Sam Gendel

Sam Gendel is a saxophonist and a multi-instrumentalist who plays in an idiosyncratic style that is experimental and avant-garde jazz at its core but wrapped inside soft and fuzzy atmospheric textures. What that leads to is a warm and inviting sound, and a tendency to drift into the ambient territory a little. Dissonance may pop up here and there, but his experimental streak is typically not abrasive or jarring. He seems to be focused more on expansive electronic explorations, which can get plenty spacey at times and carry some psychedelic vibes. His phrasing is quite melodic, and he favors the kind of minimalist arrangements and clean production that help underscore the atmospheric nature of his work. Though the saxophone remains his main instrument, he also plays a wind controller regularly.