Ben Wendel with Gerald Clayton and Friends at Jazz Gallery!

Best known as a member of the knockabout jazz-rock band Kneebody, the saxophonist and bassoonist Ben Wendel has an airier side, as he proves on “Simple Song” (Sunnyside), his often contemplative debut. Here he leads a group with Gilad Hekselman on guitar, Gerald Clayton on piano, Joe Sanders on bass and Nate Wood on drums.
In addition to playing saxophone, Ben also doubles on the bassoon and piano.

 A frequent writer of film music, he co-wrote the score for John Krasinski’s 2009 adaptation of David Foster Wallace’s “Brief Interviews With Hideous Men.” Ben also won an ASCAP Jazz Composer Award and recently received the Chamber Music America “New Works Grant.” In the summer of 2007, Ben was honored to work with conductor Kent Nagano in producing a series of concerts for the Festpeil Plus in Munich, Germany. One of the performances (a collaboration between Theo Bleckmann and Kneebody featuring the songs of Charles Ives) was recently signed to Winter & Winter. Ben currently produces a new performing arts series at The Edye in Santa Monica, California.

Be sure to drop by the Jazz Gallery tonight. You’re in for a treat!