Brigham Young University’s premier big band Synthesis welcomes special guest Ben Wendel for a "Essentially Ellington" concert Saturday, Nov. 23, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall.
Tickets are $10 for the public, $9 for alumni and senior citizens and $6 for students and are available at the Fine Arts Ticket Office, (801) 422-2981 or at byuarts.com/tickets.
"Essentially Ellington" features Wendel and Synthesis performing music from Duke Ellington and Gerald Wilson. Synthesis will also perform music it has prepared for the Jazz Education Network Conference in Dallas, Texas in January 2014.
Wendel is a Gammy-nominated artist who has performed and toured with Cuban drumming legend Ignacio Berroa, Snoop Dogg and Prince, while recording with Jason Mraz, Good Charlotte and Todd Sickafoose. He is also the founding member of the Grammy nominated group Kneebody.
Hel plays saxophone, bassoon and piano, has been an adjunct professor of jazz studies at USC and is currently an adjunct professor at the New School in New York City.
Directed by faculty member Ray Smith, Synthesis combines swing, blues, jazz, Latin and fusion styles into a feast of jazz entertainment. Some of BYU’s finest and most versatile musicians perform, arrange and compose for this award-winning auditioned ensemble.
For more information about the concert, contact Ray Smith at (801) 422-3391 or ray_smith@byu.edu. Learn more about Synthesis and the band’s repertoire by clicking on the Synthesis link at pam.byu.edu. For details on Wendel, visit www.benwendel.com.
Writer: Brett Lee
