BOOKING ENQUIRIES: IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BOOKING BEN POOLE AT YOUR VENUE, FESTIVAL OR EVENT PLEASE EMAIL: benpooleband@gmail.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BEN POOLE BAND DEBUT ALBUM: IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING THE BEN POOLE BAND'S DEBUT ALBUM PLEASE EMAIL: benpooleband@gmail.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BAND MEMBERS: Ben Poole (Guitars and Vocals), Gary Pearson (Bass Guitar), Paul Hannon (Drums) plus many more guest/dept musicians... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ENDORSERS: Ben Poole proudly endorses Rotosound Strings and is currently using the Roto-Blues nickel on steel 10's - 52's range of electric guitar strings.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OTHER BANDS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE BLACK HAND: I play lead guitar with this blues/rock/grunge band based in Brighton and London whom have recently recorded with Eddie Kramer at Abbey Road studios and toured with 'Rosehill Drive' and Duff Mckagen's (Guns 'n' Roses) 'Duffs Loaded.' www.theblackhand.co.uk
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DANI WILDE: I play lead guitar with this UK blues/soul singer signed to German based record label 'RUF Records'. We will be touring the UK throughout 2009 and also have confirmed dates in Germany and Switzerland. Watch out for new possible new dates throughout the rest of Europe. www.daniwilde.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Influences
Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Healey, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Richie Kotzen, FREE, Philip Sayce, Joe Bonamassa, Rod Stewart, Rory Gallagher, Slash, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Aynsley Lister, Albert Collins, BB King, Albert King, Mato Nanji, John Mayall, Jeff Buckley, Scotty Moore, Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, Albert Lee, Eric Sardinas, Greg Howe, Danny Gatton, Brad Paisley, Lenny Kravitz, Prince, John Mayer, Guthrie Govan (my guitar teacher!), Robben Ford, Sonny Landreth, Led-Zeppelin, Robert Johnson, Matt Schofield, Son House, John Lee Hooker, Eric Johnson, Brent Mason, Freddie King, Muddy Waters...the list goes on and on and on...
Sounds Like
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRESS/QUOTES...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"F***ing amazing! I loved his playing...I really loved his playing! -JEFF BECK
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Ben Poole: the next Joe Bonamassa? 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." -'TOTAL GUITAR' MAGAZINE
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"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!"
-'SNAILS PACE SLIM' (THE HAMSTERS)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"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 (“one of the best blues guitarists in the world” London Surrey News)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Something really special there...some great playing!" -JAN CYRKA (Guitarist Magazine/UK session guitarist/producer)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“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
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The guitar playing is bloody brilliant...really great stuff" -KEVIN NIXON (Virgin V2 A&R Director/ Manager of Kula Shaker)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"[Ben's] playing is great and I really don't say that very often"
-PAUL CORNFORD (CORNFORD AMPLIFICATION)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"A F***in' wicked guitarist!" -DONNY TOURETTE (THE TOWERS OF LONDON)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Amazing!" -KIERON PEPPER (DRUMMER FOR THE PRODIGY)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Young British blues star...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." (www.bluesjamtracks.com)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Bedford’s favourite young blues artist...ultra cool, stylish blues-rock. Anyone who has seen The Ben Poole Band in action knows that they are in for a night of guitar magic. Often searing, occasionally playfully meandering, a ticket marked 'Ben Poole Band, admit one' generally means you are going to have a pretty awesome night."
