Ben Sollee - Learning to Bend

So it was by a pleasurable accident that I ran across Ben Sollee - I was actually checking out my friend Ben Dean's band Caravan of Thieves - and stumbled across Ben Sollee who actually has the same PR firm as Ben.

Anyway, long story short - Ben Sollee is a classically trained cello player/singer song writer out of Kentucky, who has worked with some seriously talented musicians in the alternative folk world such as: Jim James (My Morning Jacket fame); Casey Driessen (Colorfools, and an amazing Bluegrass fiddler); Abigail Washburn (banjo, singer song writer); and Bela Fleck. (Flecktones fame)

His style of music is a fusion of jazz, neo classical, folk, and bluegrass. As far as a musician and instrumentalist his talent with the cello is fantastic - he uses a lot of Darol Anger style rhythm chops on songs such as "How to See the Sun Rise" with his bow - but also has flawless pizzicato plucking style on songs such as "It's Not Impossible." (on the album this features the banjo stylings of Bela Fleck)(check out Ben Sollee's video playing this song live on Jimmy Kimmel Live.) His right hand pizz. is a wonder to watch even for people who aren't experts with string instruments. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCWVZkK24PQ

In regards to his song writing, Ben Solle has a nice mature touch with his songs, which never come across as contrived. Check out the lyrics for his song "Panning for Gold" which is about his grandparents suffering from dementia:

"I saw God by the river
Panning for gold
I saw God by the river
Weary and old

He said; ‘Son,
I used to know where I put things,
I used to know’

I saw God in the forest
Teaching Tai Chi to the trees
In the wind
And bowing to the seas

He said; ‘Son,
I used to know where I put things,
I used to know’

I saw God on the mountain
Tearing at the sky
I saw God on the mountain
With tears in his eyes

He said; ‘Son,
I used to know where I put things,
I used to know
I could have shown you all the beauty in the world
but now I need you to show me
Yes, show me’ "

His album, 'Learning to Bend' is a veritable gem of songs ranging from Bluegrass ("Bury Me With My Car"), Folk ("Prettiest Tree on the Mountain"), Appalachian ballad ("Built for This"), Pop Soul("How to See the Sun Rise"), to political commentary "A Few Honest Words" and the Sam Cooke cover "A Change is Going to Come." Overall as a album it is light easy listening, which never gets too heavy or fluffy.

Furthermore: "Per Ben's unique performance experience and creative vision trump his 24 years and traditional classical training; he is poised to emerge as a solo artist, bridging genres and demographics with earnest and dynamic songwriting. However, the single most salient quality of Learning to Bend, is Ben's contagiously optimistic worldview. Ben is not just expressing his personal quest for flexibility, he is asking the entire country to learn to bend, learn how to cry, learn how to see the sun rise... He is at the forefront of a movement that is happening right now: a zeitgeist in which a nation can face reality and empower itself to evolve and feel deeply and stand up for the power of hope." -Amazon Editorial

Check out the following video of Ben Sollee's "It's Not Impossible" -

~Andrew Joslyn