Here and There

Jesse Van Ruller Quartet/Trio: Jesse Van Ruller (guitar); David Hazeltine (piano); Nat Reeves, Frans Van Geest (bass); Willie Jones III, Joe Farnsworth (drums).
Personnel: Jesse Van Ruller (guitar); David Hazeltine (piano); Willie Jones III , Joe Farnsworth (drums).
Liner Note Author: Ted Panken.
Recording information: Studio 44, Monster (01/17/2001/10/28/2001); Systems Two Recording Studios, Brooklyn, NY (01/17/2001/10/28/2001).
Photographer: Frans Schellekens.
Jesse Van Ruller, the Dutch guitarist, makes a fine showing on this Criss Cross release, which is actually an amalgam of two sessions. The first six tracks feature pianist David Hazeltine, bassist Nat Reeves, and drummer Joe Farnsworth. The last four, recorded later the same year, omit Hazeltine and have Frans Van Geest and Willie Jones III on bass and drums, respectively. Hazeltine lays out on several other tracks as well, giving the leader's beautiful, woody tone and advanced interpretive skills plenty of room to shine. Among the highlights are seldom-played tunes like "The Best Things in Life are Free," "Bye, Bye Baby," and "Ballad of the Sad Young Men," as well as challenging jazz vehicles like Monk's "In Walked Bud," Buster Williams' "Christina," and Lee Konitz's "Subconscious-Lee." Like his labelmate Peter Bernstein, the young Van Ruller is an able champion of the straight-ahead jazz guitar tradition. ~ David R. Adler