Website: http://www.ronibenhur.com

Winner of the JAZZIZ 2000 Reader's Poll for Best New Talent and a favorite of jazz critics since his emergence on the scene in the 1990's, guitarist, composer, arranger, teacher and author, Roni Ben-Hur, releases his fourth and most compelling CD as a leader, SIGNATURE (Reservoir-June 2005), featuring an All-Star cast including John Hicks - piano, Rufus Reid - bass, Leroy Williams - drums and Steve Kroon - percussion.

As its title implies, Ben-Hur's original treatments of such unusually diverse material reveals his evolution and accomplishment as a composer, arranger and leader of strength and substance, whose synthesis of styles and cultural influences defy category. He bravely covers new ground, reinterpreting jazz renditions of the brilliant classical Brazilian composer, Villa-Lobos' Bachianas Brasileiras No. 2 and Choro No. 1. "Villa-Lobos' music evokes strong emotion in me connected to various phases of my life experience. I was finally able to give these emotions a voice, my voice, and tell my story through them." He continues the development of this concept throughout the CD in his passionate reinvention of an obscure Jobim tune, Luiza. Says Roni, "Jobim wrote this gorgeous tune for his daughter, Ana Luiza. My second daughter's name is also Anna Luiza, so it was very easy for me to connect with it. It's a song not often played, but in my mind, one of Jobim's masterpieces."

Roni recalls the lush standard, Time On My Hands, "I've played this song a great deal with my dear friend, and one of my inspirations, pianist Chris Anderson. This arrangement is his and I offer my rendition as a tribute to him and the beauty he's brought this world." Ben-Hur continues, "I, like everyone else, love Harold Arlen, and Blues in the Night represents a sort of bonding song to me. It talks about the pit falls in life, but feels more like sharing one's feelings with a friend, more than a lament." So In Love, the Cole Porter classic, "drew me in from the first time I heard it," says Roni. "Both the words and melody speak to me, and to my feelings for family, friends and a lot in this world." Of his adventurous and compelling originals Roni explains, "Eretz, which means land in Hebrew, is a prayer for peace, something we Jewish people haven't known for much too long, and that the whole world needs desperately." Mama Bee, his other original," is devoted to my wife Amy, an incredibly talented lady, who works hard and always puts her family first. The tune is based on All God's Chillin' and the up-tempo mirrors Amy's amazing energy, always multi-tasking at a frenzied pace to get everything done for her family and students." Amy London, is a vocalist and Professor of Vocal Studies at The New School in NYC. The couple often performs together and shares two young daughters, Anna and Sofia.

Roni says of his SIGNATURE band, "Everyone in this band gave 100% of themselves to this project without any ego issues. There was a lot of love in the studio. This is my first project with John Hicks, whom I've always admired. He was everything I expected and more, adding wonderful colors to my arrangements and his own hard swinging original song, Slowly But Surely, to this CD. In the last few years, Rufus Reid and I have had a chance to work together more often. We had an immediate connection and spoke about recording together. Rufus, contributing his great sound and swing feel, pulled together the challenging arrangements of the Villa-Lobos pieces. Leroy Williams and I have been working together for about 12 years now in Barry Harris' band. He appears on all of my CD's, and I on his. He always swings hard and, at the same, is very sensitive to what everyone else is playing. Steve Kroon and I met not long before this project on another record date. He was a great addition to the band, adding lots of colors and rhythm and was also very intuitive, knowing immediately what I was looking for and what he could do to embellish my ideas. I hope listeners will get lost in the sincerity of our music, and that it will open their hearts."

As a leader, Ben-Hur won high praise from jazz critics around the world for his three previous recordings, Backyard (TCB-1996), Sofia's Butterfly (TCB-1998) and Anna's Dance (Reservoir Music) 2001, "A gorgeous offering" - Cadence. Jazz Review Magazine writes, "With a crisp, controlled delivery, a sharp ear for melody and a refreshing air of originality, Ben-Hur leads the conversation." Among his most ardent fans is award-winning critic, Gary Giddins, who selected Anna's Dance as "One of The Best Jazz CD's of 2001" in The Village Voice. He has performed and recorded as a sideman of choice with jazz luminaries Barry Harris, Chris Anderson, Walter Booker, Rufus Reid, Jimmy Heath, Clark Terry, Slide Hampton, Cecil Payne, Charles McPhereson, Earl May, Etta Jones, Teri Thornton, Charles Davis, Bill Doggett and Marcus Belgrave.

Roni Ben-Hur fell in love with jazz during his teens in his native land, Israel. Born to a family who emigrated from Tunisia, he grew up with the exotic, seductive rhythms of North Africa and the soulfulness of Sephardic Jewish melodies. Interestingly, this unusual background made for a very natural transition to jazz. Roni recalls, "though no one in my family was a professional musician, music was a central part of our life. Every celebration and holiday included singing and dancing, mostly with the accompaniment of hand drums. Music elevated us in times of happiness as well as hardship. This experience taught me the strength and power of music."

Ben-Hur's career as an educator began in Israel in 1981 as a high school music instructor. Since then, he's established three successful, ongoing high school jazz music programs at the Professional Performing Arts School, The Coalition School for Social Change, and Landmark High School, all in New York City. His inspirational demeanor and communication skills create a strong personal bond with his students, prompting actress and social / educational activist, Bette Midler, to ask Ben-Hur to model a music education program for other public schools in New York City. In 1992 he established and still directs a jazz program for adults at the Lucy Moses School in Manhattan. Today, his program serves adults interested in pursuing a professional career in music, as well as those exploring music as a hobby. "Teaching is something I feel very passionate about. I like to provide students with valuable information to help them see the bigger picture. They must always remember that music is art, and art is for the sake of beauty for all people, because it elevates the human spirit. Students are more inclined to practice when they remember that their love of music is what made them want to play an instrument in the first place." In 2003, Roni added "author" to his list of accomplishments. His new book, TALK JAZZ, is a collection of musical excerpts, exercises and ideas incorporating jazz motifs and improvisational concepts designed to familiarize students and music professionals, at any level, with jazz vocabulary and music theory. Now distributed internationally, this intuitive guide is receiving wide acclaim for its innovative approach, comprehensive substance, and play-along CD in three editions: 1. Guitar; 2. Generic; and 3. All inclusive of both versions in all twelve keys for any instrument, including guitar. The support and encouragement to complete this huge undertaking came from his students' repeated requests to document his teaching techniques.

The material and inspiration for these techniques were derived from the teaching methods of his long-time colleague, jazz piano legend and educator, Barry Harris, with whom Roni recorded Live in NY (Reservoir-2003) and performed at The 2004 Newport Jazz Festival to rave notices for his 'ingenious guitar solos and contribution to the group dynamic.'' Ben-Hur began studying with this quintessential bebop pianist at the Jazz Cultural Theater in 1985 after moving to New York City at age twenty two. This meeting inspired both teacher and student and, since 1993, Ben-Hur has performed often with Harris and as the leader of his own groups appearing in clubs, concert halls and festivals.

Describing Roni Ben-Hur's career, renown jazz writer Leslie Gourse wrote, "When historians look back at the start of this millennium, they'll definitely single out Roni Ben-Hur as one of the best and brightest guitarists of his time -- and for all time."