10.6.12 Ben Wendel + Harish Raghavan + Justin Brown [cover $15]

Born in Vancouver and raised in Los Angeles, Ben was educated at the Eastman School of Music in New York. Since graduating he has enjoyed a varied career as a performer, composer and producer. Recent highlights include multiple domestic and international tours with such artists as Cuban drumming legend Ignacio Berroa, Thelonius Monk Piano Competition Winner Tigran Hamasyan, Electronica artist Daedelus and Hip Hop artist Snoop Dogg. Ben is a founding member of the Grammy nominated group Kneebody.

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.

Ben’s is a recording artist with Sunnyside Records, with plans for his second release in Fall 2011. Ben was a former Adjunct Professor of Jazz Studies at USC.

Ben Wendel website

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Harish Raghavan was born May 19th, 1982. He began his study of the double bass at the age of 17. After studying for a brief period he was accepted to study with John Clayton at the University of Southern California. While in Los Angeles he had the opportunity to also study with Robert Hurst among many others. In 2007 he made the move to New York and has quickly become a rising star on his instrument.

Since moving to New York he has the opportunity to record and play with some of the most forward thinking musicians of his generation: Ambrose Akinmusire, Eric Harland, Mark Turner, Aaron Parks, Taylor Eigsti, Greg Osby, Vijay Iyer, Billy Childs, Kurt Elling, Benny Green, Terrell Stafford, Mike Moreno, Rodney Green, Willie Jones III, Scott Kinsey, Logan Richardson, Fabian Almazan, Justin Brown, Dayna Stephens, Gerald Clayton, Marcus Gilmore, Walter Smith III, along with many others.

Harish Raghavan website

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Born and raised in Oakland, California, Justin Brown started playing drums in church when he was just 2 years old. His talent was recognized early on and Justin was the recipient of full scholarships to a number of prestigious music programs, including the UC Berkeley Young Musician’s Summer Program and the Stanford Jazz Workshop’s Summer Jazz Camp. By the time he graduated from Berkeley High School, Justin had already performed at several jazz festivals around the United States and was also a member of the National 2002 GRAMMY High School Jazz Combo.

In August 2002, Justin was one of five select young musicians, chosen from hundreds of applicants from around the country, to receive a fellowship to participate in the inaugural Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet, an intensive performance-based jazz studies program at the University of the Pacific (UOP) in Stockton, Calif. After two years at the Brubeck Institute, Justin made a bold move to New York City to attend the Julliard School on full scholarship. After only four years in New York, Justin Brown has already made a statement in the music world. He has been privileged to grace the stage with the likes of Kenny Garrett, Christian McBride, Stefon Harris, Josh Roseman, Yosvany Terry, Gonazalo Rubalcaba, Bilal, Ledisi and Vijay Iyer.

Justin Brown website