photo by Jim Dombkowski
“New York-native, Benny Bleu is a geologist by trade, banjo player and singer-songwriter who touches on our connections with the natural world and each other.” – Putumayo World Music
Benny Bleu Haravitch plays old time banjo in the Finger Lakes of upstate New York – a land defined by deep lake valleys and steep highlands. The topography is reflected in the local fiddle tradition, and Benny’s banjo rolls along having studied and played with regional old-time visionaries Mac Benford, Richie Stearns, Judy Hyman, and Bruce Molsky. As a former geologist, his songwriting is earth-focused and inspired by the natural world. Benny’s performances are soothing journeys through tunes from his homeland, old songs learned by growing up next to a jug-bandleader, and original modern folk contemplations. 2024 is a prolific year as Benny released twin albums Banjo Meditations (featured in Bandcamp Daily’s Best Country Music of June 2024) and Banjo Jubilations (#2 artist and #5 album on FAI Folk Radio Chart June 2024), and embarked on an all-too-uncommon Amtrak tour to the west coast and back, spreading the efforts of sustainability and eco-consciousness in the traveling arts.
His career is dedicated to purveying honest acoustic roots music, not for the sake of revival, but as a living, breathing community experience in the here and now. An award winning banjo player, and a cherished songwriter, Benny Bleu lives up to the truest form of folk music – made by the folks, for the folks. His hypothesis: building connections with nature, each other, and our history through music makes for a richer future. Simple, testable, repeatable.
Prounouns: he/him/his
Interests: Train Travel and Public Transportation, Libraries, the USPS, the USGS, the WNBA, Public Radio, Geology
Zodiac: Some of the stars that were behind the sun the day I was born make up the constellation Aries, which is a ram. I learned this by actually observing the sky. Even though conventional ‘astrology’ would have me believe I am a Taurus. Look upward! And inward! Not phone-ward.
Chinese Zodiac: The year that I was born occurred during the portion of Jupiter’s orbital period which, according to Chinese folklore, is represented by an ox. It looks like this on the internet.
Myers-Briggs Type: INFP. On the internet, INFPs often look like this.