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Ben Harper and Relentless7 – Live From The Montreal International Jazz Festival
On the second release with his new line up Relentless7, Ben Harper seems to be relishing being a band member and not just a front man even more. Always generous with the spotlight, on this live set he is even more comfortable with letting the other band members get their due.
The earthiness is still there but the group sound is now made up of more components, the most divergent one being the lead guitar of Jason Mozersky. His solos veer into a noise approach where jagged notes slowly work themselves into a melodic narrative. This is an interesting counter to Harper’s more rural tones.
The song writing approach remains somewhat familiar but now includes a more rock dynamic. Harper also extends this attitude with a few tasty covers, a deconstructionist version of Jimi Hendrix’s Red House that seems to slide its way out of the primordial ooze and David Bowie’s Under Pressure, which is recast with a slightly less over dramatic demure.
There is a joy in Harper’s music that has remained throughout his career. His unpretentious ability to connect with his audience is still intact and with the addition of more rock elements in his sound, the brass ring seems closer than ever. This reach for commercial appeal is still accomplished without losing any of his innate charm and inclusive sound. Also of note with this normal priced set is the addition of a DVD that includes the live set the album is based with two extra tracks Skin Thin and Fly One Time.
Rob Hudson
www.benharper.com
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