Ben Graves – Settle Down
Sometimes music buyers are less knowledgeable of musicians who are accomplished & only appear as key figures on name artists’ albums. But those players are usually the magicians who make things happen. Ben Graves is one such name. He’s played with Ricki Lee Jones, Delbert McClinton, Shelby Lynne, Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith, James Taylor, Raul Malo, Marcia Ball, Guy Clark, Joe Ely & many others.
There are 8 lounge-type tunes to Ben Graves’ Settle Down (Drops Oct 11/Independent/31:31) produced by Ben with Brook Sutton & Jano Rix (drums/percussion) in Nashville. The small band comprises remarkable musicians who explore supple genres by taking swipes at pop, with some R&B slices, Americana, shades of soul & straight jazz. It’s an interesting mix.
Ben (vocals/acoustic & electric guitars) isn’t doing anything innovative. What he does achieve is a laid-back easy-listening style with a pleasing delivery. His tonality is attractive & at times falls somewhere between Kenny Rankin (“Silver Morning”), Lenny Welch & Ronnie Dove. These are balladeers who had hits in the 60s with voices that were reliable & consistent. They weren’t as dramatic as Josh Groban or Michael Bublé, but they had their pop sensibility. Graves has fine intonation & good phrasing.
While he’s not quite Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, or even Bobby Rydell (yet) he does have their finesse & charm. The lead tracks “Play Me a Tune,” & “Settle Down” are relaxing with an inspired delivery. A voice that knows how to interpret a song’s casualness rather than rely on sparks.
“Sleeping With My Guitar” has more James Taylor seasoning while “Ballerina” has a little Jackson Browne touch. Yet, Graves still tenders the lyric reliant on a Kenny Rankin soundscape. Evident in “The City Caught Me In Her Arms,” also. Ben has personality in each number.
These are good nightclub pieces. Composed with care & arranged with a light deft touch. It’s not as intense & complicated as a Lambert, Hendricks & Ross composition. However, it’s not an easy accomplishment. A vocal like this needs to be more exact than raucous rock. There’s an exactness to how the vocal needs to relate to the melody.
It’s what made singers like Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn & even Andy Williams so precise. There aren’t any big production tunes but that doesn’t diminish the effort. Singers like Billie Holiday, Joe Williams & Jimmy Scott had a diversified stylistic tone. Ben Graves has a sophistication to his showcase. It works well. Very well.
Highlights – “Play Me a Tune,” “Settle Down,” “Sleeping With My Guitar,” “Ballerina” & “The City Caught Me In Her Arms.”
Musician – Matt Rollings (piano/Hammond B3/Wurlitzer/Fender Rhodes) & Viktor Krauss (bass).
Cover photo & seated image courtesy of Missy Neely & Maeve Graham. CD @ https://www.bengraves.com/