On Tuesday, May 7, at 7 PM (doors at 6.30 PM), Flanders House invites you to a free jazz concert by the Roni Ben-Hur John Snauwaert Trio with Special Guest Lorin Cohen and Students from the Lucy Moses School.

Jazz guitarist Roni Ben-Hur has earned a sterling reputation as a musician and educator, renowned for his golden tone, improvisational brilliance, compositional lyricism and ability to charm peers, students and listeners alike. Eminent jazz critic Gary Giddins wrote in the Village Voice: "A limber and inventive guitarist, Ben-Hur keeps the modernist flame alive and pure, with a low flame burning in every note... [He's] a guitarist who knows the changes and his own mind." Ben-Hur - born in Israel in 1962 but a longtime American citizen, now based in New Jersey - has released nine albums as leader or co-leader, with Time Out New York calling him "a formidable and consummately lyrical guitarist." The Star-Ledger of New Jersey summed him up this way: "A deep musician, a storyteller, Ben-Hur works with a warm, glowing sound and has an alluring way of combining engaging notes with supple rhythm." Along with releasing acclaimed educational products - including the instructional DVD Chordability and method book Talk Jazz: Guitar - Ben-Hur has directed international jazz camps for nearly 15 years. Jazz guitar star Russell Malone got it right when he said: "Everything Roni does is beautiful. He has the magic touch."

Belgium-based saxophone player and composer John Snauwaert has a very wide scope and is an artistic world traveler. Thus he made acquaintance with Petar Elmazof (Bulgaria), Chergio de Susa and Pipo Fernandes (Cuba, the latter member of the B V S C), Mahbub Khan (India). He also played on stage with jazz masters as Lowell Fulson, Isaac Hurley, Jacques Pelzer, Bob Mover... As a composer and musician he worked for Koninklijke Vlaamse Schouwburg, het Muziek Lod, De Werf, Victoria, De vieze gasten and circus Picolini. He loves the music/image combination and wrote music for the animated movies 'papa trumpet' and 'Meme' by Eveline Verschorre and also for 'The Bed' by Luc Degryze. He is also the founder of the most theatrical brass band of the Low Countries: 'Exelsior'. He is one of Belgium's leading jazz voices and really can handle any genre.

Please confirm your and your guest's attendance by Friday, May 3 by RSVPing to rsvp3@flandershouse.org (first come, first served).