About this project
In 2004, I began a deep personal search. I had just quit my last "job" in New York City as a waiter and I was feeling creatively stagnant. It was an emotional and transitory year with several departing loved ones. The story begins on a then dingy block of Harlem, USA. I had a very tiny, ground level apartment with no curtains. Right across the street was crack central. Literally. I would wake up early every morning to practice guitar and watch all sorts make their AM run to the stoop right across the street. I became very sensitive to the frenetic energy I was absorbing and needed to channel it. So, I decided to change the playing field and experiment with alternate tunings on my guitar. Not the usual ones, either. I'm not sure where my logic was based. I was just searching for an open tuning that would ignite my creativity and help to transmute all the negative energy I was absorbing into something positive. Thus, I composed "Thought Forms" in one sitting and it remains one of my favorite pieces to perform.
For me, "Thought Forms" is all about alchemy and it gave me the strength and positive energy I needed to get to the next phase of my creativity and career. I subsequently began writing other pieces, each with their own unique stories. Many of these little experiments felt like they were "channeled" from some far off place (perhaps transmissions from a future self?). I constantly found myself in altered states while creating these pieces and it's difficult for me to even take credit in composing them. It really felt as if they had composed themselves.
Last year, I finally recorded 8 of these pieces with engineer Marlan Barry at one of my favorite studios, Godel String in Brooklyn, NY. My desire is to release this album and, in the liner notes, tell my stories. I hope that you will listen and help me to manifest this project. Thank you for being a part of my dreams.
Peace, Ben Tyree
"Ben Tyree is an exciting and original voice on acoustic guitar and he's creating unique music: pleasurable but never simplistic; tough and driving yet subtle; intense, visceral, and lyrical."
- (Elliot Sharp, guitarist)
"Tyree’s reputation as one of the baddest players on the block is spreading, as fans and players are taking note of his uniquely personalized take on modern jazz."
- Dr. Matt Warnock (Guitar International Magazine)
”…high caliber player…” -Bill Milkowski (Jazz Times)
”You’re kickin’ much ass, my man! I love what you’re doin’!”
-DeWayne “Blackbyrd” McKnight (Parliament / Funkadelic)
"...an accomplished jazz guitarist."
-The Washington Post
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ONE (1) digital download (mp3's or WAV files - please specify) of entire Ben Tyree: Thoughtform Variations album. ***Immediate Availability***
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ONE (1) signed physical CD of Ben Tyree: Thoughtform Variations. ***shipped anywhere in the US once goal is met***
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Signed copies of Ben Tyree: Thoughtform Variations + Ben Tyree/BT3 - re:Vision (2010 release). ***shipped anywhere in the US once goal is met***
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Signed copies of Ben Tyree: Thoughtform Variations + Ben Tyree/BT3 - re:Vision (2010 release) + Stephanie Rooker & the Search Engine: The Only Way Out is In (2010 release - produced by Ben Tyree). ***shipped anywhere in the US once goal is met***
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Liner note thank you + signed copy of Ben Tyree: Thoughtform Variations. Your name will be listed under "Thank You" section of CD liner notes! ***shipped anywhere in the US once goal is met***
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One private guitar lesson with Ben Tyree - IN PERSON limited to Manhattan & Brooklyn, NY. Otherwise, SKYPE lesson available. (intermediate & advanced players only) ***Timeframe flexible***
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ONE (1) Ben Tyree private solo guitar house concert - residents of Manhattan & Brooklyn, NY only. (Limit of 5 guests.) ***Timeframe flexible***
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ONE (1) invitation to special private event at Ben Tyree's home in Brooklyn, NY - dinner, solo guitar performance (one 45-60 minute set), & signed copies of Ben Tyree: Thoughtform Variations + Ben Tyree/BT3 - re:Vision (2010 release) + Stephanie Rooker & the Search Engine: The Only Way Out is In (2010 release - produced by Ben Tyree). (Limit ONE guest per pledge).
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Ben Tyree will record guitar tracks (acoustic or electric) for YOUR album (10 track limit). IN PERSON - Manhattan or Brooklyn studios ONLY. Remote tracking possible as well for global collaboration! Logic Pro 9 used in Ben Tyree's home studio. (Limit ONE (1) session PER album. Artist must present project ALL at once whether it's 1, 4, or 10 tracks, additional tracks will not be honored in cases of further inquiries or revisions). ***Timeframe flexible***
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ONE (1) Ben Tyree solo guitar concert ANYWHERE in the United States!!! Venues or house concerts preferred. Includes airfare/transportation and lodging. (Unlimited guests. Sponsor is solely responsible for promotion & marketing if applicable. Said promotion & marketing must exclusively use OFFICIAL Ben Tyree promo materials). ***Timeframe flexible***
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Executive Producer credit. Go down in history! You will be recognized as a major contributor & executive producer of the forthcoming CD Ben Tyree: Thoughtform Variations & listed as such on the packaging. (Reward exclusive to CREDIT ONLY. Sponsor will reserve NO copyrights or publishing rights to audio or visual materials therein.)
Project By
Connected as Ben Tyree (2001 friends)
Ben Tyree: “Sonic Architect” (Guitarist, Composer & Producer)
Guitarist and composer Ben Tyree began his musical journey in Washington, DC’s diverse and eclectic music scenes, playing in jazz, funk and rock bands from a very young age. His vision stems from studies of classical guitar, composition and jazz performance at Washington, D.C.’s prestigious Duke Ellington School of the Arts and later, Howard University. Tyree founded the seminal and award-winning hip hop/fusion group Miscellaneous Flux. The group performed regularly at high-profile venues throughout the East Coast. Miscellaneous Flux released one self-produced EP (2000) in addition to the critically acclaimed Dead In Dreams (2002), which received a "Wammie" (Washington Area Music Association award) and 4 other nominations, including Best Urban Contemporary Instrumentalist for Tyree.
After relocating to New York City in 2002, Tyree established himself as one of the most versatile and creative musicians of his generation. Incorporating Coltrane-esque melodic sheets of sound, funk-derived and classical finger-style rhythm playing as well as chord voicings not typical to guitar arrangements, he has crafted an original, yet easily recognizable style of guitar playing and composing. Tyree further expanded his musical vision in collaboration with artists such as MuthaWit, Vernon Reid, Kyp Malone (TV On The Radio), Res, Nomi, The Family Stand, John Medeski, Clark Terry, and Elliot Sharp’s SyndaKit, among others. An in-demand performer, Tyree has been featured at such high-profile venues as the Apollo, New York City’s Blue Note, Lincoln Center, Tonic, D.C.’s Blues Alley and the Kennedy Center.
Companies including Green Team USA and ESPN have commissioned Tyree’s music and guitar playing. Also a freelance music journalist, Tyree has been published in Ugly Planet Media and Modern Guitars Magazine, interviewing such musicians as Glenn Tipton (Judas Priest), Mike Stern and Genesis P-Orridge.
In late 2010, Tyree recently released his first CD as a leader, Ben Tyree/BT3 – re:Vision. The already critically acclaimed offering includes an all-star cast (featuring John Medeski, DJ Logic, Stacy Dillard, Steve Jenkins and V. Jeffrey Smith) augmenting his electric sci-fi jazz/funk trio BT3 (feat. Drummer Lawrence Qualls and bassists Theo Harden and Kevin Farrell). He is also anticipating the release of a solo acoustic guitar CD featuring explorations in standard and alternate tunings. Tyree also regularly performs with Stephanie Rooker & the Search Engine, Soul Understated (feat. Mavis “Swan” Poole), The Cornel West Theory, and Burnt Sugar: The Arkestra Chamber.
