Steven Bernstein

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Tinctures In Time - Community Music Vol.1 is out now

Steven Bernstein, the beloved virtuoso trumpeter, arranger, bandleader and composer, has announced 'Community Music,' a four volume series that presents one album every three months over the course of a year via independent record label, Royal Potato Family. Indeed, community is the essence of these recordings, made over four days in 2020 and featuring an ensemble of musicians who have been both integral to the NYC creative music scene and co-collaborators with Bernstein for the last 30 years. A superlative quartet of records each showcasing a different facet of this remarkable, one-of-a-kind maestro, the first edition, 'Tinctures In Time (Community Music, Vol. 1)’ is a collection of incantatory originals, to be issued September 3, 2021; the aptly titled 'Good Time Music (Community Music, Vol. 2)’ with singer Catherine Russell follows on January 7, 2022; 'A Manifesto of Henry-isms (Community Music, Vol. 3)’ comprised by re-imaginings of Bernstein's inspired arrangements for the brilliant New Orleans pianist Henry Butler and The Hot 9 is out May 6, 2022; and 'Popular Culture (Community Music, Vol. 4),’ a set of Bernsteinian takes on The Grateful Dead, Charles Mingus, The Beatles and others, concludes the series on September 2, 2022. The 'Community Music' series is being introduced with a four song sampler out today across all streaming platforms. Vinyl pre-order for all four albums is also now available on Bandcamp.

Why release four records in one year? Steven Bernstein's answer is succinct and definitive: "Because why not?" The initial spark for ‘Community Music’ might have come when Henry Butler passed in 2018 and then Bernstein's mother the following year. Understandably, Bernstein began to consider his own mortality—and his musical legacy. "I thought, 'While I'm still on the planet, I need to start documenting my arrangements," he says. He won a Shifting Foundation grant (previous recipients include Bill Frisell, Craig Taborn and John Zorn) to do just that: document as many of his unrecorded and sometimes even unperformed arrangements as possible.

The band gathered at a Brooklyn studio in January 2020. Every day, Bernstein made sure to lay out a nice spread—a band, like an army, travels on its stomach—and the old friends would nosh and shoot the breeze for a while, then get down to work. They'd rehearse each tune for 45 minutes or so, then do two takes with no Protools fixes, no Autotune and no overdubs. "All the musicians are reacting to each other in real time, so you can't use any of those tricks," Bernstein says. "So this is exactly what happened: it's the music we played."

The ‘Community Music’ sessions are organic music played by gifted musicians with both solid roots in tradition and a zest for invention. “Deep down, it's the Ray Charles horns, the Duke Ellington horns,” says Bernstein. One of the great achievements of these fascinating records is to catapult those quintessential sounds into the 21st century.

It’s called ‘Community Music’ because the musicians of the MTO have been working with each other in various combinations for decades, with Bernstein at the center of it all. Bernstein has known pianist Arturo O'Farrill for well over 30 years and drummer Ben Perowsky for nearly 40; he's been playing music with saxophonist Peter Apfelbaum since they were twelve years old. And he's known everyone else in the band for at least 25 years, starting when Bernstein moved from Berkeley to New York City in 1979 and soon found himself in the thick of the golden age of the downtown jazz scene, much of it centering around the Lounge Lizards, a band he eventually joined.

When musicians work with each other for that long, they develop what's often called telepathy but is really trust, a key concept in Bernstein's musical philosophy. ‘Community Music’ might be four separate albums, but it's also just one episode of a musical conversation that's been going on for decades. "The reason all this music even exists is the honest communication we've developed over the years," Bernstein says. "And not only are these people excellent musicians, they're distinctive players. Those arrangements are written for the specific people who are playing them, and that's why it sounds the way it does."

The ‘Community Music’ sessions incorporate the past into the present, making music that's a new kind of timeless. "Levon Helm's not here, and Henry Butler's not here, and Hal Willner's not here, and Roswell Rudd's not here, and Lou Reed's not here," says Bernstein. "So I'm carrying forward all the stuff I learned from them—but through me, the way I look at it. Hal used to say, as our favorite musicians were passing, 'It's up to us now — we need to make the music with the same intent as our heroes. We have to be our own heroes now.'"

