Frame (Ben Wendel album)

Last updated
Frame
Ben Wendel Frame Album Cover.jpg
Studio album by
Sunnyside
ReleasedFebruary 28, 2012
RecordedJanuary 19th & 20th, 2011
Genre Contemporary Jazz
Label Sunnyside Records
Sunnyside chronology
Simple Song
(2009)
Frame
(2012)

Frame is an album by saxophonist and composer Ben Wendel on Sunnyside, released on February 28, 2012. The album features a mix of contemporary styles, with configurations ranging from a duo to a full sextet. Frame was recorded on January 19 and 20, 2011, in Brooklyn, NY. [1]

Contents

Frame features multireedist Ben Wendel, primarily on tenor saxophone, and keyboards played by Gerald Clayton, Tigran Hamasyan (piano), Adam Benjamin, guitarist Nir Felder, bassist Ben Street, and drummer Nate Wood. [2]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ben Wendel

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Chorale" 05:38
2."Clayland" 07:25
3."Con Alma"John Birks Gillespie07:06
4."Backbou" 05:05
5."Jean and Renata" 05:56
6."Blocks" 08:09
7."Frame" 08:20
8."Leaving" 08:08
9."Julia" 05:29

Reception

Frame received positive reviews upon its release, with critics praising the musicians' virtuosity and the album's diverse yet cohesive nature. Michael J. West, in his review dated April 14, 2012, commended the album's masterful centerpiece, "Jean and Renata," as well as Wendel's saxophone skills and the band's tight chemistry. [3]

Personnel

Production

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gerald Clayton</span> Jazz pianist and composer

Gerald William Clayton is a Dutch-born American jazz pianist, composer and bandleader.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shai Maestro</span> Israeli jazz pianist

Shai Maestro is an Israeli jazz pianist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nate Wood</span> American drummer

Nate Wood is an American jazz multi-instrumentalist. He has performed with Wayne Krantz, Kneebody, Tigran Hamasyan, Louis Cole, The Calling, and Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tigran Hamasyan</span> Armenian jazz pianist

Tigran Hamasyan is an Armenian jazz pianist and composer. He plays mostly original compositions, which are strongly influenced by the Armenian folk tradition, often using its scales and modalities. In addition to this folk influence, Hamasyan is influenced by American jazz traditions and to some extent, as on his album Red Hail, by progressive rock. His solo album A Fable is most strongly influenced by Armenian folk music. Even on his most overt jazz compositions and renditions of well-known jazz pieces, his improvisations often contain embellishments based on scales from Middle Eastern/Southwest Asian traditions.

Kneebody is an American band formed in 2001, consisting of Adam Benjamin on keyboards, Shane Endsley on trumpet, Ben Wendel on tenor saxophone, and Nate Wood on bass guitar and drums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Wendel</span> Musical artist

Ben Wendel is a Grammy nominated jazz saxophonist, bassoonist, and pianist who is a founding member of the band Kneebody. 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

<i>Jazz-Iz-Christ</i> 2013 studio album by Jazz-iz Christ

Jazz-Iz-Christ is the debut studio album by Jazz-iz Christ, a group fronted by Armenian-American singer Serj Tankian. The album was released on July 23, 2013, by Serjical Strike Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Landrus</span> American jazz musician

Brian Landrus is a jazz saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, and educator.

<i>Atmosphères</i> (album) 2016 studio album by Tigran Hamasyan

Atmosphères is a double album by jazz pianist Tigran Hamasyan recorded over three days in May 2014 and released on ECM in September 2016. The quartet features trumpeter Arve Henriksen, guitarist Eivind Aarset and producer Jan Bang.

<i>Mockroot</i> 2015 studio album by Tigran Hamasyan

Mockroot is the sixth album by Tigran Hamasyan, released 17 February 2015. The album mixes traditional Armenian folk music with jazz, in the jazz fusion style. It features Tigran on synths, keyboard and vocals; Sam Minaie on bass guitar; and Arthur Hnatek on drums and electronics. It was the first album he released on Nonesuch Records. The album was planned to be released 26 January 2015, but was delayed and released 17 February 2015.

<i>Shadow Theater</i> 2013 studio album by Tigran Hamasyan

Shadow Theater is the fifth album by Tigran Hamasyan published in 2013. The album contains 12 tracks and is a mix of several different styles, including jazz, jazz fusion, pop and Armenian folk. The album consists of tracks which he had composed many years ago, but not released. He then adapted and changed these tracks over around six years, until the album's release in 2013. This was Tigran's second release on Verve and was released in the US on Sunnyside the following year.

<i>An Ancient Observer</i> 2017 studio album by Tigran Hamasyan

An Ancient Observer is the 8th album by Tigran Hamasyan released 31 March 2017. Two of the tracks on the album are developments of traditional Armenian melodies and all tracks have influences from Armenian folk music. Tigran also draws inspiration from Jazz and Rock music, as well as the natural landscape of Mount Ararat. This was Tigran's second album on Nonesuch Records. The album is mostly solo piano, however, there is sparing use of electronics and vocals. Tigran considers his next release, the EP For Gyumri, to be a companion work to this album.

<i>The Call Within</i> 2020 studio album by Tigran Hamasyan

The Call Within is the ninth album and fourth release on Nonesuch Records by Tigran Hamasyan, released 28 August 2020.

<i>Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue</i> 2013 studio album by Terri Lyne Carrington

Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue is an album by Terri Lyne Carrington. It was released by Concord Jazz. It won the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album.

<i>StandArt</i> 2022 studio album by Tigran Hamasyan

StandArt is the tenth studio album by Tigran Hamasyan. It was released by Nonesuch Records on 29 April 2022. It is Hamasyan's first covers album, and features eight jazz standards and one original composition.

<i>Simple Song</i> (Ben Wendel album) 2009 studio album by Ben Wendel

Simple Song is a contemporary jazz album by saxophonist Ben Wendel, released on March 24, 2009. The album features a collection of neo-bop jazz compositions.

<i>What We Bring</i> 2016 studio album by Ben Wendel

What We Bring is the third album by saxophonist and composer Ben Wendel. Released on Motéma Music on September 9, 2016, it marks his debut with the label.

<i>The Seasons</i> (album) 2018 studio album by Ben Wendel

The Seasons is a studio album by saxophonist Ben Wendel, often recognized for his role as the co-leader of Kneebody. The album, released on October 12, 2018, is a project based on the YouTube video series "The Seasons" which Wendel modeled after Tchaikovsky’s "The Seasons". Each track on the album was written for a specific month and a different artist who has influenced Wendel's vision.

<i>High Heart</i> 2020 studio album by Ben Wendel

High Heart is the fifth studio album by grammy nominated saxophonist and composer Ben Wendel. The album was released on October 30, 2020, under the Edition label.

<i>All One</i> (Ben Wendel album) 2023 studio album by Ben Wendel

All One is a GRAMMY® nominated 2023 studio album by saxophonist and composer Ben Wendel. The album, released on April 21, 2023, under the Edition label, features various artists on each track, including Bill Frisell, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Terence Blanchard, José James, Elena Pinderhughes, and Tigran Hamasyan.

References

  1. "Frame, by Ben Wendel". Ben Wendel. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  2. Ben Wendel - Frame, 2012, retrieved 2023-09-06
  3. Jazz, All About (2012-03-23). "Ben Wendel: Frame album review @ All About Jazz". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2023-09-06.