New Music: Ben Harper And Relentless7 - Live From The Montreal International Jazz Festival
Ben Harper And Relentless7 are cool enough on CD with 2009’s White Lies For Dark Times proving to be one of the more memorable albums of the year, but the energy Ben & company unleash in a live setting is one of those things a studio just can’t harness. Fortunately a live offering from the group was not far behind, with the Live From The Montreal International Jazz Festival CD/DVD providing nearly an hour and a half of some fine music.
Recorded July 12, 2009, the 13-track CD and 15-track DVD (featuring “Skin Thin” and “Fly One Time”) does a solid job in capturing the bluesy rock-n-roll jams that Ben Harper And Relentless7 pull off with ease. The band is on fire, and it comes across well. While The Innocent Criminals were good in their time and place, his new band found in Relentless7 can just throw down.
From “Faster Slower Disappear Come Around” and “Number With No Name” through covers of Queen & David Bowie’s “Under Pressure” and “Red House” by Jimi Hendrix… this is the Ben Harper becoming better with age and that reality is on full display.