 2013's Somewhere In Between hit #1 on iTunes’ Jazz charts. A summa cum laude graduate of Berklee College of Music, Reynolds lives in Los Angeles. His online saxophone lessons were recently profiled in The New York Times.


Conversation with Ben Wendel (Saxophonist, Composer, Kneebody-er)

BobReynolds

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