Ben Wendel — BaRcoDe

Album Overview

With BaRcoDe, Ben Wendel introduces a purpose-built ensemble centered on saxophone, mallet instruments, and restrained electronics. Developed through residency and commission work, the project brings together four vibraphonists and percussionists in a setting that emphasizes collective motion, resonance, and precision. The music draws from modern jazz language, chamber textures, and minimalist influence, favoring clarity of form and ensemble integration over traditional solo hierarchy. Written material and improvisation remain closely linked throughout, resulting in an album shaped by texture, pacing, and group interaction.

From the album…

Listening through the album, BaRcoDe often favors linear development over sectional contrast. In “Birds Ascend,” that approach becomes especially clear. The piece unfolds in a largely through-composed arc, with tightly coordinated mallet figures and angular saxophone lines creating a continuous sense of motion. Rather than returning to familiar landmarks, the music moves steadily forward, with improvisation embedded into the ensemble fabric. The listening experience is shaped by momentum, contour, and collective precision rather than overt display.

BaRcoDe Information 

Artist: Ben Wendel
Album Title: BaRcoDe
Label: Edition Records
Format: CD, LP, Digital
Recording Dates: January 16–17, 2025
Recording Location: The Bunker Studio, Brooklyn, New York

Personnel & Instrumentation

• Ben Wendel — tenor saxophone, electronics

• Joel Ross — vibraphone, marimba

• Simon Moullier — vibraphone, chromatic balafon, electronics

• Patricia Brennan — vibraphone, electronics

• Juan Diego Villalobos — vibraphone, electric marimba, percussion, electronics

Mixing: Steve Wood
Mastering: Nate Wood

Track List & Composers

1. Clouds — Ben Wendel

2. Mimo — Ben Wendel

3. Olha Maria — Antônio Carlos Jobim (arr. Ben Wendel)

4. Repeat After Me — Ben Wendel

5. Birds Ascend — Ben Wendel

6. Lonely One — Ben Wendel

From the album BaRcoDe: Ben Wendel — “Mimo” (video).

Ben Wendel — “Mimo” from BaRcoDe (Edition Records). Videography: Nick Hughes.