Ben Harper and Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals

It’s not an exaggeration to say that music has been a key part of Harper’s life right from the very get go; when he was growing up in Pomona, his grandparents ran a revered music store, The Folk Music Center and Museum. It was frequented by genuine musical luminaries, including Leonard Cohen and blues legend Taj Mahal; the latter was surely an influence in Harper’s teens, when, after playing his first-ever gig at the age of just twelve, he became deeply enamoured with the music of blues forefather Robert Johnson.

Harper’s never just been a straightforward bluesman, though; the first concert he ever attended, at the age of nine, was headlined by Bob Marley, and he’s often spoken of the importance of reggae to his own sound, which also incorporates funk, soul and folk.

Harper – who has a diverse CV that includes amongst his achievements the discovery and signing of Jack Johnson as well as a cameo in the David Lynch film ‘Inland Empire’ – released a slew of well-received records in the nineties, often backed by his band, The Innocent Criminals, but it’s actually been since the turn of the century that he’s enjoyed most success; he’s scooped three Grammy Awards, two for his collaboration with The Blind Boys of Alabama, ‘There Will Be a Light’, in 2005, and another for ‘Get Up!’, the record he released with Charlie Musselwhite in 2013.

Born in Pomona, California, United States, Ben Harper picked up the guitar at a very early age thanks to his grandparents, who ran a music store called The Folk Music Centre and Museum. However, it wasn't until taking in a Bob Marley concert in 1978 that the nine year old Harper decided that he wanted to be a musician, and played his first concert three years later at the age of 12. At around the same time, Harper discovered the works of Robert Johnson and was greatly inspired by his slide playing, and became so skilled that he was tapped by veteran blues singer Taj Mahal to tour and record with him.

After spending the late 80's performing with a long list of legendary blues singers, Harper debuted as a solo artist in 1992 with his album “Pleasure and Pain”. His breakthrough came in 1995 with the Gold-certified “Fight For Your Mind”, and 1997's follow-up “The Will To Live” saw the introduction of The Innocent Criminals, Harper's backing band. For the rest of the decade, the band backed Harper as he broke through into rock's mainstream, touring with the likes of Dave Matthews while headlining his own worldwide tours as well. Harper continued to release material in the 21st century, sometimes with other artists but always coming back to The Innocent Criminals until 2009, when he released “White Lies And Dark Times” with a new band called Relentless7.

Harper spent the next six years touring and recording with Relentless7, until news broke in early 2015 that Harper was bringing the Criminals back for an extensive world tour that summer. With over a decade and a half's experience under their belt already, playing the songs that made Harper into the world-renowned musician that he is today, these shows will be utterly unmissable. For that, Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals come highly recommended.