Ben Wendel
The Pocket130 West 46th Street, New York 10036
Ben Wendel brings his quartet to The Pocket, with Wendel on saxophone, Taylor Eigsti on piano, Vicente Archer on bass and Obed Calvaire on drums. The Brooklyn-based saxophonist, composer and producer leads this four-player band, bringing together musicians whose wider credits include work with Sting, John Mayer and Esperanza Spalding; Robert Glasper, Norah Jones and John Scofield; and Wynton Marsalis, the SFJAZZ Collective, Mary J. Blige and Seal.
Born in Vancouver and raised in Los Angeles, Wendel is a Grammy-nominated saxophonist and a founding member of the Grammy-nominated group Kneebody. His career has taken in tours, performances and recordings with Tigran Hamasyan, Bill Frisell, Terence Blanchard, Antonio Sanchez, Gerald Clayton, Linda May Han Oh, Moonchild, Louis Cole, Daedelus, Snoop Dogg and Prince. He has also received an ASCAP Jazz Composer Award, multiple Chamber Music America New Works Grants and the Canada Council for the Arts' Victor Lynch-Staunton Award, alongside co-writing scores for film, television and animated shorts. A JazzTrail review of his BaRcoDe called its instrumentation “bold” and said it reinforced his position “at the forefront of expansive, 21st-century post-bop.”
The Pocket offers a close-up encounter with world-class jazz musicians in a small, focused setting where every note feels immediate and unfiltered. The room is designed to bring listeners near the performers, creating a direct connection that makes the music feel personal and vivid. Seating is limited and arranged to emphasize attentive listening rather than casual socializing, with a bar available to complement the experience. Shows are ticketed, encouraging an audience that is there to fully engage with the performance. The venue’s location in Manhattan places it within easy reach of the city’s vibrant cultural pulse, making it a perfect spot for an evening dedicated to serious jazz appreciation without distractions.