Peter Bernstein and Jesse van Ruller
(Pizza Categorical Jazz Membership, Dean Road. 30 January 2024. Evaluation and photographs by John McGloin)

Peter Bernstein’s affiliation with Dutch guitarist Jesse van Ruller stretches again to the time shortly after van Ruller received the Thelonious Monk jazz competitors in 1995. In 2018, they appeared onstage collectively in a Jim Corridor tribute tour in Italy. Since then, they’ve toured as a duo on plenty of events. London was lucky to host them at Pizza Categorical Jazz membership in Soho for 2 nights as a part of their European tour. Peter was enjoying his regular Zeider Archtop whereas Jesse had a personalised Westville Aruba with a tone that sounded as stunning because it regarded.

Peter had mentioned that he and Jesse had bought collectively per week or so earlier than the tour to work on the setlist. My impression was that the primary couple of numbers, Getting Sentimental Over You and Duke Jordan’s No Downside had been agreed on beforehand after which, every thing else was improvised, each setlist and the music. The interaction between Peter and Jesse was nothing wanting astonishing, because the pair appeared completely focussed on their enjoying with barely a look to one another. But clearly they have been listening to one another all through the improvisations for cues to swap lead and rhythm enjoying in order that their interaction was seamless. Equally astonishing was how nicely they complemented one another stylistically with such tasteful and melodic jazz.

We have been listening to intricate and at instances demanding jazz, which Bernstein acknowledged in complimenting the viewers for his or her “excessive tolerance for guitar”. He additional noticed “You’re robust” drawing a ripple of laughter from the viewers. The duo have been enjoying with apparent enjoyment with extra appears and smiles at one another because the night progressed. Straightforward Residing, the Billie Vacation ballad, was merely attractive and Bernstein knowledgeable us with a wry smile afterwards, “We added an additional beat to every bar”. Tommy Flanagan’s Past the Bluebird was a distinction with a sprightly intro that swung into a quick piece of improvisation. We heard a Jim Corridor tribute utilizing his association of With a Music in My Coronary heart after which the pair declared an intention to “Stick with it with one thing else”. This turned out to be a really bluesy model of No Blues. A very long time fixture of Peter Bernstein’s repertoire, Horace Silver’s Peace featured, after which Peter defined the way it was ten bars lengthy in all twelve keys and ought to be required studying for all aspiring guitarists.

The viewers insisted on an encore. A fast dialogue “Let’s do a Blues of some form. B flat”? and a beautiful night of music got here to an finish.

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