Benjamin Crandall -
Saxophone
A Yellow
Springs, Ohio native, Crandall picked up the saxophone at the
age of 10. Throughout high school he performed in local street
festivals, cut his teeth in the Dayton jam-session at Jazz
Central, and spent his Summers as a student at Friends Music
Camp (FMC) in Barnesville, OH.
After high
school, he continued his music education at Central State
University and University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory
of Music (CCM), and returned to FMC as an instructor, teaching
saxophone, jazz improvisation, and music theory. He graduated
from CCM in 2000 with a degree in Jazz Saxophone Performance.
Crandall
has lived in Washington, DC, since November 2000, where he has
played jazz, reggae, hip hop, funk, and gospel gigs in a variety
of settings and venues, including churches, street corners,
night clubs, private parties, and weddings. Crandall joined
JohnStone in the Spring of 2005, adding harmonic counter lines
and fiery jazz-inspired solos.
Over the
years, Crandall has had a number of saxophone teachers including
Tucki Bailey, Randy Hall, Martha Hyde, Dr. William Denza, and
Rick VanMatre. His musical influences include John Coltrane,
Brandford Marsalis, Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, The Roots, Roy
Hargrove, and Joni Mitchell.
When he is
not performing with JohnStone, Crandall is working to establish
a democratic, class-conscious economy with the internet project
CommonGoods.net. He also teaches and studies traditional Yang
family Taijiquan at Great River Taoist Center in Washington, DC.
Write a personal email to
Benjamin Crandall
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