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MP3: Ben Sollee – A Few Honest Words

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MP3: Ben Sollee – Bend

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MP3: Ben Sollee – A Change Is Gonna Come

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MP3: Ben Sollee – Dear Kanye

You may or may not recall one of last year’s most remarkable releases, the self-titled LP from Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet.  I can’t emphasize enough how truly innovative that album is.

But it turns out 1/4 of the Sparrows, Louisville KY-hailing cellist Ben Sollee, happens to have some rather remarkable solo work as well.  Much like his elder contemporaries in the Sparrow Quartet (notably the legendary Béla Fleck who we interviewed here), Sollee takes his instrument of choice and stretches its sound to the limits, adeptly bowing, plucking, slapping, bending tones to his will.  Impeccably nuanced playing that steadily morphs from technical origins in classical conservatories to traditional styles rooted in deep rural, urban and mainstream America.

On Sollee’s debut, Learning to Bend, his youthful croon (at times tinged with a bit of a smoky edge) perfectly pairs with his various musical styles, from classic soul (“How To See The Sun Rise”) to knee-slapping, foot-stomping bluegrass (“Bury Me With My Car” with a bit of tongue-in-cheek parody of car culture).  Sollee ventures into some truly affecting,  personal lyrical content on tracks like “It’s Not Impossible” and “I Can’t,” while reaching into the more metaphysical realm with a unique perspective for a crisis of faith on the finger-plucked chamber song “Panning For Gold.”  Sollee broaches the current political environment by penning his original “A Few Honest Words” and adapting and covering legend Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come.”  Beyond stretching his cello’s sounds, Sollee employs diverse instrumentation including sax, vibes, jaw harp, guitar, banjo, drums and concert harp, which lend each track a distinct texture and roots it into a dominant musical style.

Sollee even took a flame to Kanye West’s feet by penning the track “Dear Kanye” after West’s Bonnaroo flap last year, showcasing his sharp, biting wit and stellar songwriting.  Like Washburn and Fleck, Sollee should be followed closely, as he is likely to develop a bold and intriguing new musical vision, unique from any you are likely to encounter elsewhere.

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