The Millennial Territory Orchestra community are heroes in that sense but also in the way they've come together to make this essentially joyous music even in the face of misfortune. It's the spirit of the New Orleans second line, alchemizing sorrow into a celebration of life. "These records really aren't all about my loss," Bernstein says, "but that's also what's bonded this community in an even stronger way because those experiences have given us an even greater awareness of how sacred life is. You hear that in all of this music, whether it's a happy song or a sad song, you can hear the reverence we all have for life. We don't take these opportunities to play music together lightly.” And you can hear that loud and clear on every note of every tune of the four volume ‘Community Music’ series. Listen and be uplifted.
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Top tracks

01
Black Bottom Stomp
Steven Bernstein & The Hot 9
Manifesto of Henryisms (Community Music, Vol. 3)
05:49
Composers: Jelly Roll Morton
07
Greenpoint
Bernie Worrell
Wave From The WOOniverse
08:41
Writer: Bernie Worrell - Steve Bernstein - Scott Hogan / Composers: Bernie Worrell - Steve Bernstein - Scott Hogan
01
Viper’s Drag
Henry Butler
Viper's Drag
06:46
Composers: Thomas "Fats" Waller
02
Simeon (Yis May Chu)
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Suite
03:44
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
05
Dan
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Suite
04:49
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
01
Reuben
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Suite
05:13
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
03
Levi
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Suite
04:04
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
01
Yis May Chu
Steven Bernstein
Hollywood Diaspora
05:06
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
01
Amacord
Sexmob
Cinema, Circus & Spaghetti (Sexmob Plays Fellini: The Music of Nino Rota)
04:36
Composers: Nino Rota
02
King Kong
Steven Bernstein
Hollywood Diaspora
03:13
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
05
M'Lady
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
MTO Plays Sly (Bonus Version)
05:27
Composers: Sylvester Stewart
01
Stand
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
MTO Plays Sly (Bonus Version)
09:15
Composers: Sylvester Stewart

