2007-09-08
Jazz Journal International By Mark Gardner - Review - Roni Ben-Hur Keepin' it Open
Guitarist Roni Ben-Hur’s stock rises with each new CD release. On this well planned and beautifully executed set the full gamut of his talent is apparent.
09/08/2007
RONI BEN-HUR
KEEPIN’ IT OPEN
Can’t We Be Friends; Eshkolit; Think of One; My Man, Harris; Like A Lover; Back When; One Second Please; Indian Summer; Andaluza; Recado Bossa Nova (52.12)
Jeremy Pelt (t); Roni Ben-Hur (g); Ronnie Mathews (p); Santi Debriano (b); Lewis Nash (d); Seve Kroon (pc). Englewood, NJ, September 27 and 28, 2005.
(Motema Music MTM-00010)
Guitarist Roni Ben-Hur’s stock rises with each new CD release. On this well planned and beautifully executed set the full gamut of his talent is apparent. Surrounded by a sympathetic band, Roni interprets a carefully chosen program of superior unhackneyed material. Interleaved between the standards and jazz originals, such as Monk’s Think of One, Elmo Hope’s One Second Please and Djalma Ferreira’s Recaldo Bossa Nova, are Ben-Hur’s own compositions, My Man, Harris (dedicated to Barry Harris) and Back When.
Also to be found here is a most moving reading of traditional Sepharadic melody, Eshkolit, interpreted with finesse and feeling by the leader and trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. The emotional content of the guitarist’s playing is strong; he is fluent but never glib, and he responds to the lines of monk and Hope with real relish.
The credentials of pianist Ronnie Mathews and drummer Lewis Nash need no elaboration. Suffice to say that both play with swinging commitment. Santi Debriano is in the mould of technically adroit bassists, as skilled with the bow as with his fleet fingers, while Steve Kroon’s occasional supplementary appearances in the percussion department are tastefully delivered. A quite exceptional new face introduced here is Jeremy Pelt, whose trumpet work is clean, calm and collected. He plays with admirable drive and imagination, tonally reminiscent of the young Freddie Hubbard. Hear his lovely melodic exposition of Indian Summer. I predict we will be hearing many more good things from him in the future. But, of course, Ben-Hur deserves the most plaudits for his assured leadership and thoroughly engaging work in all the contexts that he creates. His winsome way with Latin rhythms is especially attractive, as he shows on Like A Lover, Andaluza and Recado. The man has outgrown his early influences, emerging as a confident sylist in his own right. This is undoubtedly his most fully realized session to date. Incidentally, the disc is dedicated by Roni to the memory of bassist Walter Booker, whose ‘love and beauty will always be present in my music.’ The pair worked together frequently and fruitfully over many years.
This is one release which can be recommended without reservation to all connoisseurs of jazz guitar and swinging, unpretentious music.
Mark Gardner
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