Ben Monder is a wholly singular figure among the major guitarists on the international jazz-related scene. He is such an individual soloist that any stylistic categorisation becomes extremely difficult. At the same time, he is in great demand with bands of all kinds and musicians from very different backgrounds, and is known for both his versatility and his willingness to collaborate. He is also a rigorous, meticulous musician when it comes to his instrument. In short, he is an elusive figure, apparently contradictory yet at the same time accessible in the way he expresses himself through music. If you love the guitar, it is difficult not to appreciate him, provided you do not become too fixated on the terminology of jazz orthodoxy. It is no coincidence that I used the word “derivation” above: everything Monder does as a soloist lies outside the usual coordinates of contemporary jazz, yet it is […]