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  • Discography
Albums
(P) 2022 Royal Potato Family
06-05-2022
Manifesto of Henryisms (Community Music, Vol. 3)
01
Black Bottom Stomp
Steven Bernstein & The Hot 9
Manifesto of Henryisms (Community Music, Vol. 3)
05:49
Composers: Jelly Roll Morton
02
Booker Time
Steven Bernstein & The Hot 9
Manifesto of Henryisms (Community Music, Vol. 3)
06:09
Composers: Henry Butler
03
Bogalusa Strut
Steven Bernstein & The Hot 9
Manifesto of Henryisms (Community Music, Vol. 3)
05:41
Composers: Sam Morgan
04
(My Girl) Josephine
Steven Bernstein & The Hot 9
Manifesto of Henryisms (Community Music, Vol. 3)
04:36
Composers: Fats Domino - Dave Bartholomew
05
Little Dipper / Dippermouth Blues
Steven Bernstein & The Hot 9
Manifesto of Henryisms (Community Music, Vol. 3)
07:16
Composers: Steven Bernstein - Joseph King Oliver
06
Xmen
Steven Bernstein & The Hot 9
Manifesto of Henryisms (Community Music, Vol. 3)
03:49
Composers: Steven Bernstein
07
Newport Aperitif / Diminuendo & Crescendo in Blue
Steven Bernstein & The Hot 9
Manifesto of Henryisms (Community Music, Vol. 3)
07:23
Composers: Steven Bernstein - Duke Ellington
(P) 2022 Royal Potato Family
07-01-2022
Good Time Music (Community Music, Vol. 2)
01
River's Invitation
Steven Bernstein
Good Time Music (Community Music, Vol. 2)
06:41
Composers: Percy Mayfield
02
Yes We Can
Steven Bernstein
Good Time Music (Community Music, Vol. 2)
06:29
Composers: Allen Toussaint
03
You've Been a Good Old Wagon
Steven Bernstein
Good Time Music (Community Music, Vol. 2)
06:09
Composers: Bessie Smith - Stuart Balcom
04
Loveless Love
Steven Bernstein
Good Time Music (Community Music, Vol. 2)
06:34
Composers: WC Handy
05
Come On
Steven Bernstein
Good Time Music (Community Music, Vol. 2)
05:05
Composers: Earl King
06
Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand
Steven Bernstein
Good Time Music (Community Music, Vol. 2)
05:33
Composers: Henry Roeland Byrd
(P) 2022 Royal Potato Family
19-11-2021
River's Invitation
01
Come On
Steven Bernstein
River's Invitation
05:05
Composers: Earl King
02
River's Invitation
Steven Bernstein
River's Invitation
06:41
Composers: Percy Mayfield
(P) 2021 Royal Potato Family
03-09-2021
Tinctures In Time (Community Music, Vol. 1)
01
Planet B
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
Tinctures In Time (Community Music, Vol. 1)
04:45
Composers: Steven Bernstein
02
Quart Of Relativity
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
Tinctures In Time (Community Music, Vol. 1)
05:04
Composers: Steven Bernstein
03
Angels
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
Tinctures In Time (Community Music, Vol. 1)
03:42
Composers: Steven Bernstein
04
Show Me Your Myth
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
Tinctures In Time (Community Music, Vol. 1)
05:11
Composers: Steven Bernstein
05
High Light
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
Tinctures In Time (Community Music, Vol. 1)
05:32
Composers: Steven Bernstein
06
The Gift
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
Tinctures In Time (Community Music, Vol. 1)
06:18
Composers: Steven Bernstein
07
Satori Slapdown
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
Tinctures In Time (Community Music, Vol. 1)
05:42
Composers: Steven Bernstein
Access the complete album info (8 songs)
2019 Joe Fiedler
22-02-2019
Open Sesame
01
Somebody Come and Play
Joe Fiedler
Open Sesame
04:58
Composers: Joseph Raposo
02
Sesame Street Theme
Joe Fiedler
Open Sesame
06:08
Composers: Joseph Raposo - Jon Stone - Bruce Hart
03
Doin' the Pigeon
Joe Fiedler
Open Sesame
04:32
Composers: Joseph Raposo
04
Rubber Duckie
Joe Fiedler
Open Sesame
03:38
Composers: Jeffrey A Moss
05
Sing
Joe Fiedler
Open Sesame
04:59
Composers: Joseph Raposo
06
Has Anybody Seen My Dog
Joe Fiedler
Open Sesame
05:24
Composers: Joseph Raposo
07
Pinball Number Count
Joe Fiedler
Open Sesame
02:53
Composers: Walt Kramer
Access the complete album info (17 songs)
Rex Records
14-04-2017
Cultural Capital
01
Street
Sexmob
Cultural Capital
02:53
Composers: Steven Bernstein
02
Step Apache
Sexmob
Cultural Capital
05:49
Composers: Steven Bernstein
03
Bari Si
Sexmob
Cultural Capital
03:56
Composers: Steven Bernstein
04
Helmland
Sexmob
Cultural Capital
04:39
Composers: Steven Bernstein
05
4 Cents
Sexmob
Cultural Capital
03:00
Composers: Steven Bernstein
06
Syrup
Sexmob
Cultural Capital
03:07
Composers: Steven Bernstein
07
Giant Minds
Sexmob
Cultural Capital
03:15
Composers: Steven Bernstein
Access the complete album info (13 songs)
℗ 2014 JAF, Inc., under exclusive license of impulse! Universal Music France
01-01-2014
Viper's Drag
01
Viper’s Drag
Henry Butler
Viper's Drag
06:46
Composers: Thomas "Fats" Waller
02
Dixie Walker
Henry Butler
Viper's Drag
06:21
Composers: Henry Butler
03
Buddy Bolden's Blues
Henry Butler
Viper's Drag
05:14
Composers: Jelly Roll Morton
04
Henry's Boogie
Henry Butler
Viper's Drag
05:36
Composers: Henry Butler
05
Gimmie A Pigfoot
Henry Butler
Viper's Drag
05:53
Composers: Wesley Wilson
06
Wolverine Blues
Henry Butler
Viper's Drag
05:41
Composers: Jelly Roll Morton - Benjamin Franklin Spikes - John Curry Spikes
07
King Porter Stomp
Henry Butler
Viper's Drag
06:21
Composers: Jelly Roll Morton
Access the complete album info (9 songs)
Rex Records
27-09-2011
MTO Plays Sly (Bonus Version)
01
Stand
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
MTO Plays Sly (Bonus Version)
09:15
Composers: Sylvester Stewart
02
Family Affair
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
MTO Plays Sly (Bonus Version)
04:59
Composers: Sylvester Stewart
03
Sly Notions
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
MTO Plays Sly (Bonus Version)
03:10
Composers: Steven Bernstein
04
Que Sera, Sera
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
MTO Plays Sly (Bonus Version)
07:15
Composers: Jay Livingston - Jocelyne Berthiaume - Raymond B. Evans
05
M'Lady
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
MTO Plays Sly (Bonus Version)
05:27
Composers: Sylvester Stewart
06
You Can Make It If You Try
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
MTO Plays Sly (Bonus Version)
05:07
Composers: Sylvester Stewart
07
Everyday People
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
MTO Plays Sly (Bonus Version)
04:47
Composers: Sylvester Stewart
