Acclaimed bassist, educator, and composer Ben Basile is thrilled to announce the Benergy Album Release Tour. Best known for his work with Big D and The Kids Table and The Poughkeepsie Jazz Project, Ben has performed and recorded with countless artists throughout his career. This marks his first album entirely of his own compositions.
Ben believes bassists offer a unique perspective on composition and arrangement, crafting music from a ‘bottom-up’ approach. This philosophy shines through in the album’s thoughtful yet minimalistic arrangements. Each track brings a distinct sound, featuring an eclectic mix of musicians from Ben’s two musical worlds: ska and jazz.
Ben Basile holds a Bachelor of Science in Jazz Studies from The State University of New York at New Paltz and a Music Performance Certificate from The State University of New York at Dutchess Community College. Ben has performed, composed, recorded, and toured across six continents with a variety of groups. Most notably, Ben has been a member of Big D and The Kids Table since 2013 and is a founding member of The Poughkeepsie Jazz Project, a group that hosted a weekly jazz jam session in Poughkeepsie since 2012.
The album’s title, Benergy, originated from a playful moment during a bass lesson when one of Ben’s students coined the term. He recalls explaining the concept of playing “on top of the beat” in ska punk-driving the rhythm with momentum and energy-when his student grinned and asked, “Benergy?” The name stuck, eventually becoming the perfect representation of the joy, groove, and passion that define Ben’s musical journey.
The record begins with the opening track, “74 Leonard Street,” a tribute to the old Knitting Factory, where Ben had attended ska shows regularly. It sets the tone for the album with a blend of nostalgia and lively horn-driven energy. Ben further explains, “It’s the opening track on my record because it was at this venue that my love and appreciation for the genre grew even deeper.”
Next comes “Mountain Road,” named after the road Ben lives on. The melody is straightforward and memorable, while the harmony subtly shifts to depict the repeated motion of ascending and descending the mountain. Ben’s implementation of some early reggae rhythms has led to “Mountain Road” being the debut single for Benergy.
Following this is “Cacao Knibb,” a single that’s been in development for a long time and took years to find its final form. The title of this track is a play on words combining two of my favorite things: dark chocolate and ska music. A cacao nib is a piece of a dried cacao bean, and Lloyd Knibb was the original drummer for The Skatalites. With its upbeat tempo and infectious groove, the track pays homage to ska’s roots while adding a rich, modern flavor, much like the boldness of dark chocolate.
The album continues with “Dub 215,” a transition into a song that’s not explicitly about anything. “Dub” refers to the genre, and “215” stands for February 15-the title of the finale file when Ben had written it. The track was originally twice as long, yet after recording, it was trimmed down.
Then comes “Hot Drop,” a slang term used in the video game Fortnite. It means to intentionally jump into a challenging part of the game. Ben had thought of it as a fun phrase and wrote it down immediately, knowing he would write something that reflected the excitement, intensity, and tension of a “hot drop.”
The album then transitions into “A Negative Peace,” a piece that marks the beginning of the record’s second half. The title originates from a Martin Luther King Jr. quote in his Letter from Birmingham Jail. Dr. King compares “…a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice.” Ben had seen this quote during the Black Lives Matter movement, and it resonated with him. The composition is influenced by a Yusef Lateef piece called “Morning.”
The album continues with “87 to 90,” a song that you can drive to, which has been influenced by Ben’s many trips to Boston over the years for Big D and the Kids Table. “87 to 90” specifically captures the feeling you get as you drive through the Berkshire Mountains in western Massachusetts. Respectively, “87” is the NYS Thruway, and “90” is the Mass Pike.
Following this is “Daily Deluge,” a piece written to reflect the turbulent times and confusion conveyed by the media over the past decade or so. The phrase came from Stay Tuned with Preet, a podcast hosted by Preet Bharara that Ben has listened to religiously for years.
Towards the end comes “Whataboutism,” a politically tinged song. “Whataboutism” is when someone responds to an accusation with a counter-accusation to avoid accountability or addressing the original issue. Ben had previously played this song with his old band, Rukumbine, but never recorded it.
Concluding the album is “The Desire to Hide,” which comes from a D.W. Winnicott quote: “Artists are people driven by the tension between the desire to communicate and the desire to hide.” That’s why this track is placed at the end of the album and why it’s the only track with a bass solo.
In its entirety, Benergy is a thoughtful blend of homage and innovation. From the nostalgic horns of “74 Leonard Street” to the philosophical weight of “The Desire to Hide,” each track provides a unique and distinct mood.
For tickets and more information, click here.
The Benergy Album Release Tour Dates
June 5 – Newark, NJ – All Points West
June 6 – Poughkeepsie, NY – Reason & Ruckus
June 7 – Medford, MA – Medford Porchfest
June 8 – Westfield, MA – Hutghi’s
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