Adam Benjamin - Fender Rhodes, Piano, Keyboards
A native New Yorker, Adam was educated at the Eastman School of Music in New York and the California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles. In addition to his contributions to Kneebody, which include his unique compositions as well as his acoustic and electric improvisation. Adam’s 2005 schedule includes tours with jazz luminary Dave Douglas, rock legend Jimmy Chamberlin, and eighty-piece hip-hop orchestra Dakah. Additionally, Adam maintains a Solo Piano Multi-Media Mega-Event concert series and runs a small experimental music education studio in Los Angeles. Current projects in the works include a book about television watching, and an all-MIDI jazz standards album.
Shane Endsley - Trumpet, Pedals
A Denver native, Shane is also a graduate of the Eastman School where he studied trumpet, drums/percussion and composition. He has toured and recorded extensively with Ani DiFranco and Steve Coleman and has been doing work around NY with Josh Roseman, Dave Binney, Ravi Coltrane, John Hollenbeck and others. He is currently playing drums and trumpet in a trio with Ralph Alessi and Tim Berne, and rotary flugelhorn (truba) with Slavic Soul Party.
Kaveh Rastegar - Electric/Acoustic Bass, Pedals
Kaveh plays bass and writes music too. In the years since graduating from the Eastman School of Music, he has enjoyed success playing music in the greater Los Angeles area. In addition to his work with Kneebody, Kaveh is also a member of the Seattle based power trio Thruster featuring Timothy Young and Matt Chamberlain. A founding member of 70 piece orchestra Dakah, Kaveh has also been heard playing with The Ditty Bops, Chewy Puma, Colin Hay, Nels Cline, Joshua Radin, Small Medium and Large, guitarist Arik Marshall, Greg Kurstin's Action Figure Party, Dave Fiuczynski, Carla Bozulich and Wayne Horvitz. Kaveh's artwork is also featured on most of Kneebody's posters, flyers and t shirts.
Ben Wendel - Saxophone, Bassoon, Piano, Melodica, Mouthman 5000
Born in Canada and raised in Los Angeles, Ben was educated at the Eastman School of Music in New York. Since graduating he has enjoyed success as a performer, composer and producer. Recent highlights include multiple domestic and international tours with such diverse artists as the genre-bending group Kneebody, Cuban drumming legend Ignacio Berroa, Thelonius Monk Piano Competition Winner Tigran Hamasyan, Electronica artist Daedelus and Hip Hop artist Snoop Dogg. In addition to playing saxophone, Ben also doubles on the bassoon, piano and melodica.
As a composer Ben has scored multiple films, received an ASCAP Jazz Composer Award and was also a finalist in the Thelonious Monk Composer competition. Recent producer credits include an Emerging Artist Series at the Madison Theater in Los Angeles, CA and the directorship of three jazz collaboration concerts at the 2007 Festpeil Plus in Munich, Germany.
Nate Wood - Drums
Nate graduated from the California Institute of the Arts, where he studied with Jazz luminaries Charlie Haden and Joe Labarbara. After graduating Nate toured the world many times over with pop/rock band The Calling. When he came home he made his first solo album, Reliving. The record is truly self-made, featuring Nate's compositions, singing, engineering/producing, and him playing all the instruments. Lately Nate has been using his talents on guitar, drums, and bass with Maverick recording artist, Keaton Simons.
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