October 30, 2008

Ben Sollee: Something Worth Keeping

You must doing something right when you get Jim James (My Morning Jacket) on your 2 track EP Something Worth Keeping. Ben Sollee from Louisville, KY, pulled if off. His cello features prominently on all his songs, like a warm blanket covering his folky musings.

When I look around I see a lot of things that are worth keeping: the mountain tops of Appalachia, family and community farms, art and music in schools, and, most of all, a government by the people and for the people. But how? The challenge that our leaders and us face is that we don’t know how to accomplish these goals. There are many eloquent ideas out there about renewable energy, educational systems, and governing, but realizing them means trying new things; which is daunting at least, and terrifying at most. As my generation takes the reins we should not sacrifice some qualities of this nation and the land in its boundaries to the wayfaring spirit of economy. They are important for Americans, our children, and the rest of the world.

These thoughts inspired these two new songs. But they are only songs ...

A Mute with a Bullhorn:
Cello and Voice: Ben Sollee
Orchestration: Ben Sollee
Brass Quintet: Thoroughbred Brass Ensemble

This is Only a Song:
Cello and Voice: Ben Sollee
Additional Voice: Jim James
Guitar: Justin Craig

Live dates:
  • 11/01 930 Listening Room, Louisville, KY
  • 11/05 The Basement, Nashville, TN
  • 11/06 The 5 Spot, Atlanta, GA
  • 11/07 Nighlight, Chapel Hill, NC
  • 11/08 Iota Washington, Washington, DC
  • 11/11 The Bell House, Brooklyn, NY
  • 11/12 Mercury Lounge, New York, NY
  • 11/13 Great Scott, Boston, Massachusetts
  • 11/14 World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA
  • 11/15 Club CafĂ©, Pittsburgh, PA
  • 11/17 Schuba’s, Chicago, Illinois
  • 11/18 400 Club, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • 11/21 TBA, Seattle, WN
  • 11/22 Balcony Bar At The Hawthorne Theatre, Portland, OR
  • 11/24 Cafe Du Nord, San Francisco, CA
  • 11/25 Hotel Cafe, Los Angeles, CA

» bensollee.com
myspace.com/bensollee

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