What does anyone know about Ben Harper? I have seen some press on him lately and he has a new double album out...just curious and wondered if he is someone I should check out.

Ben is one of my favorite artists.I have everything he's released and will buy everythig he releases.I even have a boot or 2. He is a really great artist who is freely jamming folk,blues,reggae-lite,funk,rock,soul,etc. I think if you are a lover of top notch music that you should check him out. He is not really like the following artists,but if you like the following you probably have a taste for Ben:sly,jimi,van hunt,d'angelo,bob marley,prince,chocolate genius,joni mtchell,Jack Johnson,ttd/sananda,seal,etc.

rockwilder said:

Can you recommend a cd to start with for those of us who are not familiar with his work? Thanks!

Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals are simply one of the best bands out there, right now. If you dig reggae, rock funk and blues with a huge dose of soul you'll dig him. He plays a wide variety of electric and acoustic guitars, including lap steel. Plus he plays blues and folk, too.

I'm kinda biased cuz he's a local homeboy. His mother owns a music shop out here near me, where he grew up and I've seen him zillion of times doing in-stores and sneak attack gigs in small clubs. Since he's a big fave on the jamband rock circuit he pulls a mostly white audience (I get the group I hit his shows with to play "Count more than 10 blackpeople not working for a free beer" and haven't paid out to this day). His tix sell out very very fast, nationwide. The Harper audience is always cool and supportive. Most have been into him for what Ben calls "the journey" as his crowd grew larger. Prince fans should definitely be into him, though when I posted those threads they died a quick death. So I don't bother much.

I'll prolly go get BSOTG this weekend (when I cop the new Prince), but a good starting place is DIAMONDS ON THE INSIDE (a bit more poppish,but you'll fnd some touches of Prince); BURN TO SHINE and FIGHT FOR YOUR MIND are also recommended. LIVE FROM MARS is a complete live gig (before DOTI) and LIVE FROM THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL is a DVD (post-DOTI) than got a partial release as an audio EP.. From that you can work your way back, but as with Prince you gotta catch a live show.

His website is well-developed and up-to-date over and FWIW, I post on that forum too. www.benharper.net .

This guy has one of the most amazing vocals out there, songs like "Walk away" and "More than sorry" Just make me glad I found this guy, sum really good music!
[Edited 3/23/06 13:21pm]

cubic61052 said:

You should check out Pleasure and Pain. It's his film/doc. If you don't know much about him, start there. Love the duet with his mother.

THE INNOCENT CRIMINALS is his backup band (sometimes Ben wil record or appear solo). The band includes

"Big" Juan Nelson on bass*
Leon Mobley on percussion**
Oliver Charles on drums
Jason Yates on keyboards
Michael Ward on guitar

plus Marc Ford (of The Black Crowes and his band Marc Ford & the Sinners) is a former Criminal and pops in on (LA mostly) shows when he's not busy.

* Juan plays with his own band BIG ADVICE
** Leon was a child star on the PBS show ZOOM and has his own band DA LION.

andykeen said:

JDINTERACTIVE said:

Oops lol hehe

Better change that!

PFunkjazz said:

Check TOUR section for presale of the BSOTG tour cuz these tickets move as fast as Prince tix.

Is the new one better than diamonds on the inside? I haven't heard it yet.

Meloh9 said:

Its been getting really good reviews. Im gonna check it out.

This is a classic release.
This set is solid.
It has everything cept programmed drum loops using protools.

LIVE!



Ben Harper Live at the Hollywood Bowl





Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama Live at the Apollo

I think Prince listened to Ben's song "Excuse me Mr." quite
a few times before he came up with his "Dear Mr Man"

I gotta pick this up sometime soon.