Grammy Award-nominated saxophonist Ben Wendel and Grammy-winning pianist Taylor Eigsti are expected to perform at the Overture Center for the Arts on Nov. 22.
Known for their diverse musical backgrounds, the two musicians are to give an intimate and innovative performance as part of Overture’s Up Close series.
Wendel, a talented and adventurous jazz saxophonist, is known for his sophisticated compositional style, which incorporates elements of classical music and post-rock influences.
Wendel first emerged by founding and becoming a member of the highly acclaimed jazz ensemble — Kneebody. Kneebody is known for its unique style and explosive sound creating covers that range from John Legend to Soundgarden. Their album “12 Songs of Charles Ives” earned them a Grammy nomination for the Best Classical Crossover Album.
In addition to his group work, Wendel also delved into solo work making significant contributions to the world of jazz, pushing its boundaries. Wendel has collaborated with popular artists like Snoop Dogg, Prince and more, defining his unique musical voice.
Joining Wendel on stage will be the exceedingly talented pianist and composer, Eigsti. Eigsti shares his experience playing with various artists such as Dave Brubeck, Sting and John Mayer amongst others in his 30-year career.
“Over the years, I’ve had the good fortune to play with so many incredible artists, and I feel like I’ve learned something different from all of them,” Eigsti said.
Eigsti also mentioned his time working with Brubeck who taught him two most important lessons regarding a music career.
“Dave Brubeck was always one of my biggest influences musically and personally growing up, and I was fortunate to play with him many times,” Eigsti said.
Brubeck advised Eigsti that retirement was optional when you are a musician and asked him to live his whole life enjoying his career while being kind to everyone. This advice reflects immensely on how much Eigsti has accomplished at such a young age.
After touring, producing, composing and crafting albums, Eigsti earned his first Grammy in 2022 for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album — “Tree Falls.” Eigsti’s ability to blend diverse sounds, engage with established artists and experiment with new sounds established him as a key figure in the progression of jazz.
“The one quality more than any other that I’m grateful for as a professional musician, is the opportunity to have so much variety musically — I think that keeps things fresh, and keeps me always interested and engaged and creating,” Eigsti said.
Eigsti does not let jazz’s norms contain his creativity. He is eager to keep bringing new sounds and styles to the table, ultimately describing his music as genre-ambiguous.
Like Eigsti, Wendel also takes pride in blending different sounds and constructing something new for listeners. Performing at the Overture together will be one of the first straight duo shows they do, but not the first time they are performing together. Wendel and Eigsti have been collaborating and touring together for more than 20 years, becoming best friends.
“Knowing us, I feel like we’ll probably plan out the setlist the day of the show, because we both know each other’s material so intimately, having recorded and performed so much of it together,” Eigsti said. “I’m particularly excited to see how the tunes we might do will sound in a stripped-down setting where it’s just the two of us.”
His excitement shows, and there’s no doubt that they will perform together seamlessly and create a great atmosphere for listeners. Their unique styles blend genres like electric jazz, hip-hop, fusion pop and rock. Along with improvisations involving the ability to stretch the ideal melodic idea.
Pairing with their music is the Overture venue itself. The venue will transform into a moody cocktail bar, offering an immersive experience that combines live jazz with a New York-style atmosphere allowing you to kick back, relax and have a drink.
By transforming into an intimate cocktail bar, the audience is brought to a New York jazz bar without having to take a flight.
“Some of my very favorite shows I’ve ever done have been in intimate settings, and I also of course love playing at venues like Red Rocks or the Hollywood Bowl which bring a much different energy,” Eigsti said about performing in intimate settings. “To me, performing in an intimate setting allows the audience to tune into nuances and subtleties in a different way, and allows for a different kind of adventure.”
From someone like Eigsti who has performed at some of the largest jazz music festivals like the Java Jazz Festival, Montreal International Jazz Festival and North Sea Jazz Festival, he takes notice of the small venue culture, which makes his show at the Overture even more special.
For everyone awaiting his performance with Wendel, Eigsti said that his only hope is that many people will join them and have a good time. Eigsti considers it an honor to perform in front of his fans and shows gratitude for his career.
Eigsti shared that he and Wendel approach their performances with the same mentality — they are there for the audience and believe it will be a very special night.
Tickets for their upcoming performance can be purchased online on the Overture Center for the Arts website.
