Ben Poole confirms new album “Time Has Come” and UK tour

3rd February 2016 0 By Jon Deaux

Time Has Come – it’s not just the title of Ben Poole’s new studio album – but also the consensus of the press, punters and star players who have caught this British gunslinger on his rise from hot-tip to headline act.

Already, Ben has been dubbed “f*cking amazing” by Jeff Beck, “really great” by Gary Moore, “ferocious” by Guitarist and “one to watch” by The Blues. When his second album lands on April 1st, we’re gonna need some new superlatives…

Ben has moved fast since he burst out of the Brighton Institute of Modern Music onto the post-millennial scene. We’ve had the breakthrough debut album (2013’s Let’s Go Upstairs). We’ve had the rocket-fuelled live release (2014’s Live at the Royal Albert Hall). Now, Time Has Come fuses both sides of Ben’s musical personality, capturing the gritty velocity of his shows in a studio context.

“We really wanted to get a balance between a live-sounding album and a well-produced, polished-sounding one,” he explains. “There’s a rawness and edginess, but also a subtlety and intimacy. I think we captured what I’m all about with this album.”

In an age of sterile, computer-driven productions, Time Has Come is an album that lives and breathes. Recorded at Nottinghamshire’s Superfly Studios in late 2015, the sessions found Ben’s core band tracking nose-to-nose in the live room, with producer Wayne Proctor (King King’s drummer) and engineer Andy Banfield catching the sparks, and an anything-goes ethos spurring the collective to new heights.

“Wayne and I developed an amazing working relationship,” says Ben. “Neither of us were afraid to throw countless ideas out there, and nothing was dismissed, no matter how crazy it might have sounded.”

He’s always been more than a bluesman, and Time Has Come reveals the true breadth of Ben’s musical palette. There might still be nods to the kid who fell for Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Healey, Gary Moore and B.B. King in the ’90s, but this is unmistakably the sound of a mature artist planting his own flag.

“This album has a really nice overview of my style,” nods Ben, “covering everything from rock and blues to soul and pop, and even elements of funk and gospel. Artists we referenced frequently in the process were Robert Cray, Jonny Lang and John Mayer. I hope it’ll please the blues-rock guitar fans, but also have the depth and maturity to appeal to an audience beyond that.”

That’s a safe bet. Given Ben’s reputation, you’ll come expecting guitar fireworks, and won’t be disappointed, from the wah-soaked opener Lying To Me, through the nimble rock ‘n’ roll picking of Stay At Mine, to the impulsive call-and-response outro solo of I Think I Love You Too Much.

“It was great to be able to play that solo live with Aynsley Lister in the studio,” says Ben. “He was one of my favourite guitar players when I was growing up. We were hoping to pay homage to the version on Jeff Healey’s Hell To Pay album from back in 1990.”

Yet it’s the songs that are the stars here, and between the reflective strum of Longing For A Woman, the country-flavoured If You Want To Play With My Heart and the moody atmospherics of Time Might Never Come, Ben has never nailed his worldview with such eloquence.

“I think there’s some real depth to some of the lyrics,” he nods. “As with a lot of blues-based music, a great deal of it revolves around the subject of love, passion, heartache and heartbreak – but hopefully expressed in an elaborate and believable way.”

Time Has Come also features the cream of Europe’s blues guitar players, Aynsley Lister, Henrik Freischlader and Todd Sharpville. Add to this wonderful backing vocals by Stevie Nimmo and you have a real quality album.

Time Has Come is the sound of an artist whose time is now – and an album that defies you to take it off your stereo or smartphone. “We finished recording the day before Christmas Eve,” remembers Ben. “Wayne and I went out to the local pub for several beers to celebrate, but then couldn’t resist rushing back to the studio at about 1am just to listen to the whole thing again one last time. We were that proud and excited about what we had worked so hard on for the previous five months. I genuinely think it’s the best thing I’ve ever done…”

BEN POOLE & STEVIE NIMMO
UK TOUR 2016

FEBRUARY 2016

KENDAL – BOOTLEGGERS BAR
THURSDAY 4th FEBRUARY
Tickets: £12 / Box Office: www.skiddle.com
24 Finkle St, Kendal, LA9 4AB
www.bootleggersbar.com

YORK – FIBBERS
FRIDAY 5th FEBRUARY
Tickets: £12 / Box Office: 08444 771000
3-5 Toft Green, York, YO1 6JT
www.fibbers.co.uk

LEICESTER – THE MUSICIAN
SUNDAY 7th FEBRUARY
Tickets: £12 / Box Office: www.wegottickets.com
Clyde St, Leicester, LE1 2DE
www.themusicianpub.co.uk

PUTNEY. LONDON – THE HALF MOON
THURSDAY 11th FEBRUARY
Tickets: £12. Box Office 020 8780 9383
93 Lower Richmond Rd, London. SW15 1EU
www.halfmoon.co.uk

DARLINGTON – THE FORUM MUSIC CENTRE
FRIDAY 12th FEBRUARY
Tickets: £12. Box Office: 01325 363165
Borough Rd, Darlington, Co. Durham, DL1 1SG
www.darlington-r-n-b-club.co.uk

