Ben Bernstein
PRODUCER * SONGWRITER * PERFORMER
Bay Area musician and singer-songwriter Ben Bernstein’s life-long musical journey continues on its dynamic course with his latest effort and his first solo CD “Petting Zoo. ” The critically lauded release reflects Ben’s knowledge of multiple genres and production skills, while putting a new voice on the long-time sideman’s creative expression.
Ben Bernstein’s passion for music began early as a drummer growing up in Sioux City, Iowa. In High School, upon the suggesting of band director and musical mentor Larry Kisor, Ben switched to the bass, learning both electric and upright. He became a member of the Award winning North High School Jazz ensemble performing at concerts, contests, and clinics around the Midwest, as well as the Montreux Jazz Festival. Another notable member of that ensemble was Ryan Kisor, Larry’s son, who went on to perform with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. While with North High School Jazz ensemble Ben was recognized as an outstanding soloist at the State Championships, as well as being selected for the Iowa All State Jazz Ensemble.
An early fan of Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, and the Grateful Dead, Ben always sought to fuse his rock influences with the Jazz he was playing at school. He soon became a fan of Jimi Hendrix and The Who, absorbing the wild blues driven jams and seeking to apply them to performance style.
Ben’s professional career also began in High School when the Eddie Skeets Orchestra in asked him to join the group. While in Skeets’ band, Ben performed around Iowa, Nebraska, and the Dakotas in Old Time Dance Halls and playing Big Band, Western Swing, and the occasional Polka. Concurrently Ben started his first band with life long friend Pat Ford playing guitar. They joined forces with Jay Chesterman on Drums and, using the initials from their first names, called themselves PB & J. Gerald Poole later took over the drum chair from Jay, but the band kept their name. PB & J were a favorite amongst the High School crowd and performed at many school functions, some clubs around the state, including the very first Saturday in the Park festival in Sioux City before disbanding when the members went to college.
After High School, Ben relocated to Chicago to study music at De Paul University. Pat Ford also drifted to the windy city where he and Ben hoped to start a new band. They did some playing around Chi-town, most notably the weekly blues jam at Wise Fool’s and put a band together a blues band called Little Brother to perform at the 3rd annual Saturday in the Park Festival in 1993.
After a year in Chicago, Ben decided that Austin, TX was the place to be to further his music career. He enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin Music Department and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications in 1996. Having focused on music and audio post-production in school, Bens’ education continued in Austin’s fabled clubs where he played bass for Melodious Thunk Jazz Quartet and Karrison Afro-Cuban ensemble. He also started his own band, again with Pat Ford, called Shah-Boogie.
After several years on the Austin scene and seeking new challenges and worldlier influences, Ben packed his bags for New York City in 1999. He earned a Certificate in advanced bass studies at The Bass Collective, studying with some of New York’s’ finest bassists including John Patitucci, Lincoln Goines, and Matthew Garrison. In 2000, he continued his music education studying upright bass and Jazz Studies at the New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music.
Well versed in a wide spectrum of musical genres, Bernstein amassed a wealth of experience playing bass for jazz, pop, Latin, hip-hop, Americana, funk, and bluegrass projects. While in New York he was a founding member of the city’s premier bluegrass band, Citigrass. Later he would form The Smoggy Borough Boyz with Citigrass band mates Jordan Shapiro and James Kerr. Ben was also a touring member of Soul Farm, a Jam Band with Jewish Roots led by another Citigrass band mate, Noah Chase.
In 2002, again feeling the winds of change and destiny, Ben headed west for the San Francisco Bay. He began playing blues and funk gigs at the Blue Lamp in San Francisco with Edna Love and the Lovetoys and the Smokedaddies. He quickly became an in demand bassist and continued exploring the many genres in which he had become adept. In the summer of 2002 Ben co-founded the Ho’ Down Quartet and furthered his bluegrass journey. The band, managed and booked by Bernstein, quickly became a local success, performing weekly at the Blackthorn Tavern, and at the 2003 San Francisco Old Time and Bluegrass Festival. The group took a two-week tour to Colorado with a stop at the 30th Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival where they competed for a chance to play on the main stage. While in the Quartet, Ben also became a performing member of Tony Mattioli’s Stolen Bibles, performing a blend of “Americana Soul” around the San Francisco Bay Area. He also performed several gigs with Samantha Stollenwerk, including a short tour to New York City in December 2003.
