Ben Sollee Played the Bell House

Cellist extraordinaire Ben Sollee has been on tour promoting his first solo album Learning to Bend. On Monday night he was at the brand new Bell House in Brooklyn. Straight from Louiseville, KY, Sollee’s compositions definitely have a Southern tinge to them, but he manages to resists being boxed in by that sound. He does amazing things with the cello, including making it sound like a percussive instrument. Sollee has some very unique songs, including an Obama remix made from one of our President Elect’s speeches. The crowd was excited, but the cavernous room was a bit too large for Sollee to fill; perhaps Union Hall, where the show was originally slated to be held, would have been a better fit for his intimate music. But no matter, he was still wonderful and definitely has a bright future ahead.

All photos permission: Devorah Klein