foreword...
Inspired by the Blues, infused with a hard hitting, “in-yer-face” rock approach and topped-off by virtuoso musicianship, Ben Poole is being talked of as “the” new up-and-coming UK Blues guitarist; one of the finest to have emerged in Europe for years. Having already played with, and received critical acclaim from some of his heroes; legendary blues artists including Jeff Beck, Gary Moore and John Mayall, at just 22 years of age it appears that there is no stopping this young and incredibly gifted musician. His latest recordings reinforce this and make it blatantly clear that Ben is destined for a great future on the European Blues/Rock scene
Biography...
Born in Coventry, England Ben’s family moved to a small village in Bedfordshire, called Barton Le-Clay when he was a youngster. He first started playing guitar at the age of 9…
“I was nine years old when my mum and dad bought me a little classical nylon-strung acoustic guitar. My parents insisted that I took lessons and so I had a teacher who would come around each week and teach me to play songs like ‘She’ll be Coming Round The Mountain’ and ‘Old MacDonald Had A Farm’ and other s*** like that! This held no appeal for me whatsoever, so I did not have a great deal of passion towards the guitar at that time. The exact moment that I decided I wanted to get serious with the guitar was when I was 12 years old and got a new guitar teacher who, in our first lesson together, taught me the intro riff to ‘Voodoo Child’ by Jimi Hendrix. The very same day I asked my mum and dad if I could have an electric guitar for Christmas! The sheer energy and excitement that shone through Jimi’s music, and in particular his guitar playing, was breathtaking and soon after I was immersing myself in the blues, eager to trace the roots of this raw and emotionally robust style of music.”
It has always been the artists who bridged the gap between blues and rock music that have captured Ben’s imagination the most, such as Rory Gallagher, the aforementioned Jimi Hendrix and the late Jeff Healey. After watching, open mouthed and amazed, the Stevie Ray Vaughan DVD ‘Live at the el-Mocambo,’ Ben decided from that moment on that he would dedicate himself to following the same path as these musicians with the intent of becoming a leading figure in the worlds blues/rock industry.
Ben’s commitment to this goal was strong. As soon as he finished school he ventured south to the musically vibrant city of Brighton to check out the music scene and to undertake a degree in professional musicianship, specialising in guitar, at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music.
“At BIMM I met loads of like minded, talented musicians and completing the course has made me even more focused on what I want to achieve in my life.”
Ben recruited a killer rhythm section whilst down in Brighton and the three-piece, were soon packing out Brighton bars and clubs and before long were venturing out of town playing to hundreds upon hundreds of people at sold out gigs across the country, playing with artists such as Carvin Jones, guitar virtuoso Guthrie Govan, Bernie Torme (ex Ozzy Osbourne, Gillan guitarist), The Nimmo Brothers, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Gwyn Ashton and The Hamsters.
Whilst in Brighton Ben also met ‘Reef’ keys player Jason Knight who immediately hooked Ben up with another young blues sensation Dani Wilde (who is currently signed to German based record label ‘Ruf Records’) and recent years have seen Ben playing lead guitar in her band playing at arts centres and blues clubs across the UK.
Ben has also played at some of the biggest blues festivals in the UK including ‘Brecon Jazz Festival’ in Wales, ‘Rhythm Festival’ in Milton Keynes and most recently supporting John Mayall and The Blues Band (featuring Manfred Mann’s Paul Jones) at ‘Maryport Blues Festival’ in Cumbria playing to over 2000 people. Ben will also be appearing at two massive blues festivals in Switzerland and Lithuania in October 2009. He has toured extensively throughout Germany and is to tour there again in November and December of 2009. Tours of the UK and France playing guitar with Dani Wilde are also being prepared for early 2010.
