Ben Wendel - High Heart

High Heart is the 5th album by US saxophonist and composer Ben Wendel. With a surge of interest in his profile over the last few years, Ben returns with an album that is his most definitive yet.

It is a personal statement and reflection of his own journey in a society of increasing complexity, oversaturation, and social imbalance. An album that opens discussion and raises questions about how artists create art that is personal and meaningful in an increasingly impersonal time.

As Ben explains: “The digital age has created a profound paradigm shift and challenged what it means to be an artist. It has potentially democratized culture to the point of irrelevance.  There is no longer high or low – culture or entertainment – it has become about relevance or irrelevance.  What is the best way to navigate this time while retaining a sense of authenticity, vulnerability and identity?  Although this is a fundamental question for artists in any era, it feels particularly difficult to answer at the moment. In this sense, High Heart is more a question than a statement.

The song titles in this project refer to different challenges I have experienced while interfacing with a global audience. For example, “Drawn Away” refers to the dangers of technological overuse and losing perspective, while “High Heart” speaks to the human desire to connect and express through these new mediums at the risk of feeling isolated and cut off.

Ultimately, High Heart is a project of hope, and for me, a focused and personal message in a time where it has become harder for all artists to find their way through the noise.”