It's not impossible... for me to cry

The celo -instrument of and for the soul, catches you from inside and squeezes your soul and your emotions- added to the talent and voice of Ben Sollee... enjoy this simple as beatiful video (though it's not the video quality!)...

Ben Sollee - It's Not Impossible
From the CD "Learning To Bend"
Directed By -
Featuring the modern dance artists from Empujon

Music avalilable at bensollee.bandcamp.com

Ben and crew tour by bicycle without the use of support vehicles, carrying all instruments, band merchandise, film equipment for documenting, and personal effects on their bikes. Ben talked about the “beautiful limitations” of bicycling, the vast difference in pace of life and valuing small communities on the road.  You don’t just jump on a plane to hit the next large venue that will have you, instead you value–rather than overlook–the places right where you are.

August 2010-February 2011: The Ditch the Van Tour is an experiment in sustainability and community oriented music touring by bicycle. In this first chapter, film-maker Marty Benson introduces all the characters on the road. See Katie Benson, Jordon Ellis and Ben Sollee weigh in their gear and ride out on the first leg of their 1500+ mile self-supported tour by bike. Follow their adventures at www.ditchthevan.tumblr.com

 «By introducing the bicycle, I had this beautiful limitation. People could not ask me as an artist to drive through the night to do media the next morning in the next town... It also comes from this desire: I was going through these towns playing a show hoping people would show up and really not playing any role in the community other than being a place for people to gather. I wanted to do more, be more a part of the community as I drove through. So in doing this I’ve been able to connect with different bicycle groups, alternative venues and a different promotion style. We’ve been able to cross-promote with sports outfitter companies, different companies like Oxfam America. It’s been a real treat to use bicycle touring as an opportunity to exploit media that musicians don’t usually get to exploit. » Ben Sollee

« My grandfather was an Appalachian fiddler, banjo, guitar, whatever was laying around and so it’s definitely been a big part of my musical vernacular growing up. My father was also an R&B guitarist and my mom sang. I was also studying the cello and the conventional music that’s taught on cello is classical music. So in studying Bach and Brahms and the stuff that’s more part of the institution of the cello through college, I always had all this other music going on when I’d sit down to play with my family and friends. It was never classical. So all those sort of informed each other. But I’ve definitely spent a lot of time in the bluegrass world. » Ben Sollee