''Dust'' is an album by guitarist Ben Monder which was recorded in 1996 and first released on the

Arabesque The arabesque is a form of artistic decoration consisting of "surface decorations based on rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling and interlacing foliage, tendrils" or plain lines, often combined with other elements. Another definition is "Foli ...

label the following year. It was rereleased on

Sunnyside Records Sunnyside Records is an American jazz record company and label established by François Zalacain in 1982 initially to release an album by pianist Harold Danko. Albums by Kirk Lightsey and Lee Konitz soon followed beginning a sequence of release ...

in 2006.

Reception

Critical reception was mixed. The

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

review by Scott Yanow stated "This is a difficult set to warm up to. Guitarist Ben Monder's dry sound, which at times recalls

Pat Martino Pat Martino (born Patrick Carmen Azzara; August 25, 1944 – November 1, 2021) was an American jazz guitarist and composer. Biography Martino was born Patrick Carmen Azzara in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, to father Carmen "Mickey" ...

and

Bill Frisell William Richard Frisell (born March 18, 1951) is an American jazz guitarist, composer and arranger. Frisell first came to prominence at ECM Records in the 1980s, as both a session player and a leader. He went on to work in a variety of contexts ...

without sounding derivative, is both subtle and versatile. ... Monder's playing ranges from introspective to rocking, and is adventurous while remaining tied to each piece's original mood. One certainly respects Monder's music, but it generally lacks much warmth or wit". On

All About Jazz ''All About Jazz'' is a website established by Michael Ricci in 1995. A volunteer staff publishes news, album reviews, articles, videos, and listings of concerts and other events having to do with jazz. Ricci maintains a related site, ''Jazz Near ...

, James Taylor said it "covers all the ground from free, ambient and discordant to tight, together and melodically upbeat" and noted "Trio records can go one of two ways: they either become a showcase for one particular player's overwhelming talent or a dynamic conversation between three equally talented and thematically in-tune musicians. ''Dust'' definitely falls in the latter category. This isn't Monder's show per se; all three players push and pull the songs in varying directions, following no real leader. While Monder's best work may be as a sideman, interested listeners may wish to check out ''Dust'' in order to see the artist in his early stages".Taylor, J
All About Jazz Review
accessed May 14, 2018 In

JazzTimes ''JazzTimes'' is an American magazine devoted to jazz. Published 10 times a year, it was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1970 by Ira Sabin as the newsletter ''Radio Free Jazz'' to complement his record store. Coverage After a decade of growt ...

, Bret Primack wrote "although he may not be a recognized name in the world of jazz just yet, other musicians certainly know about him. The man can play. Rather than an exhibition of his chops, he dazzles us with an exploration of the infinite possibilities of the guitar trio. Yet although this is clearly a jazz recording, it’s informed by the sum total of his musical experience in other idioms, including classical and rock".Primack, B
JazzTimes Review
accessed May 14, 2018

Track listing

All compositions by Ben Monder except where noted # "Sleep" – 8:08 # "Silent Neighbors" – 6:09 # "The Third Eyebrow" – 8:13 # "Dust" – 10:58 # "In Memoriam" – 6:40 # " I'll Remember April" ( Gene de Paul,

Patricia Johnston "I'll Remember April" is a popular song and jazz standard with music written in 1941 by Gene de Paul, and lyrics by Patricia Johnston and Don Raye. It made its debut in the 1942 Abbott and Costello comedy '' Ride 'Em Cowboy'', being sung by Dic ...

, Don Raye) – 6:18 # "Gemini" – 8:16 # "Late Green" – 4:38

Personnel

* Ben Monder – guitar *

Ben Street Ben Street is an American jazz double bassist. Street has performed and recorded with many renowned artists, including John Scofield, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Mark Turner, Ben Monder, Michael Eckroth, Sam Rivers, Billy Hart, Danilo Perez, Aaron ...

– double bass *

Jim Black Jim Black is an American jazz drummer who has performed with Tim Berne and Dave Douglas. He attended Berklee College of Music. Career His band AlasNoAxis includes Hilmar Jensson on electric guitar, Chris Speed on tenor saxophone and clari ...

– drums, percussion

References

{{Authority control Arabesque Records albums Sunnyside Records albums Ben Monder albums 1997 albums