Ben Reel:vocals,Guitar,harmonica
Michael Black:Drums
Ronnie O,Flynn:Bass
Micky McCarney:Lead Guitar or
Gerald Black:lead Guitar.
Additional Musicians who have played and recorded with the band in the last few years. : Johnny Reynolds, Guitar
Micky McCarthy: Guitar
John McCullogh: Keyboards
Julieanne Black: Backing Vocals
An eclectic mix of everything that is great in music, A unique soulful,spiritual, uplifting groovy sound,described once as the middle ground between Rock&Jazz. The band have developed a kinda chilled out rootsie americana westcoast feel that sounds fresh and vibrant.
Listen to the full RTE Radio 1 broadcast of the Ben Reel Band live
in McKenna's Monaghan. Broadcast on Monday 4th and11th of Febuary
on RTE Radio 1. The recording is taken from a concert on the 8th
November 2007. You can listen to it here, in two parts:
Ben Reel is a singular artist, the latest original to emerge from the wonderful Irish tradition of great singer-songwriters. From the troubadours of the heart and with message songs of works both spiritual and emotionally charged while also tinged with the gift of turning a phrase with the best of them.
Hailing from Silverbridge in County Armagh, against the backdrop of the troubles in Northern Ireland, music became Ben’s way out. Ben first picked up the guitar when he was 15 years old, inspired by the realness of the likes of Bruce Springsteen & Neil Young whose music struck a chord that resonated deep into Reel's psyche. This is still reflected today in Ben's passionate and heart- on-the-sleeve approach to performing and writing.
Time to get real will mark Reel’s 5th album in 10 years and is due to be released in October 2009. It promises to be his definitive album and also marks 20 years since he formed his first band “Trim The Velvet” as a teenager back in 1989. After the break up of TTV, Ben took somewhat of a sabbatical from the music scene which allowed for clarity and perspective; it was not long then before he came back with his debut album This is the Movie. Since then each album has went from strength to strength covering different styles of music along the way from Rock, Soul, Roots to Reggae to Funk. Now, with this new record, his music has evolved into an honest, earthy, soulful sound that has matured like a fine wine.
RTE Radio 1 recently recorded a full live Ben Reel gig which was broadcasted in Feb ‘08 as part of their In Concert series. Also in October ’08, his band performed four songs on Blas Ceoil, a programme on BBC2 N. Ireland, and on 1st April ‘09 the band appeared on Dave Fanning's, “The 11th Hour” programme on RTE2. In May ’09, U People – a now infamous collaboration between Ben and Rainbow George - was playlisted for 2 weeks on Today FM with a live performance on Ray Darcy’s show and has been featured on Tony Fenton’s download of the day.
Gerry Anderson, of BBC Radio Ulster, when referring to Reel's last album New Horizon said it was “the best album I've heard in years”.
Put simply and aptly, New Horizon is all killer, no filler! Rarely have I heard an album so complete and so fully realised. From the brilliance of the playing and arranging to the magnificence of Reel's voice – “this is heaven all the way” - Andrew Hobbs, Hi Fi +. Magazine
In the last 2 years Ben Reel has enjoyed successful tours in Holland, Belgium and Germany, receiving rave reviews in which he has a growing fan base.
In the last 10 years Ben has supported celebrated names like Jools Holland, Alabama 3, The Cranberries and Michael Ball; he has performed U People with the legendary Blockheads; and has recorded the song with award winning saxophonist Gilard Atzman, he has played with some of the finest musicians in Ireland as his backing band; and along the way, has built a loyal underground following that has made for innumerable friends and contacts through his art. He has been described as an artist lying beneath the radar for way too long, but this simmering pot is about to boil!
BUY THE NEW ALBUM 'TIME TO GET REAL' HERE NOW VIA PAYPAL OR CDBABY, JUST CLICK ON BUY BUTTONS BELOW.
Stopping by to wish you a fantastic week!!! Hope all is going great with you!!! Check out my newest single Whipping Post on Texas radio NOW!!! I also hope to see you out at Armadillo Palace Wednesday November 11th @ 12:00pm for my interview and acoustic performance with 740 KTRH's Michael Berry (Texas Music Show) See you there!!! Love, ~Susan Hickman www.susanhickman.com www.reverbnation.com/susanhickman www.twitter.com/susanhickman
Just checking in to say hello and thanks for
remaining a friend. Please do stop in and check out the photo gallery section.
It's always good to hear what folks think.
MyTuneRox Offers 100% royalty on all tracks sold and 20% share of all advertsing revenue! Join the music revolution today! Click below to register for free:
We have been given access to an Exclusive new track 'Tout Pour Apprende'by The Lifebuoy Project. The track is up for FREE DOWNLOAD for just one week, on our myspace music player.
If you love wierd ambient electronica mixed with a slither of postrock-ness then be sure to check out "The Lifebuoy Project" on the following address...
Thanks for being such a great friend!!! YOU ROCK!!!
If you are around Friday August 28th I'll be having a big show at Tumbleweed Texas with the Spiffingtons in Houston Texas I really hope to see you there!!! Love ~Susan www.susanhickman.com
@ clubsamwich we love finding music thats FRESH, NEW and of course HOME GROWN! We aim to get this music to you, the people who are so desperate to hear it and do so before anyone else!
Clubsamwich Introduces... MORE THAN CONQUERORS, With clarity and huge foresight, these four gather, to write music that not only captures a sense of honesty but a grasp of triumph and defeat. Trying to find out how far they can reach and what stories they can tell, a mix of melody and impactive beats, come together to create the climactic sound of MORE THAN CONQUERORS.
You can check out the guys on their myspace, where they have two new tracks uploaded from their forthcoming E.P.
Glasgowbury is only a few hours away!
THE CLUBSAMWICH HOT GLASGOWBURY TIPS ARE....ASIWYFA of course, headline the Small but Massive stage, don't miss out on possibly the greatest post-rock experience in the history on Northen Irish Music. WARNING...FACES WILL MELT!!!
Make sure you catch Clownparlour at 7.45 on the acoustic stage, a wierd but truely wonderful show is guaranteed.
Cashier No.9, fresh of the back of a hugely successful festival run this summer, pay a visit to Eagles Rock to add their twist on what should be an epic day for all the family!
Just three of the many great acts at this years festival, make sure you get down early to devour as many of the delectable treats available in the form of Northern Irish Music!
Maybe catch you about tomorrow!
Thomas
Clubsamwich
Hi! Thanks for friendship approval! Don't forget that you can get my music for free and I still will get paid! How can it be? With gimmesound.com it's possible. They pay artists for every download out of their ad revenue. Now you can have your favorite music for free and the same time support the artist! We both gain!
![[ Sweet Victory 2004 ]](http://www.benreel.com/svictorycoverbig.gif)
![[ Lost in the Haze ]](http://www.benreel.com/lostinthehazesmall.jpg)
![[ This Is The Movie ]](http://www.benreel.com/thisisthemoviealbumcoversmall.jpg)
