NEWS

July 10th, 2025

A Note From The Road


Being a ”solo” artist has its ups and downs.

I get to write my songs the way I want to, I can decide (most of the time) what we’re recording, and when and where…. Since I’m paying for it ;)

I book our shows, I make the tour plans, I rent the van - I pretty much do everything myself.

And it’s hard work, very hard work! It also drains my energy when I have to sit in front of a computer booking and organising gigs and tours when I’d rather be playing the guitar and work on sounds, recording demos etc.

But it’s my choice, I’ve been in many great bands and I always felt slightly restricted and missing the freedom to do my own music.

This year I’ve recruited a guy to take care of social media and some press which I’m quite helpless with. Welcome Juho Ingström and thank you for all the good work so far. This has freed up a lot of time for me.

I’m blessed with a great band and great musicians who also are my very good friends. They support me and understand me (most of the time) and their professionalism when it comes to playing is 110% luxury for me. We do have a lot of fun and I can’t remember a bad gig… not even a half bad gig. There is always some new highs in the songs because of the fact that we enjoy jamming and creating new versions on the spot. Music comes alive when we perform!

Masa Maijanen on bass and backing vocals I’ve known since.. I believe 1985. He was also in the first lineup of Gringos Locos, as was Miri Miettinen, who is now subbing for Jari Salminen. Jari is one of Miri’s early drum students and both are fantastic drummers. I mean, REALLY fantastic drummers!

Masa and I share a bond with Irish whiskey and digging anything Steve Walsh of Kansas fame has ever sung during late night hotel room sessions…not as much nowadays as before. After all, age pretty much dictates how much we can take these days ;)

It is very important that you get along with your band members well. After all, you spend most days together in a van going from A to B, then in the dressing room and on stage. All I can say is, we’re having FUN! And I think we are riding a high wave now regarding playing together.

Come and see us if you have the chance!

C U on the road,

Ben .




April 7, 2025

Ben Granfelt “It’s Personal” on A1 Records,
release date 30.5.2025


BEN GRANFELT’s 21st solo album “It’s Personal” is a special release, as not many artists are releasing their albums on CD and vinyl these days. Not to mention a double CD/double LP as a combination of studio and live album.

“I’ve been so inspired to play lately and a lot of people have been asking for instrumentals for a long time… here you go, one instrumental album coming up,” comments Ben on the studio Cd/LP of “It’s Personal”.

Ben playing guitar for the sake of his own enjoyment, no rules nor restrictions but a fine collection of musical statements.
The instrumental CD/LP features songs with melodies, riffs, different sound textures and yes, of course there are solos but they are kept as a part of the songs rather than the songs being an excuse for endless noodling.

About the recordings says BEN GRANFELT: "Together with Masa Maijanen (bass) and Jari Salminen (drums) I recorded the basic tracks live in a big room, then I locked myself into my little studio and had the most wonderful time recording guitar tracks and creating sounds. I honestly think I've done something very special and personal. I'm very proud of the result."

The live CD/LP proves that Ben is also an excellent singer and at the same time it's a further testament for a band having maximum fun doing what they do. Recorded in the same Power Trio line-up with Masa Majanen on bass and Jari Salminen on drums during the 2024 tour of the anniversary album "Gratitude", (Ben's homage to Jeff Beck, Robin Trower and Gary Moore) it shows that no two BEN GRANFELT concerts are alike. There is a lot of jamming and the songs change from the recorded studio versions quite a lot.

In addition to BEN GRANFELT originals, the live CD/LP also includes the Robin Trower song "Bridge Of Sighs", the nine-minute "Breathe" by Pink Floyd and the classic "Cocaine" by J.J. Cale, all in Ben’s very personal versions.

The first digital single from the instrumental album is “Crash Test Dummy” which Ben descibes as follows:
“This is my inner Jeff Beck coming out in the riffs, I'm not trying to hide it at all. The repetition of the first riff gave me the idea for the name, those stops are like some kind of crash. Instead of having a normal blasting speedy solo I decided to create something mellow and melodic before we go back to the riff again.”

Ben and his band will tour to support the release of “It’s Personal” starting early June in Finland through the summer and then in September/October in Germany.