In June, 2009 Ben had the privilege of jamming with legendary guitarist Jeff Beck, a performance that was watched by another legendary Blues/Rocker, Gary Moore. Jeff was blown away by Ben’s playing and initiated an enormous round of applause after Ben’s wailing solo over the Jeff Beck/Rod Stewart song ‘Blues Deluxe’. Gary Moore was also impressed and when they bumped into one another later that day at Jeff Beck’s after party, Gary offered Ben to come over to his house for a jam.
In September 2008, Ben became an official endorsee of Rotosound guitar strings and has been demoing them with fellow Rotosound endorsee and incredible guitar virtuoso Guthrie Govan (who taught Ben guitar for three years), at some of the biggest music trade shows in England, including ‘Music Live’ in Birmingham and ‘The London International Music Show’.
From the original Mississippi delta blues music of the likes of Robert Johnson, Charley Patton and Son House to the early, raw electric blues sounds created by Muddy Water, John Lee Hooker and the three Kings (BB, Albert and Freddie), Ben Poole’s own style incorporates dozens of blues roots influences but with a modern eclectic touch reminiscent of some of today’s virtuosic guitar heroes such as Eric Johnson, Richie Kotzen, Greg Howe and Guthrie.
Ben did not begin singing until he was 15 years old, encouraged by his dad (who was once a professional musician himself), and inspired mainly by the voices of the artists who were also his favourite guitar players such as Jeff Healey and Stevie Ray Vaughan. However, it was only after hearing the ‘Truth’ album by Jeff Beck, which features a young Rod Stewart on vocals, that Ben began to take as much interest in the singing side of things as the guitar playing.
Ben’s style could be described as combining blues and rock, with a great deal of country-esque technique and a pop sensibility, but we leave you to check out how others have summed up his music (see Ben's press, reviews etc on the front page)...although it is ultimately up to you to make your own judgements! Enjoy!!!
Press Release :
BEN POOLE
Press Release…
“F***ing great! I loved his playing…I really loved his playing!” - Jeff Beck
“A really good player!” - Gary Moore
"Great tracks, great guitar and vocal live...one great special player!" - Bernie Torme (Ozzy Osbourne, Gillan)
"Ben Poole...talented little bugger - I should cut his f***in' hands off!" - 'Slim' (The Hamsters)
"This 21 year old from Bedfordshire has been honing his technique since he was 12 and looks up to the blues guitar greats who have inspired his sound. As far as Ben's concerned, the sky's the limit. Ben really brings the fire with his licks. He's got neck-snapping vibrato where he catches a bunch of strings at once and grinds the shit out of them. By the way he hits the guitar, we can only assume it's been saying rude things about his mother! The notes Ben uses are mostly pentatonic...played with authority, great timing and good dynamics. Ben Poole: the next Joe Bonamassa?" - 'Total Guitar' Magazine
“Very good. A really fresh sound and style!” - Paul Jones (The Blues Band/Manfred Mann/BBC Radio 2)
"Blues Extravaganza! The guitar sounds were impeccable, the timing was beyond reproach and there was evidence of dynamic awareness throughout…This was no “lazy” blues offering – Ben managed to sneak in everything from country licks to Satriani-style legato widdling, yet this was never to the detriment of the overall musicality of the performance. Nice." - Guthrie Govan (Asia, Erotic Cakes, The Young Punx)
“He got the blues…yeah he got it!” - Carvin Jones
“You might not have heard of Ben before, but we think he's going to be huge; he's already making quite a name for himself on the British blues scene.” -Jan Cyrka (‘Guitarist’ magazine)
“A stunningly original and talented guitarist” - ‘The Times & Citizen’ Newspaper
"Phenomenal fret work and passionate playing… destined for a great future with the Blues" - The Horn (UK music pub of the year 2008)
“Ben Poole plays modern blues rock to a phenomenally high standard. Quite honestly I have never seen a better guitarist in the flesh…the kid is going to be a major star.” - ‘The Argus’ Newspaper
"Bedford’s favourite young blues artist...ultra cool, stylish blues-rock. " - ‘Bedford Today’ Newspaper.