Editorial Reviews Born 2/26/62 Lansing, MI Pianist, composer, and educator Ben Schwendener has been a part of the vital Boston music scene since the early 1980's. A former student of jazz legends like George Russell, Ran Blake, Jimmy Guiffre, Miroslav Vitous and Joe Maneri, Schwendener is currently on the jazz faculties of both New England Conservatory and Longy School of Music. In addition to his jazz teaching and work as a leading lecturer on Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization, Schwendener teaches courses on Creative and Critical Thinking at the University of Massachusetts-Boston and directs the arts education non-profit, Gravity Arts, which he founded in 1997. Gravity Arts provides customized music and dance education opportunities for individuals, communities and corporations, and oversees the independent label, Gravity Records. A critically acclaimed performer, Schwendener has appeared throughout the United States, Europe and Japan with his group, as a sideman and solo pianist, produced commissioned works for dance companies, independent film, and television commercials and released five recordings as a leader. Two recent releases, 'Road Trips' (with his quintet, Falling Objects), and a recording of piano duets with fellow Boston pianist Marc Rossi, 'Living Geometry’, were given 4 star reviews and an editor’s pick of the month in 'All About Jazz’. Two brand new releases are now available:‘Living Geometry II’, again with Marc Rossi and adding Uwe and legendary reedman Joe Maneri – as well as ‘Apfelschaun’, with co-leader Uwe Steinmetz from concerts recorded in Europe and Boston. Ben is also working on the publication of original children’s music, along with original music for three Digital Picture Books for Kidzebo. He lives in Jamaica Plain, Mass. With his wife Shari and two children Elodi (8) and Uli (5). -George Russell "Witness of the Sun" features composer Ben Schwendener on piano/keyboards, Bhob Rainey on soprano saxophone, Hiro Harada playing six-string electric bass, Steve Chaggaris on drums, and guitarist Gregg Ramsey joining in on "Pictures and Echoes".
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Music: La Edad de Oro del Pop Espanol [Import]
About the Artist
Ben Schwendener
Album Description
Ben Schwendener’s CD "Witness of the Sun" from Gravity Records: This album, produced by Ben Schwendener and Mike Caglianone, is Ben’s first Solo CD, recorded live at 7A West Studio in Charlestown, MA. The ten tracks on the CD begin with the premier recording of George Russell’s latest composition "Pictures and Echoes", followed by nine original new works by Schwendener. Drawing from a wide range of influences, "Witness of the Sun’ offers the listener an exciting new journey in the jazz tradition. "This thought provoking, sensitively developed CD must be considered part of the new jazz underground…It manages to defy commercialism and the "fad-du-jour" by relying on its’ own organic, innovative ideas- free of stiffness and pedantry- to attract the listener thirsting for new impulses. The movement from synthesizer to acoustic piano, in the CD’s more introspective latter half, shows versatility. This is Schwendener expressing his essential essence."