A future full of saxophones

Six musicians armed with creativity and saxophones came together in April 2003 to form a group called The Saxophone Cartel. The name, inspired by The Kolner Saxophone Mafia, a German saxophone ensemble, is a declaration of the notable talent within the band. Utilizing only woodwind instruments, it finds unique sounds that conjure up seamless musical tempos. The music ranges from the sounds of a solitary European street performer to the theme music more suitable for a private investigator sneaking up on a suspect, and all in just one song. \nComprised almost entirely of IU students, current and recently graduated, the Cartel has held concerts all over Bloomington. After a year of entertaining audiences with their original rhythms, the Saxophone Cartel is still going strong. Spinning their tunes for local audiences at art galleries, local eateries and even on WFHB radio, the Cartel is releasing its own CD, "Caught in the Act," in November.\nThe creation of the Cartel would not have been possible without composer Benjamin Himpel. After putting together other prototype ensembles, he gathered four IU saxophonists to play his original compositions. By the beginning of the 2003-04 school year, the group gained a its sixth member and became the Saxophone Cartel. \n"It was obvious right away from the first rehearsals that it was making sense and coming together," said Cartel member and Ph.D. student Josh Goldberg. \nAs rehearsals continued, the six musicians continued to cut their teeth on the material that Himpel and other members, including Colin Renick and Matt Cashdollar, contributed. They experimented with different types of music, challenging each other to redefine their genre. The Cartel members find it difficult to define the band's musical style, which ranges from blues to ethnic and everything in between.\n"You could say it's jazz with other music spawned from jazz and European influences," said Cartel member and recent IU graduate Michael Eaton.\nThe members found their European inspiration in one of Himpel's favorite bands, The Kolner Saxophone Mafia. With so many eclectic pieces of music at their fingertips, the Cartel throws a degree of freelance improvisation into their performances. During one of their appearances at Bear's Place, the group members spontaneously started playing off each other. One musician would play a key and then the other members would participate or add a contrasting sound. This freelance improvisation worked so well that the Cartel now launches into improvisation twice in each performance. \n"I've been very impressed by how well it's worked out," Goldberg said. "We have a shared vocabulary going into it, so we can relate to what each other does."\nThis "shared vocabulary" comes from the fact that the Cartel was founded at the IU School of Music, with the exception of Himpel and Goldberg. According to the Saxophone Cartel Web site, jazz saxophone major Ariel Alexander is in her fourth year studying under Tom Walsh. Alexander, who plays the soprano saxophone, has been involved in several bands, including Conspiracy Theory. \nCashdollar is in his final year of his master's degree in jazz studies. A musician for 15 years, Cashdollar finished his undergraduate degree in music education at IU-Purdue University Fort Wayne before coming to IU. Cashdollar has been involved in various musical ensembles playing the alto, tenor, baritone saxophones and the flute.\nColin Renick currently is finishing up a double master's in classical saxophone performance and jazz studies. Renick is also an associate instructor in the jazz department of the IU music school. Both a composer and performer for the Cartel, Renick plays the baritone sax, bass sax and bass clarinet for the group. Eaton just graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in May. He was a music student for 12 years and studied under Eugene Rousseau and Thomas Walsh at IU. Fully equipped with his tenor saxophone and clarinet in hand, Eaton played with groups such as The Buselli-Wallerab Jazz Orchestra, Bloomington Pops and "eclectic rock band" Blue Moon Revue. \nGoldberg is currently the only member of the Cartel who doesn't owe his musical education to the IU School of Music. Goldberg is working on his Ph.D's in cognitive science and computer science. An alto saxophonist and clarinet musician, Goldberg plays locally with Afro-Hoosier International and holds the bottom sax chair in IU's big band.\nBen Himpel, who Cashdollar referred to as "the brainchild" of the Cartel, finished his Ph.D. in mathematics last May. After playing with the Cartel this summer, Himpel returned home to Berlin, Germany. Multi-talented, Himpel plays soprano, tenor and baritone saxophone as well as guitar, bass and drums. The Saxophone Cartel continues to play Himpel's originally composed songs in his absence. Several of his original pieces are featured on the Cartel's upcoming CD.\n"Ben's pieces are the foundation on which the band rests," Goldberg said. "He gave us a lot to chew on in that first year and not get bored."\nIn Himpel's absence, the Cartel looks forward to the future with a new member, Michael Reifenberg. This alto saxophonist is in his second year of pursuing a masters degree from the IU School of Music.\n"I'm really looking forward to what Mike will bring to the group," said Cashdollar. "There's always a new dynamic when you bring a new member to the table."\nThe Cartel will be counting on Reifenberg as it works to re-create its sound in the next few months. Filled with a desire to eventually tour together and the anticipation of a CD on the horizon, the Cartel will have its hands full this semester. \nInterested saxophone fans can look for the Cartel around Bloomington later this fall or check out its Web site at www.saxophonecartel.com.\n-- Contact staff writer Kathlyn Von Rohr at kvonrohr@indiana.edu.