Jesse Van Ruller "Phantom"
Jesse Van Ruller “Phantom”55 Records (2015)
Jesse Van Ruller –electric guitar
Clemens Van Der Feen—contrabass
Joost van Schaik--drums
Tributes are one way that lesser known musicians can establish their credentials, but Jesse Van Ruller has plenty of cred already. He’s a guitarist’s guitarist whose ease of playing makes him a delight. This tribute to the music of Joe Henderson matches Henderson’s tragically overlooked compositions to Ruller’s guitar virtuosity and very serene sensibility. That’s interesting, since Joe Henderson’s early 1990 recordings were tributes in turn to Miles Davis, Billy Strayhorn and Antonio Carlos Jobim.
The song list is made up of all Joe Henderson tunes, which all seem the just-right balance of open and directed, pushing forward with melodies, but never constraining the players. If anything, van Ruller stretches out here more than he often does, moving around inside Henderson’s compositions with curiosity and wonder.
Each of the tunes is crafted and focused, with each one an intriguing set of harmonic possibility. Standouts include “A Shade of Jade” which picks up and races along delightfully, like a beautiful woman running for a train. “Punjab” rollicks along with the trio in full forward mode. “Jinrikisha” has a superb arco bass that wheels the song along firmly and knowingly.
The not-often-enough-played standards “Black Narcissus” and “Isotope,” are here lovingly delivered, the former in strong, steady contemplativeness, and the later with a Monk-like joy in shifting directions. “Inner Urge” closes out the set and fulfills the promise of the title fully.
Van Ruller had a reputation for tight, focused playing, a European sound if you will, but here he’s loose, relaxed and a lot more fun. The sound of the trio is stripped down, clean and direct. The amps and mikes are set and the trio gets to work. The sound quality of the recording is also high, and the great mastering really goes a long way. The only possible criticism of the CD is its length. But of course, that just tantalizes the listener for whatever tribute Van Ruller has up his two sleeves next.
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