-‘BEDFORD TODAY’ Newspaper.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REVIEW/TESTIMONIAL:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Bringing some much needed fresh talent to the world of rock-blues at The Horn was The Ben Poole Band. The outfit formerly called The Fifth Quarter, and well known on the Bedford circuit, picked up a whole new army of supporters as a red-hot warm-up act to Carvin Jones at the recently-refurbished venue. Poole, who lives in Barton, has everything going for him – he's a stunningly original and talented guitarist, he's slim, good looking, writes his own songs and is only 20. Poole, who is studying music at Brighton, is a phenomenal talent. He isn't afraid to mix up his repertoire and ease off the pedal when necessary. A full-tilt rock number may be followed by a slow, bluesy song to offer a little light and shade and he's not afraid to steer away from the standard pentatonic blues scales to improvise and experiment live with the variety of Gibsons and Fenders he brings on stage. And his slidework on the last couple of numbers at the Horn was really on the money, with some high-tempo bottleneck work. With influences such as Robert Johnson, Albert Collins, Jeff Beck and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Poole has a steadying rock of heritage under his feet. But he's very much his own man and his versions of their work are interesting arrangements and interpretations rather than straight covers. According to long standing Poole fans, he's getting better and better with every performance. He's already a well known and popular act in St. Albans and around Bedford and if there's even more to come, I'd like to be around to see it." -Review by Alan Candy's on his Bluesman's Blog for 'The TIMES & CITIZEN' Newspaper. Published date: 22/10/07
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I had one of those unforgettable musical moments during their gig... difficult to explain if you weren't there, but I'll try.... Whilst the band were bluesing through a lovely number Ben (Guitar+Vox) decided to play around with the sounds he can get out of his Axe, and jam breaks at really low volume.... quieter and quieter ... and the number stopped. You could hear a pin drop. Not one member of the crowd started to applaud... not one... I'm not sure if he knew what he had at that point... but it was described later (by a grizzled old guitarist) as "An Audience in the palm of his hand". He looked up from his guitar, took in the faces... recognised they were silently shouting for MORE!, smiled.... and went straight back into a storming blues ending. The roof nearly came off! It was pure magic. A grizzled old keyboard player glanced across at me just after with a look that said: "Awesome"... just one word .... well maybe two ...effing awesome!" -Rob Vernon (Bedford Gig Promoter) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Phenomenal fret work and passionate playing" -THE HORN (UK music pub of the year 2008)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Modern Rock 'n' Blues with Killer licks, A MUST SEE! " -Paul Craven (Gig Promoter) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Their talent, skill and musicianship should now be known to every local music fan. They belie their tender years to bring home the sound of the Blues. In the audience, men perhaps old enough to be the bands grandfathers watch open mouthed and awestruck at the sheer feeling, emotion and raw power that they produce. They really are something special" -www.bedfordesquires.co.uk ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The highlight of the evening was the arrival of The Ben Poole Band. I hadn’t previously come across Ben Poole, but I'm telling you now, the kid is going to be a major star. Ben Poole plays modern blues rock to a phenomenally high standard. Quite honestly I have never seen a better guitarist in the flesh. In fact it was slightly depressing to think that at the age of 34, I've probably been playing the guitar longer than he has, and yet even if I practice for the rest of my life, I'll never be as good as he is now. But my lack of talent aside, Ben made inventive use of a wireless radio transmitter plugged into his guitar, which meant that while his bassist and drummer took to the stage, Ben could start his set from the comfort of the bar outside. He repeated the trick towards the end of the gig, wandering out of the room like the Pied Piper of Jammin’, with a bunch of teenage rats following his progress through the foyer, while everyone else wondered where the music was coming from. Credit must go to Ben’s band too, who were excellent throughout." -Review by Phil Gardner for 'THE ARGUS' newspaper (Brighton, Hove & Sussex)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I love the Blues and they've got them, they blew me away." -www.bedfordmetal.co.uk --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Terrific blues trio" -www.brighton-hove.gov.uk --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "This band are awesome, specialists in churning out three-minute slabs of red-hot blues rock. Live they shake the venue as though they have been at this music for eons, while thier latest demo CD suggests the sonic future of this band will be even more exciting...this trio have forged a name for themselves on the scene, courtesy of a combination of skill and graft. Because quite aside from the fact that every member can boast great technical ability, the band have gigged like crazy over the past few years. Local scenesters have razed about the band, with phrases like "awesome" and "unforgettable" peppered liberally through thier reviews." - 'TIMES & CITIZEN' Newspaper 24/08/07 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Blues-rock legends!" -www.swmtf.org.uk --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "A phenomenal guitarist...great rough blues vocals" Keef -Gig Promoter @ The Athletic --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "These guys are destined for a great future with the Blues, see them here first and you'll be able to say you'd seen them before they became famous! If you like Joe Bonamassa you'll love this band.” -THE HORN (UK music pub of the year 2008) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Blues Sensations" - TIMES & CITIZEN Newspaper 22/07/07 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Rocking blues with great distinction...Ben is a stunningly talented guitarist" -BBC Children in Need Gig Programme (Produced by Bob Bruce)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"In our endless search to find some of the finest young talent in the country we are bringing a band who are very keen to play at the "Woody" (honest!!). Faced with a 7 hour drive from Brighton, they asked if there was any digs near by rather than head straight home "we can do you 2 hours plus if you want, all we want to do is play" they said. We couldn't resist the enthusiasm of this kid,it just brings a warm feeling all over when you encounter someone who is so keen. And by the way the kid's good bloody good! Miss this one if you dare!!" -Thomas Wormald (Promoter at 'The Woodcutter', Hartlepool)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PICS...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VIDEO
