In 1995 guitarist Jesse van Ruller was the first European musician to win the prestigious Thelonious Monk Competition in Washington. The jury, which consisted of Pat Metheny, John Scofield, Jim Hall, Pat Martino and Mark Whitfield, was very impressed by his guitar playing and bombarded him with one of the most promising talents. Since then he has played with international greats such as Philip
… Catherine, Toots Thielemans, John Patitucci, Peter Erskine, Joe Lovano, Elvin Jones and Christian McBride. For the accompaniment on Views, he invited drummer Bill Stewart, tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake and hammond organist Sam Yahel, people who occupy a prominent place in van Ruller's address book and have also been heard on Circles (2003). Despite the astonishing rhythmic interplay between Stewart and Yahel, there is more than enough room for van Ruller's inventive playing, which maneuvers through the music seemingly effortlessly and debauched. (AD)more
