Casey Benjamin

File:Casey Benjamin, Nice 2012.JPG

Casey Benjamin (October 10, 1978 – March 30, 2024)[https://memorialsource.com/memorial/casey-benjamin Casey Benjamin. October 10, 1978 - March 30, 2024] was an American saxophonist (alto and soprano), vocoderist, keyboardist, producer, and songwriter.{{Cite web |url=http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/music/artist/credits/0,,922094,00.html |title=Casey Benjamin Credits - ARTISTdirect Music |access-date=January 25, 2009 |archive-date=December 26, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161226231129/http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/music/artist/credits/0,,922094,00.html |url-status=dead }} He was a member of the Robert Glasper Experiment which won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album for their album Black Radio.{{cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/blogs/robert-glasper-experiment-in-the-grammy-winners-circle|title=Robert Glasper Experiment In The GRAMMY Winner's Circle|work=The Grammys|access-date=25 September 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://jazztimes.com/articles/30076-robert-glasper-renegade-of-funk|title=Jazz Articles: Robert Glasper: Renegade of Funk - By Bill Beuttler — Jazz Articles|work=JazzTimes|date=June 4, 2012 |access-date=25 September 2015}} He was one half of the funk pop new wave duo HEAVy{{Cite web |url=http://www.bbemusic.com/data.pl?ls=Artists;Artists=1 |title=HEAVy's Biography cited on BBE Records |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219042756/http://www.bbemusic.com/data.pl?ls=Artists%3BArtists%3D1 |archivedate=2009-02-19 }} with vocalist Nicky Guiland.

Benjamin was also a member of Stefon Harris's band Blackout and worked with numerous artists at the intersection of jazz, hip-hop, and R&B, including Roy Hargrove, Betty Carter, Derrick Hodge, Victor Bailey, Kris Bowers, Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Q-Tip, Mos Def, Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, Busta Rhymes, Diddy, Heavy D, Consequence, DJ Logic, Wyclef Jean, Bilal, Mary J. Blige, John Legend, and Beyonce.{{Cite web|url=http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=7460 |title=Stephon Harris & Blackout on allaboutjazz.com |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061124184211/http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=7460 |archivedate=November 24, 2006 }} He also worked with rockers Vernon Reid and Melvin Gibbs. In 2011, he was the keyboard/saxophonist for Patrick Stump's live solo project tour.{{cite web|url=http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/7/71/800606/fall-out-boy-didnt-fall-out-but-patrick-stump-moves-on-with-truant-wave-soul-punk |title=Fall Out Boy didn't fall out, but Patrick Stump moves on with 'Truant Wave,' 'Soul Punk' |date=30 March 2011 |work=Chicago Sun-Times |access-date=25 September 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925235327/http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/7/71/800606/fall-out-boy-didnt-fall-out-but-patrick-stump-moves-on-with-truant-wave-soul-punk |archive-date=25 September 2015 }}

Benjamin was from South Jamaica, Queens, New York City.{{Cite web|title=Casey Benjamin {{!}} Yamaha Artists|url=https://www.yamaha.com/artists/caseybenjamin.html|access-date=2021-04-29|website=Yamaha.com}} He picked up the saxophone at eight years old and continued studying the instrument at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. He also attended workshops with jazz pianist Barry Harris. Later, he attended The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in Manhattan, where he met Robert Glasper.

Benjamin died suddenly on March 30, 2024, at the age of 45. The cause of his death was a pulmonary thromboembolism (blood clot).{{cite web |url=https://memorialsource.com/memorial/casey-benjamin |access-date=April 9, 2024 |title=Memorial Page for Casey Benjamin }} According to a statement released by his family on his social media, he was recovering from a recent surgery at the time of his death.{{Cite web|url=https://liveforlivemusic.com/news/saxophonist-casey-benjamin-robert-glasper-experiment-dies-45-obituary/|title=Casey Benjamin, Saxophonist & Vocoder Master For Robert Glasper Experiment, Dies At 45|first=Andrew|last=O'Brien|date=April 1, 2024|website=Liveforlivemusic.com}}{{Cite magazine |last=Blistein |first=Jon |date=2024-04-01 |title=Casey Benjamin, Ace Multi-Instrumentalist for Robert Glasper, A Tribe Called Quest, Dead at 45 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/casey-benjamin-saxophone-keys-player-robert-glasper-dead-1234997166/ |access-date=2024-04-02 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}