BINGLEY – BINGLEY BLUES FESTIVAL
SATURDAY 13th FEBRUARY
Tickets: £15. Box Office 01274 567983
Bingley Arts Centre, Main St, Bingley, BD16 2LZ
www.bingleyartscentre.co.uk

WORTHING – PAVILLION THEATRE
SUNDAY 14th FEBRUARY
Tickets: £12 / Box Office: 01903 366017
info@worthingpier.co.uk
www.worthingpier.co.uk

MARCH 2016

SHOREHAM – ROPETACKLE ARTS CENTRE
THURSDAY 17th MARCH
Tickets: £12 / Box Office: 01273 464440
High St, Shoreham by Sea, BN43
www.ropetacklecentre.co.uk

BARTON ON HUMBER – ROPERY HALL
FRIDAY 18th MARCH
Tickets: £12 / Box Office: 01652 660380
Maltkin Road, Barton-on-Humber, DN18 5JW
www.roperyhall.co.uk

MICKLETON – R-n-B CLUB
SATURDAY 19th MARCH
Tickets: £12 / Box Office: 01833 640854
Village Hall, Mickleton, Durham, DL12 0JR
www.mickletonrnb.co.uk

KINROSS SCOTLAND – THE GREEN HOTEL
SUNDAY 20th MARCH
Tickets: £12 / Box Office: 01577 863467
2 The Muirs, Kinross, Perthshire, KY13 8AS
www.mundellmusic.com

21 OXFORD – THE HAVEN CLUB
MONDAY 21st MARCH
Tickets £10/12 / Box Office: www.wegotickets.com
The Bullingdon, Cowley Rd, Oxford, OX3 7PZ
www.thehavenclub.co.uk

SUTTON – BOOM BOOM CLUB
FRIDAY 29th APRIL
Tickets: £12 / Box Office: 0208 761 9078
Sutton United FC, Gander Green Lane, Sutton, SM1 2EY
www.feenstra.co.uk

SELBY – ARTS CENTRE
SATURDAY 30th APRIL
Tickets £12 / Box Office: 01757 708 449
York St, Selby. Yorkshire, YO8 4AH
www.selbytownhall.co.uk

MAY 2016

NEWCASTLE – THE CLUNY
WEDNESDAY 4th MAY
Tickets: £12 / Box Office: 0191 230 4474
36 Lime St, Ouseburn, Newcastle, NE1 2PQ
www.thecluny.com

STIRLING – THE TOLLBOOTH
THURSDAY 5th MAY
Tickets £12 / Box Office: 01786 274400
Jail Wynd, Stirling, FK8 1DE
www.tollbooth.stirling.gov.uk

GLASGOW – ORAN MOR
FRIDAY 6th MAY
Tickets; £12 / Box Office: 0141 357 6200
Byers Road, Glasgow, G12 8QX
www.oran-mor.co.uk

ABERDEEN – CAFE DRUMMOND
SATURDAY 7th MAY
Tickets: £12 / Box Office: 01244 619930
1 Belmont St, Aberdeen, AB10 1JR
www.cafedrummond.com

CHELTENHAM – VONNIES
WEDNESDAY 11th MAY
Tickets £12 / Box Office: 01452 862332
21 Church St, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, GL53 8AP
www.charltonkingsclub.co.uk

CHISLEHURST – BEAVERWOOD CLUB
THURSDAY 12th MAY
Tickets: £12 / Box Office: 0208 761 9078
Beaverwood Rd, Chislehurst, BR7 6HF
www.feenstra.co.uk

SOUTHAMPTON – THE TALKING HEADS
FRIDAY 13th MAY
Tickets: £12 / Box Office: 02380 678 446
Maple Leaf, 16-22 The Polygon, Southampton, SO15 2BN
www.thetalkingheads.co.uk

HARTLEPOOL SUPPORTERS CLUB
SATURDAY 14th MAY
Tickets: £12 / Box Office: 075359 79658
Sandringham Road, Hartlepool, TS26 0JJ

FARNHAM – THE MALTINGS
THURSDAY 19th MAY
Tickets: £12 / Box Office: 01252 793 430
The Maltings, Bridge Square, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7QR
www.boogaloopromotions.com

NEWBURY – ARLINGTON ARTS CENTRE
FRIDAY 20th MAY
Tickets: £12 / Box Office: 01635 244246
Arlington Arts Centre, Snelsmore Common, Newbury, RG14 3BQ
www.arlingtonarts.co.uk

DERBY – THE FLOWERPOT
SATURDAY 21st MAY
Tickets: £12 / Box Office: 01332 204955
The Flowerpot 23 King St, Derby. DE1 3DZ
www.rawpromo.co.uk

SHEFFIELD – GREYSTONES
SUNDAY 22nd MAY
Tickets: £12 / Box Office: 0114 266 5599
Greystones Rd, Sheffield, S11 7BS
www.mygreystones.co.uk