Guitar player Jesse van Ruller is known for his active and professional role as sideman for various colleagues. He performs in groups of pianist Michiel Borstlap and Piet Noordijk and together with guitarist Maarten van der Grinten forms duo Van der & Van. He also has an important share in the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw. As an adolescent he loved the guitar pop of Jimi Hendrix, Bryan May of Queen and Carlos Santana. He had only one goal: to make as much of a racket as possible. George Benson introduced him to harmonious guitar improvisations. After that he discovered John Scofield, Pat Metheny and went back in time, by way of Wes Montgomery, to bebop. And now Jesse van Ruller, who was the first European to win the prestigious Thelonious Monk Competition in Washington in 1995, is busy. Last year the talented musician traveled all over for CD-recordings, a tour in Japan and a tour with Belgian guitarist Philip Catherine. In New York he and his trio, bass player Frans van der Hoeven and drummer Martijn Vink, recorded the lauded album Here and There. In the meantime he has formed a new band, called Redux, including Michiel Borstlap on keyboards and Martijn Vink on drums and electronic rhythm. In Redux beats and loops are the basis of improvisation. Due to the lacking bass-instrument the trio has all space and time to compose on the spot. Van Ruller will perform with both his trio and Redux.
