Stylistically hard-to-describe artists are nothing new. However, with Ben Monder's solo excursions, one often feels the need to issue a warning/disclaimer that might read something like, "Caution—Exiting Known Musical Universe." The 24-minute title track from his album Hydra (Sunnyside, 2013) indeed melds techniques and generic signposts from jazz, rock, medieval and modern classical music, but it may be the harmonic space that dominates Monder's vision that is most remarkable—a mysterious zone the eschews nearly all familiar harmony without wallowing in outright dissonance. Not all ears take to it but those with a taste for the exploratory may just plant their flags on Monder's planet.
Contact Mike Jacobs on All About Jazz.
Mike Jacobs is a serious music addict, writer and a composing/occasionally-performing musician.
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Contact Mike Jacobs on All About Jazz.
All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.
