
Thirty-year-old Jesse van Ruller has won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Prize for jazz guitar in Washington and played legends like Christian McBride, George Duke, former Miles Davis protege Mike Stern, Philip Catherine, Toots Thielemans, and the Roy Hargrove Quintet. His prolific career includes six CDs released under his own name. Nepal's own Cadenza summed it up after listening to Van Ruller's music: "Jesse is cool. End of discussion."
(for more information - www.kathmandujazzfestival.com)