Grammy-nominated saxophonist Ben Wendel’s Motéma Music debut, What We Bring, featuring pianist Gerald Clayton, bassist Joe Sanders and drummer Henry Cole, due out Sept. 9, was created as a way to show appreciation for the artists who have helped shape him throughout his journey, Wendel said in a press release.
JazzTimes is proud to premiere the video for “Song Song,” dedicated to the great Ahmad Jamal, and inspired by his historic, hugely influential take on “Poinciana.” “I was on tour with nothing to do one evening and watching countless performances of ‘Poinciana’ on YouTube. There’s something incredibly meditative about the piece that I’ve always loved: the rhythm section’s commitment to playing one beautiful groove throughout the song, not doing anything more, and most importantly, not needing to. I recall waking up the following morning with the bassline for ‘Song Song’ looping in my head,” Wendel explained in the press release.
Album-release concerts for What We Bring:
Sept. 14: Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, New York
Sept. 15: The Regattabar, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Sept. 16: Firehouse 12, New Haven, Connecticut
Sept. 17: Chris’ Jazz Cafe, Philadelphia
Sept. 19: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Sept. 20: Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan
Sept. 21: Constellation, Chicago
Sept. 22: Dazzle, Denver
Sept. 23-25: SF Jazz Center – Joe Henderson Lab, San Francisco
Sept. 26: Western Oregon University, Monmouth, Oregon
Sept. 27: Cornish Playhouse-Seattle Center, Seattle
Sept. 28: The Old Church, Portland, Oregon
Sept. 29: Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Santa Cruz, California
Sept. 30-Oct. 1: Blue Whale, Los Angeles
Oct. 2: Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix
Oct. 12-13: Duc des Lombards, Paris, France
Oct. 14: Bimhuis, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Oct. 15: Lantaren Venster, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Oct. 16: L’espace des Arts Vivants, Parc Culturel De Rentilly, Bussy Saint Martin, France
