Casey Benjamin obit

Casey Benjamin, Saxophonist & Vocoder Master For Robert Glasper Experiment, Dies At 45

 He was not on the list.

Casey Benjamin, the lauded musician and producer best known for his work on saxophone and vocoder with the Robert Glasper Experiment, has died at age 45, according to several reports.

While an official statement has yet to arrive from Benjamin’s camp, various fans and fellow musicians have already made posts about his passing including bassist Derrick Hodge, his Robert Glasper Experiment bandmate.

“Tonight, I honor a brother,” Hodge wrote in a post on Instagram. “A true brother and friend. Casey Benjamin, thank you for inspiring me, for being a light in my life, and for your unbelievable influence on the music world. I will carry your smile with me, brother. And we will collectively honor and carry your legacy with us.”

Hodge added, “Can’t get my words together at this moment but will echo a few of my last words to you: I’m thankful for you and love you always! Rest well, King.” The post did not specify a cause of death.

The Queens, NY native began playing saxophone at age eight and studied at the well-known Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts before enrolling at the New School. There, he met a young Robert Glasper, with whom he went on to form a lasting creative relationship.

The Robert Glasper Experiment—comprised predominantly of Robert Glasper (keys, piano, synths), Derrick Hodge (bass), Chris Dave (drums, percussion), and Casey Benjamin (vocoder, flute, saxophone, synths)—won a Grammy Award for Best R&B album for the groundbreaking 2012 LP Black Radio, which featured guest appearances by Erykah Badu, Lalah Hathaway, Lupe Fiasco, Bilal, Ledisi, Musiq Soulchild, Meshell Ndegeocello, Yasiin Bey, and more. The follow-up album, 2013’s Black Radio 2, was also nominated for a Best R&B Album and netted Benjamin his second Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance for the album’s recreation of Stevie Wonder‘s “Jesus Children of America”.

Beyond his work with Robert Glasper, he collaborated with an array of notable artists from the jazz, hip-hop, and R&B worlds including Roy Gargrove, Kendrick Lamar, Betty Carter, Nas, Q-Tip, Busta Rhymes, DJ Logic, Wyclef Jean, Mary J. Blige, John Legend, Beyoncé, and more. He also performed as one-half of the funk pop new wave duo HEAVy alongside vocalist Nicky Guiland and netted acclaim as a member of the band on jazz vibraphonist Stefon Harris‘ 2009 LP, Urbanus.

In 2019, Benjamin took part in the first-ever edition of Live For Live Music‘s long-running series of all-star funk jams, The Funk Sessions, in Denver, CO alongside members of Lettuce, The Motet, and TAUK. 

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. 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.