"Sounds great, Ben!"
--Lyle Lovett, 2005

"...Graves seems to be on the slow and steady road to success... sharing the stage with notables and winning the prizes that are stepping stones to the kind of recognition he deserves. (His songs)...conjure up the feel of a long walk with a comfortable lover; the scenery changes, but the feeling is the same."
--Katherine Brown, SFWeekly-October, 2000

"one of the young lions of the saxophone"
--Ed Blackwell (late, renowned Ornette Coleman sideman and jazz drum icon)-1991

"I bought Memphis on a lark while at a used CD store. The disc is fantastic. Best i've heard in years. I particularly enjoyed certain tracks, which my wife pointed out you wrote solo. i've sent links to your site to several friends. Hope you travel to Florida soon. Memphis is a masterpiece."
--Aaron O'Brien, 2005

Of "Memphis":
"A great, great disc"
--Sean Wilson, music director, WTSR 91.3 FM, Ewing, NJ, June 2002

"very, very good CD"
--Rosalie Howarth, host of San Francisco's KFOG Radio's 'Acoustic Sunrise' Sunday morning show, June 2002

"Memphis"... is characterized by strong and catchy vocal melodies...Ben Graves is a very talented and versatile guitarist, and his ability is displayed in subtle ways...
--Eric Rasmussen, Stavox.net (online music zine), April, 2002

Of "Crazy Italians":
"...exuberant pop, ... tightly crafted songs that (lend) themselves well to improvisation in a live setting."
--Russell Hall, Performing Songwriter-May, 2000

"...With this mix of easy grooves and smooth roots-rock sensibility... Ben Graves delivers incisive observations on the everyday in a honeyed voice."
--Howard Myint, SF Bay Guardian-December, 1997

"...his melodies are consistently fresh and inventive... (Crazy Italians) should... please anyone else who enjoys intelligent pop music."
--Neil Fagan, Performing Songwriter-August, 1997