Ben Wendel
Ben Wendel is a Grammy nominated jazz saxophonist, bassoonist, and pianist who is a founding member of the band Kneebody.[1] He has worked with Ignacio Berroa, Tigran Hamasyan, Bill Frisell, Terence Blanchard, Antonio Sanchez, Gerald Clayton, Taylor Eigsti, Linda May Han Oh, Eric Harland, Moonchild, Louis Cole, Daedelus, Snoop Dogg and the artist formerly known as Prince [1]
Ben Wendel
February 20, 1976
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Jazz
Musician
Saxophone, bassoon
Motema, Brainfeeder, Concord, Sunnyside
Career[edit]
Wendel was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and raised in Los Angeles. [2] Highlights include multiple domestic and international tours with artists such as Ignacio Berroa, Tigran Hamasyan, Bill Frisell,Terence Blanchard, Antonio Sanchez, Gerald Clayton, Taylor Eigsti, Linda May Han Oh, Eric Harland, Moonchild, Louis Cole, Daedelus, Snoop Dogg and Prince. Ben is a founding member of the Grammy nominated group Kneebody. [3] As a composer, he has received an ASCAP Jazz Composer Award,[4] the 2008 and 2011 Chamber Music America New Works Grant, [5] and the Victor Lynch-Staunton award by the Canada Council for the Arts. [6] He co-wrote the score for John Krasinski's adaptation of David Foster Wallace's "Brief Interviews With Hideous Men". He worked with conductor Kent Nagano in producing concerts for the Festspiel Plus in Munich, Germany. From 2008 to 2015, he produced a multi-genre performance series at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, California. [7] During that time he was appointed the head of their Jazz and Blues initiative. As part of this appointment, he helped to create an artistic council which included Quincy Jones, Herb Alpert and Luciana Souza. Wendel has taught jazz at USC and the New School in New York City. [8]
Most recently, Wendel has received a 2024 Grammy nomination for his 2023 album entitled "All One."