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE BLUES JAM TRACKS SESSIONS! Ben Poole was invited by legendary UK session guitar player and Producer Jan Cyrka (credits include producing Guthrie Govan's debut album) to his London recording studio to jam over some of his blues backing tracks to help promote the www.bluesjamtracks.com website......this is what happened:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BELOW...Ben Poole with Jason Knight playing keys, Martin Wright on drums and Jonny Chase on bass Live @ Concorde 2, Brighton. March 2008:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BELOW...Guthrie Govan & Ben Poole jamming for endorsers 'Rotosound' on their stand at the Birmingham Music Live show 2008:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BELOW...Guthrie Govan & Ben Poole jamming for endorsers 'Rotosound' on their stand at the 'London International Music Show' 2009:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BELOW...Ben Poole live @ The Concorde 2, Brighton. December 2007:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BELOW...Ben Poole playing with RUF records artist Dani Wilde and her band at Alte Piesel in Fulda during our April 2009 Germany tour. The song is an Etta James song called 'I'd Rather Go Blind'. Ben's guitar solo is 3mins 30secs in:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BELOW...Ben Poole playing with RUF records artist Dani Wilde and her band at The Blues Garage in Hannover during our April 2009 Germany tour. Ben's solo is 2mins 10secs in:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BELOW..."An old video of Ben Poole playing with RUF records artist Dani Wilde the band at Music on the Meadow festival, July 07". Ben's guitar solo is at 3:05:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABOUT...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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. His latest recordings reinforce this and make it blatantly clear that this 21 year old is destined for a great future on the European Blues/Rock scene.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IN THE BEGINNING...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Born in Coventry, Ben’s family moved to a small village in Bedfordshire, called Barton Le-Clay when he was a youngster. He first started playing guitar seriously at the age of 12…
“I think I was about nine years old when my mum and dad bought me a little classical nylon-strung acoustic guitar but it took me a few years to get into it. My parents insisted that I took lessons and so I had a teacher who would come around each week and teach me to play such boring classics as ‘She’ll be Coming Round The Mountain’ and ‘Old MacDonald Had A Farm’ and other s**t like that! The exact moment that I decided I wanted to get serious with the electric guitar was when I was 12 and got a new guitar teacher who, in our first lesson together, taught me the intro riff to ‘Voodoo Child’ by Jimi Hendrix. The sheer energy and excitement that shone through Jimi’s music, his guitar playing in particular, 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 and intrigue 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 worldwide blues/rock industry.
Ben’s commitment to this goal was strong. As soon as he finished school he ventured 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 most recently the three-piece, playing under the name The Ben Poole Band have been playing to hundreds upon hundreds of people at sold out gigs across the country, supporting artists such as US blues/rock guitarist Carvin Jones (“one of the best blues guitarists in the world” London Surrey News), guitar virtuoso Guthrie Govan, Bernie Torme (ex Ozzy Osbourne, Gillan guitarist) and The Hamsters (“one of Britain’s very best live bands” Bob Harris, Radio 2).
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’ alongside Aynsley Lister, Ian Parker, Bob Brozman, Candye Kane and many more great blues artists. As a result of this meeting and an instant musical connection, Ben now plays lead guitar in her band (she has backed artists such as Gary Moore at the Vibes in the Vines Festival and Jools Holland at The Royal Albert Hall. Ben and Dani remain good friends and have continued to gig together at countless venues across the country from arts centers to various blues clubs to festivals such as 'Rhythm Festival' in Milton Keynes, 'Brecon Jazz Festival' in Wales and 'Music On The Meadown Festival' in Mayfield.
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 Govan (Guthrie has taught Ben the guitar for the past three years).
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, featuring 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 country technique and a pop sensibility, but we leave you to check out how others have summed up his music (see left for Ben's press and reviews etc)...although ultimately it is up to you to make your own judgements! Enjoy!!!
Great guitar and vocals. Looking forward to the Bentworth Blues Festival. See you are also playing with Dani Wilde next year in Andover. She's fantastic! Hope to get along to that as well.
Bj Poole is oh so cool, His guitars his tool, His licks; old skool, He'll make your mouth water, He'll make Girls cry, BJ's a legend, And this is why... He got the groove Like BB King, His Rocks that thing, He makes it sing, He fits 50 notes in half a second.. Who's the man?.. Well who d'ya reckon!...............
hey ben, i know its not the best sounding track but could you have a look at it and tell me what you think of it mainly guitar but the song as a whole cheers man. ill give you a call soon about some more lessons hope all is well. and ill be seeing you this weekend with ben for your gig. peace alex t.o.r
Wotcha Ben. You can catch me + upbeat folk combo Jack & The Candlemakers + top ska punk band Los Albertos playing for free in the Wild Park Lewes Road Moulsecoomb Brighton on sat 16 May between 12 and 3.30.
hey ben, maybe if you have some time and transport you could pop across and have a look?
Thanks for the friendship!
Barnroom Recording Studios nr Sittingbourne Kent UK
Recording and Rehearsals, Large Live Room.
Large comfortable Control Room Protools/Neve/Raindirk/Tascam/Focusrite and lots more! Recording/ Editing/ Mixing/ Mastering Residential Recording, Experienced Engineers Best rates
Thnx for the msge Ben. We're booked up on sessions for most of the early part of the year (we're a monthly show) but in in the meantime if you Mp3 us something groovy I'll do my best to try and get it played. Cheers WTW
Online Now!
