Sam Gendel – “Anywhere” (112 Cover Feat. Meshell Ndegeocello)
![](https://static.stereogum.com/uploads/2023/01/unnamed-2023-01-19T114007.109-1674146413-1000x1000.jpg)
LA jazz performer and producer Sam Gendel is an everywhere-all-at-once sort of musician. Over the last few years, he’s collaborated with Vampire Weekend, contributed to Animal Collective’s For The Bids: The Birdsong Project, covered “Old Town Road,” and released a bunch of his own albums (the most recent one being last year’s blueblue, where every track was named for a pattern within the traditional Japanese embroidery style of sashiko). Now, the prolific sax player is announcing a new themed album, COOKUP, coming Feb. 24 via Nonesuch Records.
According to a press release, COOKUP features interpretations of R&B and soul hits originally released between 1992 and 2004: Ginuwine, 112, Aaliyah, All-4-One, Soul 4 Real, Beyoncé, Joe, Erykah Badu, Mario, SWV, and Boyz II Men are all represented. It was also recorded in California with collaborators Gabe Noel and Philippe Melanson. Today, Gendel is sharing his version of 112’s “Anywhere” featuring Meshell Ndegeocello on vocals.
“COOKUP marks another chance to convene with my good friends Phil Melanson and Gabe Noel. For this occasion, we hovered over a particular flavor: jams that we grew up with,” Gendel says. “We sculpted in sound our collective memories of this music. Meshell Ndegeocello took the 112 to another dimension (shoutout wayne12). Listen to Ginuwine, listen to 100 covers of Ginuwine on YouTube, listen to COOKUP.”
Hear “Anywhere” below.
TRACKLIST:
01 “Differences” (Ginuwine)
02 “Anywhere” (Feat. Meshell Ndegeocello) (112)
03 “Are You That Somebody” (Aaliyah)
04 “I Swear” (All-4-One)
05 “Candy Rain” (Soul 4 Real)
06 “In Those Jeans” (Ginuwine)
07 “Crazy In Love” (Beyonce)
08 “I Wanna Know” (Joe)
09 “Didn’t Cha Know” (Erykah Badu)
10 “Let Me Love You” (Mario)
11 “SWV Medley” (SWV)
12 “Water Runs Dry” (Boyz II Men)
COOKUP is out 2/24 on Nonesuch Records. Pre-order it here.