Herman, Benjamin
Nostalgia Blitz
'Nostalgia Blitz' is a record born from a wild collection of ideas and influences drawing on an alternative saxophone universe from Benjamin's formative years. Benjamin Herman explains: "When I picked up the saxophone in 1980, it was the coolest instrument on the planet. Every band had a saxophonist, usually dressed in an oversized pastel-colored power suit with rolled-up sleeves. Besides an abundance of sax heroes in pop, fusion and jazz music, the 80s also had individuals who did it all their own way. James Chance, John Lurie, Xero Slingsby, and of course Dutch mover and shaker Hans Dulfer were some of my favorites. Saxophonists with an attitude: supercharged, perky, and highly creative. An atonal, arty and conceptual kind of saxophone music that really spoke to me. Besides Charlie Parker, Johnny Hodges, Sonny Rollins, and John Coltrane, they greatly influenced my musical taste. Nostalgia Blitz is once again an attempt to push the boundaries of my own playing and simultaneously tip my hat to some of my all-time heroes."