Ben Jelen

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ben Jelen
Background information
Born	July 8, 1979
Origin	Edinburgh, Scotland
Genre(s)	Pop, Pop/Rock, Alternative Rock
Instrument(s)	Vocals, Guitar, Piano & Violin
Years active	2004—present
Label(s)	Record Label: Maverick (2004–2005) Fearless (2005–present) Custard (2006–present)
Website	Official Website

Ben Jelen (8 July, 1979; Scotland, UK), born Benjamin Ivan Jelen, is a singer/songwriter who plays the piano, violin, and guitar. He has lived in Scotland, England, Texas, New Jersey, and New York.

Ben attended high school in New Jersey and graduated from Rutgers University, the state university of NJ, with a degree in biology. After that, he moved to New York City to work as a producer and sound-engineer at a local recording studio.

Ben was discovered by Joseph Janus of Fearless Management, who originally wanted to sign Ben as a model. Instead, Ben handed him a demo, and shortly thereafter, he was signed to a label and released his debut album "Give It All Away". His music has been featured on One Tree Hill, Smallville, Las Vegas, and was used to promote the Academy Award Nominated "Finding Neverland" starring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet. He has also written music for Tori Amos' RAINN organization and joined the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Wildlife Works. Ben also independently released the EP "Rejected" through Fearless Management Records in 2005 and will release a new album "Ex-Sensitive" (formally titled "East" and "Pulse") in 2006 produced by Linda Perry and mixed by Bill Bottrell.

On the EP "Rejected" Ben and his brother, Sebastian, sang the song, "Baby Girl" written for their sister Nina's funeral, when she passed away in the summer of 2005.

Ben appears courtesy of Fearless Management on the compilation album "Breaking for the Holidays" in 2006 with his self-produced cover of Joni Mitchell's "River" through Breaking Records. The record is available at http://www.breakingrecordsmusic.com.

According to Fearless, Ben's new album is set to be released June 5, 2007, and is to be titled Ex-Sensitive.

[edit] Selected discography

• Give It All Away (2004)

1. "Come On"
2. "Rocks"
3. "She'll Hear You"
4. "Give It All Away"
5. "Every Step"
6. "Christine"
7. "Wicked Little Town"
8. "Falling Down"
9. "Stay"
10. "Criminal"
11. "Slow Down"
12. "Setting Of The Sun"

• Rejected (2005)

1. "Driver"
2. "Teenage Suburban Queen"
3. "Room 1023"
4. "Tell Me Everything"
5. "Baby Girl"

• Ben Jelen interview

• Breaking For the Holidays"(2006)

Various Artists

1. "River"

[edit] Trivia

• Ben Jelen has also guest starred in an episode of House as a man looking to become a doctor in the episode Kids