Roni Ben-Hur - Anna's Dance (2001)

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.

Review by David R. Adler