Ben Granfelt Band - Handmade (2014)

Having gained international prominence for his work with Wishbone Ash and Leningrad Cowboys, Ben Granfelt is without doubt one of the best rock music guitar players in Europe today. He not only delivers superlative fretwork, but he is also a most excellent songwriter. With both Wishbone Ash and the Leningrad Cowboys he played all around the planet in over 20 countries including North America, Japan and Australia. His Ben Granfelt Band was formed in 1993 and since then they have relentlessly been touring clubs and festivals in Finland, United Kingdom, United States, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and even forayed into the United Arab Emirates where they appeared at the Abu Dhabi and Dubai Jazz Festivals. In all Ben Granfelt has played guitar for 40 years of which 30 as a professional musician, playing on 32 albums, 12 of them bearing his own name. 2014 is also the year that the guitar virtuoso celebrates his 20th anniversary as the Ben Granfelt Band and to mark the occasion Ben Granfelt brings us Handmade, a brand-new driving classic rock album with a touch of stirring Blues and some haunting guitar ballads. The first single and video from Handmade, Going Home, has been a crowd favourite from Granfelt's live shows, and one that Granfelt had initially written for his 1999 E.G.O. record. It was also one of his songs performed live with Wishbone Ash during his first year with them. A melodic two guitar piece Going Home was never recorded in a twin-guitar version with Wishbone Ash so now that Ben's band also features a second guitar player the time was right. Ben Granfelt - by the way - played with the legendary Wishbone Ash from 2001 - 2004, appearing on Bona Fide as well as the live album and DVD Almighty Blues: London and Beyond. Ben Granfelt is all set to tour in support of Handmade, and will be taking the same line-up on the road as the one with whom he recorded his latest album; Marko Karhu on guitar, John Vihervâ on bass and Kai Jokiaho on drums.