Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on 2026-03-25
There’s something quietly radical about Benny Bleu—a banjo player, geologist, and songwriter who has spent the better part of a decade crafting a record that feels as timeless as the earth itself.
With the announcement of his forthcoming album When I Am A Fossil, arriving June 5, 2026, the New York native offers a deeply personal and philosophically rich collection of songs shaped by his years working as an environmental geologist and his immersion in old-time music traditions. Pairing meditative banjo instrumentals with thoughtful songwriting, the album explores humanity’s relationship with the natural world—and with each other—through the lens of deep time.
“At one time I was an environmental geologist,” Bleu shares. “If this conjures images of mountains and lakes, think instead of gas stations and factories. I witnessed the residue of man’s progress.” That perspective anchors the album’s title track, which asks a haunting question: how might a scientist from the deep future know we were here?
Ten years in the making, When I Am A Fossil bridges old-time traditions with jazz phrasing, global rhythms, and modern sonic exploration. Recorded live to tape over four days in Pennsylvania, the record captures spontaneity and ensemble interplay, with collaborators including Gus Tritsch, Huck Tritsch, Eric Heveron-Smith, and Katie Martucci helping shape its expansive sound.
The project unfolds as a concept album rooted in the Anthropocene—the present age defined by human impact—grappling with themes of climate change, mortality, and resilience, while still offering moments of hope and wonder. It’s a record that feels both grounded and searching, equally at home in a front-porch jam or a late-night philosophical spiral.
Following the album rollout, Benny Bleu will bring these songs on the road throughout 2026, performing a mix of intimate solo sets and full band shows across the East Coast and beyond.
TOUR DATES
April 10 – Rochester, NY – Little Theatre
April 17 – Frostburg, MD – Clatter Cafe (w/ Dakota Karper)
April 18 – Westminster, MD – Common Ground Downtown (w/ Dakota Karper)
April 19 – Naples, NY – Hollerhorn Distilling
May 3 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Caffe Lena (full band performance)
June 6 – Rochester, NY – Bop Shop Records (full band)
June 13 – Rochester, NY – Abilene (full band)
June 14 – Naples, NY – Hollerhorn Distilling (full band)
September 20 – Walton, NY – Music on the Delaware
November 12 – Soquel, CA – Ugly Mug
November 16 – Portland, OR – Hostel Cafe
With When I Am A Fossil, Benny Bleu isn’t just releasing an album—he’s offering a meditation on time, memory, and what we leave behind, carried on the humble, powerful voice of a banjo.
