Apr 2, 2024 12:59 PM
Saxophonist, Sonic Explorer Casey Benjamin Dies at 45
Casey Benjamin, the alto saxophonist, vocalist, keyboardist and producer who stamped his distinctive sounds on the…
Marquis Hill benefited from time spent at the Velvet Lounge, a jazz room on the South Side of Chicago run by saxophonist Fred Anderson (1929–2010).
(Photo: Todd Rosenberg)“It was blatant that this person was following me around the store, to the point that it felt like a shadow,” he said. “I had never felt like that in my life. After dinner, we got back on the tour bus and I wanted to put that feeling into music. I turned that negative situation into a tune.”
The agitation Hill felt is palpable in the skittery rhythms he employs, yet the piece maintains its lyrical bearings. For all the social concerns at the heart of Hill’s art, his music does not dwell in the darkness. That, he said, is due in no small measure to the influence of his grandmother, a constant touchpoint.
She was the inspiration for “The Watcher,” a reference to her role as an elder who, in the absence of police, kept an eye out in the neighborhood for developing problems. The tune, from Modern Flows Vol. 2, has its moments of alarm, heralded by ominous horn figures repeated over a rumble of bass and drums. Still, it displays a sense of equanimity throughout.
Another tune from Hill’s most recent work inspired by his grandmother, “It’s All Beautiful,” casts a soft glow as vibraphonist Ross’ harmonies illuminate the horns’ simple melody. By Hill’s account, the piece, rendered without embellishment, echoes his grandmother’s spirit—and, by extension, his own.
“She had a way of coping with the hardships of life by reminding us we have a choice,” he said. “In these crazy times, we can live in Hell. But I’d rather put my energy into something that’s beautiful.” DB
Benjamin possessed a fluid, round sound on the alto saxophone, and he was often most recognizable by the layers of electronic effects that he put onto the instrument.
Apr 2, 2024 12:59 PM
Casey Benjamin, the alto saxophonist, vocalist, keyboardist and producer who stamped his distinctive sounds on the…
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Are you having any fun? Larry Goldings certainly is. Consider just two recent examples:
Scene 1: “If anyone had…
