Ben Sollee

Learning to Bend (sonaBLAST!)

By Christine Werthman
Published: June 18th, 2008 | 1:00pm

In the world of Ben Sollee, a cello can do many things. It can do the classic, smooth bow; be plucked for rhythmic punctuation; or it can dip through blues sounds like it’s the tiny brother of an upright bass. Sollee’s instrument has character, and on his album Learning to Bend, his bluesy vocals join in with a harp, saxophone, and the banjo stylings of Béla Fleck to give a fresh take on folk-tinged bluegrass.

Sollee is only in his mid-twenties, but his voice hints at an older quality: like a Jonny Lang but less meaty, or a Ray LaMontagne but not as weathered. Much of the maturity in his vocals could be credited to the blues style itself, as the genre’s trademark downtrodden air tends to naturally age a performer’s sound. But that’s not to say that the substance in Sollee’s singing is accidental. On songs like “How To See the Sun Rise,” Sollee bursts in with plenty of vocal swagger and sliding blue notes to show that he knows how to use his voice.

When Sollee’s voice alone is not enough to drive the sound, unexpected instruments pop up to fill in the flavor — particularly on the slow ballad “Bend.” On this track, high harp notes cascade in the background, filling spaces that Sollee’s cello cannot reach. A Joan Baez-esque vocalist arrives with the second round of the chorus, her contributions a little abrupt compared to the soft tones set by Sollee —a contrast so stark it becomes awkward. Sollee does better with instrumental assistance, like on “It’s Not Impossible,” where Fleck’s banjo speeds by and a saxophone flies around, as in a free jazz number.

Sollee does an updated lyrical turn on Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come,” using words that apply to current themes. At first, the idea of touching a classic like this feels corrupt, but Sollee’s spin refreshes the song and maintains the message of change — decades after Cooke’s version was released. It is a reverent and hopeful salute to the original, and a definite highlight of Learning to Bend.

—