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Ben Monder: Le Monde du Monder
by Phil DiPietro
With a fittingly well-documented career, boasting a range of stunning appearances on over 50 recordings, including 14 since the year 2000, Ben Monder has solidified his position as one of the finest players of his generation. A chordal and textural master, unafraid to thoroughly explore advanced harmonic concepts, Ben's appearance on a sideman date is sure to elevate his band mates' game, in virtually any numerical or idiomatic configuration. Compositionally, he is also at the forefront, constructing many ...
Continue ReadingBen Monder: Excavation
by Phil DiPietro
Ben Monder has been referred to as a young “unsung hero" or a “new young lion" of jazz guitar, terms which no longer suit him. Not many unsung heroes have a discography as long as your arm , with three records released under their own name (on another, he was co-billed as a leader with vocalist Theo Bleckmann) in the last 5 years. And at 38, especially in this field of endeavor, Ben cannot longer be considered a youngster (although ...
Continue ReadingBen Monder: Excavation
by Mark Corroto
Guitarist Ben Monder inhabits an ethereal world where jazz is created for deep space. Setting aside typical jazz meters and swing he plays with a detached consciousness. This recording, his second for Arabesque, follows up Monder’s trio recording Dust. Monder augments the trio of bassist Skuli Sverrisson (Pachora, Chris Speed, Human Feel), drummer Jim Black (Tiny Bell Trio, Tim Berne, Pachora, Human Feel) with vocalist Theo Bleckmann. This quartet’s previous recording, No Boat (1997) on Canada’s Songlines label, like Excavation ...
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