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…
Bay Area nonprofit SFJAZZ announces a new CEO is set to begin June 15.
(Photo: Henrik Kam)SFJAZZ announced Thursday that Greg Stern would become CEO of the Bay Area nonprofit. His tenure is set to begin June 15 as he succeeds Don Derheim, who was in the role for six years.
“I’m delighted that SFJAZZ has found someone of Greg’s enormous breadth of skills and experience,” said Randall Kline, executive artistic director and founder of SFJAZZ, in a press release. “His expertise in leading one of the country’s most innovative and successful advertising agencies, combined with his love of jazz and his previous service as an SFJAZZ Trustee, is exactly what is needed to ensure that SFJAZZ will continue to grow and prosper.”
SFJAZZ has since 1983 presented concerts and spearheaded education efforts in the Bay, while its namesake collective has included players ranging from saxophonists Joshua Redman and Miguel Zenón to in-demand bassist Matt Brewer.
The SFJAZZ Collective was set to celebrate Miles Davis’ In A Silent Way and Sly & The Family Stone’s Stand! when the coronavirus pandemic interrupted its national tour. 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…
“He’s constructing intelligent musical sentences that connect seamlessly, which is the most important part of linear playing,” Charles McPherson said of alto saxophonist Sonny Red.
Feb 27, 2024 1:40 PM
“I might not have felt this way 30 to 40 years ago, but I’ve reached a point where I can hear value in what people…
Albert “Tootie” Heath (1935–2024) followed in the tradition of drummer Kenny Clarke, his idol.
Apr 5, 2024 10:28 AM
Albert “Tootie” Heath, a drummer of impeccable taste and time who was the youngest of three jazz-legend brothers…
“Both of us are quite grounded in the craft, the tradition and the harmonic sense,” Rosenwinkel said of his experience playing with Allen. “Yet I felt we shared something mystical as well.”
Mar 12, 2024 11:42 AM
“There are a few musicians you hear where, as somebody once said, the molecules in the room change. Geri was one of…
Larry Goldings’ versatility keeps him in high demand as a leader, collaborator and sideman.
Feb 21, 2024 10:45 AM
Are you having any fun? Larry Goldings certainly is. Consider just two recent examples:
Scene 1: “If anyone had…
