Roni Ben-Hur

Roni Ben-Hur is an Israeli-born jazz guitarist rooted in the bebop tradition, known for a warm, singing tone and lyrical phrasing. Born in 1962 in Dimona, Israel, he moved to New York in 1985 and became closely associated with pianist Barry Harris, studying with him, joining his band, and frequenting Harris's Jazz Cultural Theater. He distilled that lineage into the instructional book Talk Jazz: Guitar (2003), which adapted the Barry Harris method for guitarists. Across nearly twenty albums as a bandleader, his straight-ahead playing also draws on Brazilian, Middle Eastern, and North African colors that reflect his heritage. He directs the jazz program at New York's Kaufman Music Center.