Ben Sollee Fuses Classical Cello with Pop, Jazz, Blues, and Bluegrass

Nashville – Ben Sollee is from Kentucky, and he looks like most good boys from the South. In his New Balance running shoes, khaki pants, and collared polo, he’d be ready to meet your grandmother at any time. He seems like a pretty regular guy until he picks up his cello. At this moment, his face lights up with the pleasure of seeing the crowd. Nashville welcomed Sollee with a bigger audience than expected on a Wednesday night at Exit/In, but the show that followed proved that Sollee earned every fan present.

He greeted the audience saying, “We don’t play music for a living. We drive and carry gear for a living. We play music for fun.” The half-joke was wholly true: Ben Sollee has perceptible fun when he plays music.

Ben grinned at his drummer when he pulled off a mind-boggling jazz solo, he joked with the enraptured underage kids clinging to the stage at his feet, he closed his eyes and moved his head to the music. It’s obvious that he enjoys being the diviner of that elusive pool of musical creativity, invisible to the rest of us. He seems to exhale music.

His current Facebook picture shows his cello taped up in words that say, “This is not a cello.” And indeed, Ben is no ordinary cellist. Although it is apparent that he is classically trained, his style is more pop that swings between blues, jazz, and bluegrass. He plucks and beats, and ultimately uses the cello as his partner to communicate incredibly personal songs.

Ben amiably chattered with the audience, telling us about each song. Before “Prettiest Tree on the Mountain,” he told a metaphorical story about spotting the first autumn colored tree on a mountain of green and wondering if it was the leader tree (the first to turn autumn’s colors) or if it was just diseased. No mysteries with this guy though: the song is actually about a beautiful red-haired girl he chased to California in vain. The story background lent a dimension of cynical derision to the whimsical, sweet song that he performed without his band.

He also didn’t hesitate to tell us his views on environmental issues. He expressed a wish to stop strip-mining, not such an odd hope coming from a nature enthusiast raised in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Since actions speak louder than words, he’ll soon be embarking on a bicycling tour for which he will ditch his touring van, Tammy, and bicycle through Michigan with his cello strapped to the bike’s side to play in different cities. He explained to us that this sort of tour, which is not his first, is not so much about saving the earth as it is about slowing down and traveling only so far as the body will physically allow. The song “Slow Down,” which followed the digression, is a reflection on this idea.

“How to See the Sun Rise,” which was featured on the television show Weeds, was both the surprise and the highlight of the night. Cello loops and cloth mallets built an incredible atmosphere, which broke into the blues inspired song. A torrent of creative jazz improvisation from Ben, his drummer, and the his bassist finished it off. Ben concluded, “The fun part about that song is that we never know how it’s going to end. We just let it be.”

Like “How to See the Sun Rise,” Ben let the music be. He played his own instrument as much as he was the instrument, giving himself to the creative moment on stage. A willingness shone through to let the music flow as it will.

In 2007, NPR named him one of the Top 10 Great Unknown Artists. Though he still seems to fly under the radar, it isn’t for want of talent or lack of stage presence. Ben Sollee is full of the sort of talent that makes you giddy when it manifests live on stage. We’re wishing him more enraptured fans, clinging to the stage at his feet.

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Caroline McDonald

My first memory is of singing Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” quietly to myself during preschool naptime. Perhaps it’s because I’m from Nashville where an instrument lives in every home, but music has gripped me for as long as I can remember.

After dabbling in many parts of the music industry—recording studios, PR, management, labels, publishing—I’m expanding into music journalism because I’m yet to find anything more rewarding that finding and sharing new music.

A longtime sucker for girls with guitars, my musical taste unabashedly follows the songwriting lineage of Dolly Parton and includes Patty Griffin, Gillian Welch, and Neko Case. But not to pigeonhole myself, my music love is big love that stretches from R.L. Burnside to Animal Collective to Lord Huron.

I’ve recently moved home to Nashville after living in Boston and Big Sur for several years. I’d forgotten how music pours onto the streets ten hours a day, seven days a week. I’m honored to share the creative explosion happening here. If your band is in the area or of the area, please reach out!