SAM GENDEL Vinyl & CDs

Review: .While Brazilian guitarist Fabiano Do Nascimento and American saxophonist Sam Gendel first met and played together at the dawn of the last decade - at a Los Angeles cafe both used to frequent, fact fans - it was only last year that they decided to collaborate on a release. The Room, the resultant album, was reportedly recorded in two days in a studio in the Californian countryside. It's an undeniably magical and sun-soaked affair, with Gendel teasing fluttering, flute-esque improvisations from his soprano saxophone while Do Nascimento delivers impeccable, finger-picking meditations on his seven-string acoustic guitar. The latter is undoubtedly a virtuoso with his own distinct style - a Brazilian take on classical guitar, incorporating nods to lesser-known regional music - but instinctively knows when to step back and allow Gendel the limelight. Impressive stuff all told.

Review: LA-based composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Sam Gendel's COOKUP is a new album of old material, kind of. It finds him laying down all new interpretations of r&b and soul hits that were first released between 1992 and 2004. It comes on Nonesuch Records and is another showcase of just why Gendel is at the heart of his native scene in Los Angeles. Across 12 glorious tunes his friends and collaborators Gabe Noel and Philippe Melanson help him rework material by greats like Beyonce, Genuwine, Erykah Badu, Soul II Soul and Boyz II Men. A fine collection.

Review: Sam Gendel is renowned for his innovative use of saxophones and wind controllers and with that he brings a fresh perspective to contemporary music. Benny Bock meanwhile is a versatile keyboardist, composer, producer and sound designer from Oakland, California who crafts evocative soundscapes across diverse styles. Hans Kjorstad is the third and final part of this three-way collaboration and is a musician and composer who specialises in contemporary microtonal music while drawing inspiration from Norwegian traditional music and experimental improvisation. Together, their unique approaches push the boundaries of modern music as they weave traditional and avant-garde elements into a rich tapestry of sound that bridges genres and challenges conventions.

Review: The Doober, the latest instalment in the Music for Saxofone and Bass Guitar series by jazz duo Sam Gendel and Sam Wilkes, is a freewheeling listen through covers of songs by artists like Joni Mitchell, Judee Sill, and Sheryl Crow. Recorded live, the album captures the raw energy and spontaneity of their performances that feature Gendel's dynamic saxophone work and Wilkes' bouncing basslines. The duo's approach to covers is far from conventional, as they prioritise spacious textural exploration over faithful renditions. Tracks like 'Rugged Road' and 'The Circle Game' undergo radical transformations, evolving into wriggling, cartoonish masses and modal studies, respectively. Gendel and Wilkes playfully deconstruct each song, infusing them with their own cheeky sense of abandon. Despite their unconventional approach, the duo's chemistry shines through on every track, with each piece serving as a framed photo of outer space, presenting the infinite within a digestible container. The album's highlights include unexpected interpolations, such as a jazz rendition of Sheryl Crow's 'Tomorrow Never Dies' and a seamless transition from Miklos Rozsa's 'Love Theme (From Ben Hur)' into Chris Isaak's 'Wicked Game.'

Review: Back in 2018 Leaving Records first released this low key gem from Sam Gendel and Sam Wilkes, which blended the natural lull of live saxophone and bass guitar with considered FX processing to create some spellbinding grooves somewhere on the outer periphery of soul jazz. It's totally fresh, totally chill, and bursting with soul thanks to the impeccable playing from Gendel and Wilkes. It's gone through a number of iterations including previous tape issues and a white label private press run of 50, and now it's finally getting a repress so the latecomers can cop a wax edition and shirk the scalpers. Music this warm and fuzzy deserves to be heard on wax.