Roni Ben-Hur’s Stylish Latin Jazz Entente

It makes perfect sense that Roni Ben-Hur, a jazz guitarist from Israel, should become one of the great practitioners of Afro-Latin jazz. The close connection between Latino people and the Jewish community was once underscored to me by no less an authority than the late and legendary bandleader Tito Puente. In my interview with him, Señor Puente made a point to tell me that when he played the Saturday night dance contests at the Palladium, which was ground zero for Latino music, the winners were usually Latino, but if they weren’t, they were almost invariably a Jewish couple. Señor Puente elaborated that his annual touring calendar wasn’t complete without multiple appearances in The Catskill Mountains, also known as the Borscht Belt or the so-called “Jewish Alps.” The Jewish penchant for Latin music is almost as well known, and even a punchline to many a joke, as is the fondness for Asian food.