On this respectable bop set, Israeli guitarist
Roni Ben-Hur is heard in the company of luminaries: pianist
Barry Harris, tenorist Charles Davis, bassist Walter Booker, and drummer
Leroy Williams. The group starts off with Elmo Hope's "So Nice." (
Ben-Hur has studied Hope's music as a member of
Bertha Hope's Elmollennium ensemble.) They also offer readings of
Charlie Parker's polyphonic blues head "Visa,"
Billy Strayhorn's "A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing," and the movie theme "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing."
Ben-Hur's title track and two
Barry Harris originals round out the program. Good playing all around, but a bit too sedate to leave a lasting impression. ~ David R. Adler