Peter Bernstein

Peter Bernstein and his guitar join together with Brad Mehldau on piano, Larry Genadier on bass and Bill Stewart on drums to complile a 10-track SACD that features Bernstein originals "Venus Blues" and "Just A Thought" as well as jazz staples from Phillip Springer, Harry Warren and many more.

Peter Bernstein and his guitar join together with Brad Mehldau on piano, Larry Genadier on bass and Bill Stewart on drums to complile a 10-track SACD that features Bernstein originals "Venus Blues" and "Just A Thought" as well as jazz staples from Phillip Springer, Harry Warren and many more.

Guitarist Peter Bernstein is justly renowned as an interpreter of other people’s music. His unerring, relaxed swing, his stunning gift for crafting and developing sophisticated melodies, the un-showy but absorbing narrative arc of his solos, the just plain rightness of his in-the-moment choices—all of these account for his well-established status as one of the most in-demand musicians on the New York jazz scene.

It would be accurate to say that the quartet that Peter Bernstein has assembled for his remarkable new album is making its debut, but it would also be more than a little misleading. While it’s true that this all-star group – which teams the acclaimed guitarist with pianist Brad Mehldau, bassist Vicente Archer, and legendary drummer Al Foster – had never played together prior to recording BETTER ANGELS, its members all share deep and long-standing relationships. The result is the best of both worlds: striking interplay that can’t help but thrive on the chemistry generated by the various connections, combined with the high-wire energy derived from delving into the unknown. BETTER ANGELS extends that combination of the comfortable and the unfamiliar to Bernstein’s choice of repertoire, which pairs thoughtfully selected standards with bold new original compositions.

It would be accurate to say that the quartet that Peter Bernstein has assembled for his remarkable new album is making its debut, but it would also be more than a little misleading. While it’s true that this all-star group – which teams the acclaimed guitarist with pianist Brad Mehldau, bassist Vicente Archer, and legendary drummer Al Foster – had never played together prior to recording BETTER ANGELS, its members all share deep and long-standing relationships. The result is the best of both worlds: striking interplay that can’t help but thrive on the chemistry generated by the various connections, combined with the high-wire energy derived from delving into the unknown. BETTER ANGELS extends that combination of the comfortable and the unfamiliar to Bernstein’s choice of repertoire, which pairs thoughtfully selected standards with bold new original compositions.

Monk, Peter Bernstein's seventh album, is also his first in four and a half years, following Stranger in Paradise, which was released in Japan. It's being issued by the newly reactivated Xanadu label, which has come back into existence mainly to reissue previous albums, and this one, although a current recording, also has the air of a retrospective. As its title suggests, it's a tribute to Thelonious Monk, employing all Monk compositions.

A live recording from an intimate venue—in this case, the well-respected Greenwich Village club, Smalls—is like comfort food.. Live at Smalls, from guitarist Peter Bernstein, doesn't disappoint, starting off with a blues to welcome everyone in, with solid solo turns from all members of the quartet, also including pianist Richard Wyands, bassist John Webber and drummer Jimmy Cobb.

Bernstein convenes an all-star quartet for his stunning release, Better Angels, featuring pianist Brad Mehldau, bassist Vicente Archer, and legendary drummer Al Foster

Bernstein convenes an all-star quartet for his stunning release, Better Angels, featuring pianist Brad Mehldau, bassist Vicente Archer, and legendary drummer Al Foster