Why not?

“Swinging Manhattan” photographed by Sanford Ross Bender in the Autumn of 2024.
“Why not” composed and performed with guitar and slide guitar by Sanford Ross Bender on February 16, 2025.

I can’t find a place where I want to be

“Steep slope” painted and drawn with mixed media by Sanford Ross Bender

“I can’t find a place where I want to be” composed and performed with guitar, snare drum, tom drum, crash cymbal, and glockenspiel by Sanford Ross Bender on February 11, 2024.

Restless Night

“Sundown meadow” photographed by Sanford R. Bender on December 2, 2023
“Restless Night” composed and performed with banjo, electric bass, and acoustic guitar by Sanford R. Bender on December 2, 2023.

Dark City

“Dark City” composed and performed with banjo, concertina, and dobro by Sanford Ross Bender on November 24, 2023 | Masonic Temple -Philadelphia, Pennsylvania photographed by SRB on the night before.

Following Fireflies

“Following Fireflies” painted with acrylics by Sanford Ross Bender
“Following Fireflies” composed, performed. and recorded with banjo, dobro, and guitar by Sanford Ross Bender on September 4, 2023.

Satin Darkness

“Satin Darkness” painted and drawn with ink and crayon on paper by Sanford Ross Bender
“Satin darkness” composed, performed, and recorded with guitar and concertina by Sanford Ross Bender on August 19, 2023.

Night Flowers

“Night Flowers” photographed in Tyler Park, Pennsylvania by Sanford Ross Bender on October 23, 2022
“The Wayfaring Stranger” played on five string banjo by Sanford Ross Bender on October 24, 2022

“The Wayfaring Stranger” is a “well-known American folk and gospel song likely originating in the early 19th century about a plaintive soul on the journey through life” – Wikipedia.

Sailing beyond the moon

“Lift off” drawn with colored pencil and painted with watercolor by Sanford R. Bender sometime in 1982.
“Sailing beyond the Moon” composed, performed and recorded with guitar, concertina, and glockenspiel by Sanford R. Bender on August 23, 2021

Elephant Concert

“You give something away” composed, performed, and recorded on two tracks for guitar and clarinet by Sanford Bender
“Elephant Concert: Performance” Brush, pen and ink painted storyboard by Sanford Bender

“Elephant Concert” originated during an animation course that I participated in in the early 1980’s. The original film was created with colored paints on celluloid. The story was about an elephant man who plays his cello while sounding the clarinet-like melody through his trunk. The unappreciative audience soon becomes unruly and resorts to heckling as an expression of their ignorance.

The original music was played on violin and clarinet. The current music composed for clarinet and guitar heartily welcomes an improvised or composed violoncello part to play along with the guitar and clarinet.

“Elephant Concert: Escape” Brush, pen and ink painted storyboard by Sanford Bender

The emotionally upset performers quickly make their exit from the intolerant city. The elephant man leaps upon his bicycle and pedals furiously as his companion, the violoncello skips alongside.

“Elephant Concert: Consolation” Brush, pen, watercolor and ink painted storyboard by Sanford Bender

The duo finally finds consolation after a well deserved rest in the countryside. Their appetites will soon be appeased as they gaze into the aromatic delicatessen that will soon be opening for business.

Moon Cats outside my Window

“Moon Cats from outside my Window” was painted by Sanford Bender with acrylic paint and colored pencil on canvas board on May 29, 2021.

I awoke just after midnight to a most supernatural music outside my window as cats appeared singing under a full moon. That is what I imagined when I listened back to the music I was composing with tracks of guitar, slide guitar and harmonica. The painting of the nocturnal scene was finally realized two and a half months later from drawings in my sketch book. Whereas an irate neighbor may react to this lunar concert by lunging for a garden hose to spray amidst a torrent of profanities, I was drawn deeply into this feline world of sensory agility and mindfulness for which the music was my portal.

“Moon Cats from outside my Window” – Music by Sanford Bender composed on March 13, 2021.

“Moon Cats from outside my Window” is composed and performed in three tracks for acoustic guitar, acoustic slide guitar, and harmonica by Sanford Bender.