Taking inspiration from luminaries such as Kurt Elling, Christian Wiggs is a vocalist, bandleader, lyricist, producer, director, artist manager, educator, and founder of Bandstand Presents, an Austin-based production company, committed to the inclusivity, visibility, and collaboration of jazz scenes across the nation.
Christian has shared the stage with acclaimed musicians such as Benny Benack III, Martina DaSilva, Bryan Carter, Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, Steven Feifke, Aubrey Logan, Dan “Chimy” Chmielinski, Mathis Picard, Daniel Foose, Andre Hayward, Robert Edwards, Clark Sommers, and George Fludas. In addition to collaboration, Christian serves as artist management for drummer/vocalist, composer, and orchestrator Bryan Carter.
Wiggs has released three studio albums and serves as the host and producer of “Off The Bandstand”, a series of conversations that feature local and national jazz musicians. Off stage, Christian serves as an active producer and director, his work behind the camera being featured by Playbill, ABC News, NPR Live Sessions, and WRTI 90.1.
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Benny Benack III is a trumpet player and vocalist based in New York City. Benny performs widely as a frontman for Postmodern Jukebox, the vintage music collective famed for canny old-school covers of modern pop. In early 2020, he released A Lot of Livin’ to Do, the follow-up to his well-received 2017 debut album One of a Kind, which features bassist Christian McBride and drummer/producer Ulysses Owens, Jr., as well as Takeshi Ohbayashi on piano and Rhodes.
Benny has been showcased in international tours at Jazz at Lincoln Center Shanghai, JALC’s “NY Jazz All-Stars” (Mexico) and extensively throughout Asia and Europe and has headlined festivals around the U.S. Benny has been featured at Birdland, Mezzrow, Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle and other leading New York venues. He has played in the house band for NBC’s “Maya & Marty,” and appeared as a multi-genre trumpet soloist with the Christian McBride Big Band, Diplo/Major Lazer, Ann Hampton Callaway, Melissa Errico, Josh Groban, Ben Folds, fashion icon Isaac Mizrahi and more.
Benny was a 2014 finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trumpet Competition, and winner of the 2011 Carmine Caruso International Trumpet Competition. He is a clinician and educator, leading workshops for Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz for Young People program, as well as the New York Youth Symphony’s Education department. In 2020 he led a panel at the annual Jazz Congress on Audience Engagement, together with Christian McBride, Marilyn Maye and Veronica Swift.
Tickets at cwbb-benny-benack-sep-28th-monksjazz.eventbrite.com
Stream in UHD @ youtu.be/h6N-1-iiqEU
Christian Wiggs - Vox
Benny Benack III - Trumpet
Mathis Picard - Piano
Joey Ranieri - Bass
Daniel Dufour - Drums
Matthew Maldonado - Alto Sax
Paulo Santos - Alto Sax
Diego Rivera - Tenor Sax
Russell Haight - Tenor Sax
John Mills - Baritone Sax
Paul Deemer - Trombone
Ulrican Williams - Trombone
Leo Gauna - Trombone
Aaron Garcia - Trombone
EJ Johnson - Trumpet
Jonah Springs - Trumpet
Andrew Cheetham - Trumpet
Sparky Thomason - Trumpet
About Bandstand Presents:
Evolving from a single quarantine project (“Off The Bandstand”), Bandstand Presents is an Austin-based production company, committed to the inclusivity, visibility, and collaboration of jazz scenes across the nation.
Founded by vocalist, bandleader, lyricist and producer, Christian Wiggs, and producer Kirk Word, Bandstand highlights not only the brilliant talents and contributions of these jazz musicians, but celebrates the personalities that are integral to the art they create.
In Fall of 2021, Bandstand Presents began producing its residency series featuring guest artists from Austin and beyond in episodes of “Off The Bandstand”, special live performances at Monks Jazz and Elephant Room, and guest collaboration with the Christian Wiggs Big Band.
As educational and musical investment are paramount, Bandstand Presents has facilitated partnerships with developmental institutions such as Texas State University and the Women in Jazz Association, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded by Pamela and Kevin Hart.
Previous guests have included Bryan Carter, Mathis Picard, Dan Chmielinski, Tatiana Mayfield, Aubrey Logan, Kate Kortum, & Benny Benack.