August 1, 2024

Upcoming tour dates + a short message from Ben:


Hello everybody!
Been a busy summer even though there hasn't been many solo band gigs.
We have however been in the studio with Masa and Jari working on the next album to be released on Martin Engeliens A1 Records the 16.6.2025… yes that’s on my birthday again. What better gift can I give you on my birthday than a new album ;)
The album will be all instrumental 8-9 tracks and we’re playing at least 2 of them on the upcoming tour dates. Different stuff for sure and I’m very happy with the songs we’ve recorded so far.
I’m also finishing the first Blug, Granfelt & Engelien album which will come out the 5 November just before our B,G & E tour. So a busy end of the year coming up, hope to see many of you out on the road!
Cheers!

February 16, 2024

What’s gonna happen in 2024?


Well, the year started off with another month of Drink Floyd gigs here in Finland. After the DF gigs in December which all were sold out we continue the “ sold out” theme until the 2 last shows whcich we’re very well attended but not completely sold out. Still WAY beyond what we expected! We will continue with DF in the summer at Puistoblues in Järvenpää the 6.7 and Tribute of Rock the 4.10 also in Järvenpää actually. More shows in December and January 2025 again.

It’s hard to believe that it is 30 years since my first solo album was released in 1994 AND that I’ve now played guitar for 50 years! Feeling good about it and definitely not stopping ;)

My trio starts gigging again this upcoming Friday the 16.2.2025 in Kivenlahti Pub Nousuvesi and the Shed Järvenpää the 17.2.2025 Check the tour dates on the tour page. We have 2 festivals in France booked and a German/Swiss tour coming up in September. I have changed the set list with some older material and some new stuff too.

I’m writing new songs and we will start recording the upcoming album this spring and Finnish it this year for a release in 2025.

Be well everyone and stay tuned for more news!

Cheers,
Ben

October 15, 2023

Hello Guys and Gals!


We’re over halfway into the 60th Anniversary Tour now and it’s been fantastically great so far… too many kms .. but who’s counting? Yesterdays concert at Vuotalo was just brilliant, the best so far!

Thanks so much to all who’ve come to the shows and supported us.

Here are some pics from here and there + a couple of videos from the Music Fair in Jyväskylä 7.10 where I did a clinic about Gary Moore and his style of playing + played through some of his original gear like the Category 5 head, his tube screamer pedals, boss delay/reverb etc. On display there also was one of each of his signature guitars ( like one of the first CC1 Greeny LPls! ) apart from the Fender Custom shop -71 Strat. Instead there was a-62 Strat that was just gorgeous and played like butter. Thanks to Markku Piironen for all the gear and love for Gary.

Special thanks to Sampo Haapaniemi (drums) who jumped in without rehearsals and played like a King on the second half of the German tour and the last 2 dates here in Finland..
Next week Jari is back on drums and we have Ansku Mellanen on bass for 4 gigs as Masa is busy elsewhere. Enjoy and please come and see us if you are near where we play, Yes, we are very good! ;)

Remember, Never Forget (video)
Victorious (video)

September 4, 2023

Today monday the 4.9 I woke up feeling like something was wrong, terribly wrong…

Then it hit me, I didn’t know where my -63 Strat was. I searched everywhere at home and quickly biked to my rehearsalroom but no! No strat anywhere!
On saturday I had come home with the train from a gig in Vaasa with superBAN, from the train station I took a tram home in the afternoon.
That’s all I remember of me carrying my strat… or not?
Maybe age has something to do with it but I just could not remember IF I had it on the tram or not!
Panic calls to all lost and found agencys in the morning, when I finally got the right one for trains and trams they told me that only in the afternoon would they have what ever was lost during the wekend in their online system ”Please call back later”.
Around 15:00 I called again and asked if they had a blue monocase bag with a Strat in the system "No, unfortunately not” was the answer. At this point I was ready for a change of underwear!! Then the lady on the line said ”But we do have a gray guitar bag that has stickers saying "Ben 2” and "Jazzkeller Krefeld” "THAT’S IT!" I screamed!!! The colour in my opinion is blue with an orange rubber bottom but who ever put it in the system called it gray?!?!

Anyway, we’re back happily together and I changed my underwear. If you want to read more about the guitar go here: https://darkstars.de/guitar-special-vol-157-with-ben-granfelt-part-ii/ It’s a nice interview/story of how it ended up with me.

Our new video for JB Reggae will be out on friday the 8.9. It also features the same Daphne Blue Strat.