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