Ben Cosgrove | |
|---|---|
 Cosgrove playing live in Boulder, Colorado in 2013 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | January 30, 1988 |
| Genres | Instrumental |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, Multi-instrumentalist, Producer |
| Instrument(s) | piano, keyboards, organ, accordion, upright bass, guitar, percussion, trumpet, trombone, euphonium, violin, field recordings |
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Website | bencosgrove.com |
Ben Cosgrove (born 30 January 1988) is an American composer and multi-instrumentalist from Methuen, Massachusetts, whose work explores the intersection of sound and place.[1][2][3][4]
His 2011 album, Yankee Division, is based on landscapes around New England, taking its name from the Yankee Division Highway.[5] In 2014, he released Field Studies, an album exploring the wider American landscape, from the Sierra Nevada to the Everglades.[6] In 2015, Cosgrove released a live album, Solo Piano, which features recordings collected from performances in thirteen different states.[7] His 2017 studio album, Salt, is a concept record comparing landscapes of flux and ambiguity to personal tumult and emotional unrest.[8] Later releases include The Trouble With Wilderness (2021) and Bearings (2023).[1][9][10]
In addition to his solo work, he often tours and records with other artists, including The Ghost of Paul Revere and Darlingside.[11][12]
Cosgrove's landscape compositions are discussed in Conor Knighton's Leave Only Footprints (2020) and Matthew Doucet's You've Never Heard Your Favorite Song: 100 Deep Cuts to Make Your World Sound Better (2020).[13][14] He has served as an artist-in-residence with the Schmidt Ocean Institute, the New England National Scenic Trail, the Signet Society, Isle Royale National Park, Acadia National Park, and White Mountain National Forest.[15][16][17][18][19]
Cosgrove also writes nonfiction essays that touch upon place, sound, and art. His writing has appeared in Orion, Northern Woodlands, and other outlets.[20][21][22]
