Today, we’re revisiting Ben Basile, bassist for a number of acts but perhaps most notably the bass player for Big D and the Kids Table since about 2013. A few weeks back, he released his first solo album, striking out with his first collection of original tunes on Wiretap Records’ new subdivision called Sleep Walk Sounds, which specializes in soul, roots reggae/rocksteady, jazz funk, Americana, indie, and more.
Now that the record’s been out a few weeks, Basile has been nice enough to take us track-by-track through the new album to give us insight into each song. Check out Basile’s full track-by-track breakdown below.
74 Leonard Street
I wrote this as a tribute to the old Knitting Factory when it was still in Manhattan in the early 2000s. At the time, there were a lot of ska shows regularly happening there. I attended many Three Floors of Ska events and most of the monthly Version City Parties at the Knitting Factory. 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.
Mountain Road
I live up on Mountain Road in Rosendale, NY. The day I moved into my apartment, I went up and down Mountain Road thirteen times! I wrote this on the piano during my first week living here. The melody is simple and catchy, while the harmony modulates slightly to represent going up and down the mountain repeatedly. Mix that with some early reggae rhythms, and that’s what led to “Mountain Road” being the debut single for Benergy.
Cacao Knibb
“Cacao Knibb” had been in development for a long time and took years to find its final form, which appears on the album. The title 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—He pretty much created the whole style! I’ve always loved when ska is blended with Latin rhythms, so that was also part of the inspiration for this piece. For those of you who are curious … Taza Chocolate is my favorite chocolate company!
Dub 215
This one is kinda funny in that it’s not explicitly about anything. You can think of it as a little touch of “absolute music” on the Benergy album. “Dub” refers to the genre, and “215” stands for February 15—that was the title of the Finale file when I wrote it, and it just stuck. Fun fact: this track was originally twice as long, and after recording, we trimmed it down. You’re welcome!
Hot Drop
“Hot Drop” is slang from playing Fortnite. It means to intentionally jump into a difficult and challenging part of the game. I always thought this was a fun phrase and wrote it down immediately, knowing I would write something that reflects the excitement, intensity, and tension of a “hot drop.” Yes, I still play Fortnite.
A Negative Peace
“A Negative Peace” comes 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.” I saw this quote during the Black Lives Matter movement, and it resonated with me. The composition is influenced by a Yusef Lateef piece called “Morning.” I knew that, in the pacing of the record, this track would set the whole vibe for Side B on the vinyl.
87 to 90
“87 to 90” was written to be a song you could drive to, and it’s influenced by my 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. I’m about to do this drive immediately after I finish writing this!
Daily Deluge
I’m a sucker for any phrase or name that’s alliterative. “Daily Deluge” was 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 I listened to religiously for years. “Daily Deluge, Ben Basile, Marcus Miller”—alliterations are great!
Whataboutism
This one is also politically tinged. “Whataboutism” is when you respond to an accusation with a counter-accusation to avoid accountability or addressing the original issue. I used to play this one with my old band, Rukumbine, but we never recorded it, so I’m glad it found its home on Benergy.
The Desire to Hide
“The Desire to Hide” 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!
Benergy is out now, and you can order it from Sleep Walk Sounds. Follow Basile on Facebook and Instagram for future updates.
Photo courtesy of Ben Basile