Access the complete album info (17 songs)
Rex Records
21-10-2008
We Are MTO
01
We Are MTO
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
We Are MTO
04:02
Composers: Steven Bernstein
02
In a Corner
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
We Are MTO
03:33
Composers: Calum Scott
03
Makes No Difference
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
We Are MTO
06:01
Composers: Floyd Tillman - Jimmie Davis
04
All You Need is Love
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
We Are MTO
07:16
Composers: John Lennon - Paul McCartney
05
Paducah
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
We Are MTO
06:29
Composers: Don Redman
06
Dickie's Dream
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
We Are MTO
06:08
Composers: Lester Young - William Basie
07
Viper Song
Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
We Are MTO
07:46
Composers: Thomas Waller
Access the complete album info (8 songs)
2008 Tzadik
22-01-2008
Diaspora Suite
01
Reuben
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Suite
05:13
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
02
Simeon (Yis May Chu)
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Suite
03:44
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
03
Levi
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Suite
04:04
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
04
Judah
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Suite
07:00
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
05
Dan
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Suite
04:49
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
06
Naphtali
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Suite
04:52
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
07
Gad
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Suite
08:17
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
Access the complete album info (12 songs)
2004 Tzadik
21-09-2004
Hollywood Diaspora
01
Yis May Chu
Steven Bernstein
Hollywood Diaspora
05:06
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
02
King Kong
Steven Bernstein
Hollywood Diaspora
03:13
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
03
Jehudis Bas Zion
Steven Bernstein
Hollywood Diaspora
05:34
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
04
Hollywood Diaspora
Steven Bernstein
Hollywood Diaspora
03:53
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
05
Meyer Lansky
Steven Bernstein
Hollywood Diaspora
05:04
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
06
B'rich Shvme
Steven Bernstein
Hollywood Diaspora
09:21
Writer: Josef Rosenblatt / Composers: Josef Rosenblatt
07
Eliyahoo Hanavee
Steven Bernstein
Hollywood Diaspora
05:17
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
Access the complete album info (11 songs)
2002 Tzadik
25-06-2002
Diaspora Blues
01
V'lirushalavim Irchu
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Blues
09:13
Writer: Moshe Koussevitzky / Composers: Moshe Koussevitzky
02
Blessing
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Blues
03:08
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
03
Aveenu Malkenu
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Blues
05:49
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
04
Commentary I
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Blues
02:16
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
05
Lucky
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Blues
07:21
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
06
Misratze B'rachamim
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Blues
12:40
Writer: Moshe Koussevitzky / Composers: Moshe Koussevitzky
07
Chant
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Blues
06:03
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
Access the complete album info (11 songs)
Rex Records
25-01-2000
Solid Sender
01
Solid Sender
Sexmob
Solid Sender
04:56
Composers: Steven Bernstein
02
About A Girl
Sexmob
Solid Sender
04:08
Composers: Kurt Cobain
03
Fernando
Sexmob
Solid Sender
07:01
Composers: Benny Anderson - Björn Ulvaeus
04
Human Bidet, Pt. 1
Sexmob
Solid Sender
00:20
Composers: Steven Bernstein
05
The Mooch
Sexmob
Solid Sender
04:37
Composers: Duke Ellington - Mills Irving
06
Rear View
Sexmob
Solid Sender
03:11
Composers: Steven Bernstein
07
Human Bidet, Pt. 2
Sexmob
Solid Sender
00:16
Composers: Steven Bernstein
Access the complete album info (19 songs)
1999 Tzadik
17-08-1999
Diaspora Soul
01
Manishtana
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Soul
04:37
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
02
Chusen Kalah Mazel Tov
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Soul
03:44
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
03
L'Chaim
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Soul
07:51
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
04
Mazinka
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Soul
04:30
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
05
Shalom Bimramov
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Soul
05:38
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
06
Let My People Go
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Soul
04:08
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
07
Roumania, Roumania
Steven Bernstein
Diaspora Soul
08:45
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
Access the complete album info (12 songs)
1998 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
07-05-1998
Din Of Inequity
01
Holiday Of Briggan
Sex Mob
Din Of Inequity
04:02
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
02
Sign 'O' The Times
Sex Mob
Din Of Inequity
05:54
Writer: Prince / Composers: Prince
03
House Of The Rising Sun
Sex Mob
Din Of Inequity
07:09
Writer: Huddie Ledbetter / Composers: Huddie Ledbetter
04
Goldfinger
Sex Mob
Din Of Inequity
04:20
Writer: Leslie Bricusse - Anthony Newley - John Barry / Composers: Leslie Bricusse - Anthony Newley - John Barry
05
Super Don
Sex Mob
Din Of Inequity
00:41
Writer: Steven Bernstein / Composers: Steven Bernstein
06
Been It
Sex Mob
Din Of Inequity
04:33
Writer: Peter Svensson - Nina Persson / Composers: Peter Svensson - Nina Persson
07
Come Sunday
Sex Mob
Din Of Inequity
03:09
Writer: Duke Ellington / Composers: Duke Ellington
Access the complete album info (13 songs)