Primary Instrument: Saxophone
Benjamin Herman got his first saxophone at the age of twelve. At thirteen he was already playing on the professional club circuit. Within a few years he was appearing with different groups around the world and initiating projects of his own. His fame spread beyond jazz circles in the 1990s when he formed the groundbreaking ensemble New Cool Collective. Having made a name as soloist while still a teenager, Benjamin Herman has appeared on over a hundred records with all kinds of artists, from Candy Dulfer to Misha Mengelberg. Herman has also built a career in Holland and abroad as a composer. With New Cool Collective as well as with his smaller band’s his gigs are inspired by dance floor jazz, surf and punk music, free jazz and traditional music from all over the world, attracting music fans of all genres as well as straight ahead jazz aficionados. At the same time he has explored in depth the repertoire of composers such a Byard, Monk and Mengelberg. Today Benjamin Herman is one of the most original and productive jazz musicians in the Netherlands exploring influences beyond the confines of the jazz world. After signing to DOX Records in 2005 Benjamin Herman produced a series of cd’s and vinyl’s. He also won his third Edison for the album ‘Campert’ (featuring Dutch poet Remco Campert), He recorded and toured with Paul Weller, programmed several festivals, toured in Brazil, Argentina, Kenya, Russia, Britain, Canada, England, Ireland and Japan and worked on numerous projects in the Netherlands. In 2006 he received the prestigious VPRO/Boy Edgar Award and was voted 'Best Dressed Dutchman of 2008' by Esquire magazine. In 2009 Benjamin and NCC released 4 cd’s a vinyl and a dvd. His 10th solo album Blue Sky Blond (which features Paul Weller, Perquisite, Git Hyper, Jesse van Ruller and many others) was the most downloaded jazz album in the Netherlands 2009. In 2010 Benjamin toured in the U.S.A. with his quartet, recorded a 7” vinyl EP in Shanghai and released a special edition of his album Hypochristmastreefuzz with bonus live cd. New Cool Collective released their 12th album in 2011. Benjamin is currently working on new vinyl’s and his 13th solo cd.
Benjamin Herman
2010 Hypochristmastreefuzz (2cd Special Edition)
2009 Blue Sky Blond (featuring Paul Weller, Perquisite, Jesse van Ruller)
2009 Deelder 65 (10” vinyl with cd)
2008 Hypochristmastreefuzz – More Mengelberg
2007 Campert (featuring Gideon van Gelder)
2006 The London Session (featuring Stan Tracey, Bart van Lier)
2005 The Itch (featuring Han Bennink, Anton Goudsmit, Ernst Glerum)
2004 Heterogeneity (featuring Misha Mengelberg, Bert Joris)
2001 Plays Jaki Byard (featuring Pierre Christophe)
2000 Plays Misha Mengelberg
1999 Get In (featuring Jesse van Ruller, Larry Goldings, Idris Muhammad)
1996 Café Alto
2011 Sherry Britton/Tempest Storm (7” vinyl)
2010 Better City, Better Life (7” vinyl EP)
2009 Campert (12” vinyl)
2006 Durban Poison (12” vinyl EP)
2004 Skunkaholic (7” vinyl)
Van der Grinten/Herman Quartet:
2006 A Curse and a Sigh
1996 Lost Languages in Sad Serenades & Jocular Jazz
1994 Psychodixie for C-Melody Saxophone
1991 Between a Dog and a Lamppost
New Cool Collective:
2011 Eighteen
2010 Live
2010 Pachinko (NCC Big Band)
2009 Sugar Protocol (featuring Los Papines)
2009 Chocolade (with Typhoon)
2008 Out of Office
2007 New Cool Collective Big Band Live
2005 Trippin’ 2CD, feat. Tony Allen
2001 Bring It On
1999 Big
1997 More!
1996 SoulJazzLatin FlavoursNinetiesVibes
2009 New Cool Collective & Jules Deelder (DVD)
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