In 2004, Ben signed on with New Monsoon, touring extensively throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. As part of New Monsoon, Bernstein played for large crowds at major U.S. venues and festivals including the legendary Fillmore in San Francisco, CA, Red Rocks Amphitheater, The Telluride Bluegrass Festival, and Bonnaroo in Tennessee. While with New Monsoon he had the opportunity to participate in the 2005 Big Summer Classic Tour performing alongside and jamming with bands such as the String Cheese Incident, Yonder Mountain String Band, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Keller Williams, and Umphrey’s McGee. After almost three years of touring, Ben left the band in October 2006 to focus on solo work, music production, and freelance performance and session work.
Ben drew on his vast experience to create his first solo effort, “Petting Zoo” (2006) co-produced by his Stolen Bibles band mate Dave Tweedie. Featuring 11 of Ben’s originals, the release highlights his diverse talents as a songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist. Recorded partially in his apartment and at Chocolate O’Brien studios in Oakland, CA, “Petting Zoo” includes light and catchy acoustic pop songs, psychedelia and Dylan-esque stylings.
“Petting Zoo” also immersed Bernstein more deeply in the studio environment. Having learned what it means to get inside of a song and to create a lasting musical impression that would be as timeless as it was fresh, his interest in the power of the recording deepened. Now honing his music production skills at San Francisco’s Pyramind Institute, Bernstein brings a full suite of musical knowledge to his work as a producer.
Ben Bernstein has been busy in the studio producing and mixing two projects. The first is the first full length release by San Francisco Singer/Songwriter Deborah Crooks. Ben has been working with Deborah for the past year on this CD that features many of the Bay Areas top musicians including Art Khu on Keys, Dave Tweedie on Drums, and of course, Ben Bernstein on Bass. The second project Ben has been hard at work on is mixing the debut release for Bucky Dub. Ben and Bucky have employed a multitude of Analog tricks and techniques to give this CD a truly old school vibe.
DISCOGRAPHY
Citigrass "Citigrass" 2001 (upright bass)
Fotune Cookie Dreams Soundtrack 2001 (bass)
Ho’Down Quartet “Hangin' Tree” 2003 (upright bass, songwriting, co-producer)
Ho’Down Quartet “Live: on a High Wire” 2004 (upright bass, songwriting, co-producer)
The Stolen Bibles “Medicine Show” 2004 (bass)
New Monsoon's "Live at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival” (bass) 2004
New Monsoon "The Sound” (bass, songwriting) 2005
Culann’s Hounds “Year of the Dog” 2006 (upright and Martin bass)
Petting Zoo, 2006 (solo project)
Jim Chomas “Hard Willin” 2007 (bass)
Deborah Crooks "Adding Water to the Ashes" 2008 (producer, mixer, bass)
Bucky "Bucky (EP)" 2008 (mixer)
BANDS
Citigrass (co-founder)
The Smoggy Borough Boyz (co-founder)
Soul Farm (bass)
The Ho’ Down Quartet (co-founder)
The Smokedaddies (bass)
The Stolen Bibles (bass)
New Monsoon (bass)
FREELANCE AND SESSION WORK
The Drew Emmitt Band
Albino!
Jim Chomas
Ever Music Group
Cullann’s Hounds
The Smokedaddies
Chochmat HaLev Band
Megan Jacobs
The Saul Kaye Band
Samantha Stollenwerk
J.L. Stiles
Deborah Crooks
Bucky
John Howland
Mitch Stein's All Star Band