Ben Caplan

We now know Ben Caplan as a good neighbor. The bearded Canadian with the scratchy voice can transform even the most cloyingly sweet songs into a dryly funny spectacle. Caplan's unmistakable sound draws from different sources, with melodies grounded in the Eastern European klezmer tradition and a storytelling ability comparable to Tom Waits and Captain Beefheart. A bit gloomy, but always performed with a disarming sense of humor. This fall, Ben Caplan returns to Rotown with band and new music.