Sam Gendel

With a sound that combines significant technical proficiency with an avant-garde approach to jazz, Los Angeles saxophonist Sam Gendel came up in the 2010s underground with a forward-thinking approach to the genre. After making a name for himself under the Inga moniker, Gendel began releasing music under his own name with 2017's 4444, and has continued producing a plethora of experimental projects both individually and with the assistance of his contemporaries. He explored jazz standards on 2020's Satin Doll, crafted a suite inspired by Japanese embroidery on 2022's Blue Blue, and offered deconstructed takes of 1990s and 2000s R&B hits on 2023's COOKUP. In January 2024, The Room, a collaboration with Brazilian guitarist/composer Fabiano do Nascimento, appeared on Real World Records.