Petting Zoo Records!!!

(rancorous applause)

You heard it here first, I have started a record label to support the music and artists I have been fortunate enough to work with here at the Petting Zoo.  For our first release we’ve selected Ian Franklin as our inaugural artist.  His debut full length album “Breaking Grounds” will be released this June on Petting Zoo Records (PZR).

We’ll be posting more information and some tasty sound bites about this soon.  In the meantime, please check out our facebook page and “Like” us.  This way you’ll get all the latest PZR news as it develops.

Kickstarter

But wait, Ian needs help finishing this project.  P lease take a moment to check out his Kickstarter campaign.  If you feel moved by his music and story, please consider even the most modest contribution.  Remember, a dime for Ian is a vote for Petting Zoo!

Studio News

I've been working on a number of projects at the Petting Zoo this winter and spring.  Besides Ian putting the finishing touches on his record, The Courtney Janes, a folk duo from Marin County, have been in the studio recording their second release “The Long Season”.  I like to think of their sound as Simon and Garfunkle meets bluegrass, but for this album, they’re going a little more Rock n’ roll, and a bit more Jazzy.  They’ve recorded a great batch of songs live with drums and bass (including yours truly on upright for a couple tunes) in the same room, imagine that!  Sure, there will be a few overdubs here and there to enhance the overall sound, but for the most part, what you’ll here is what the band played!

And yours truly has been back at it, working on my next batch of songs between sessions.  I’ll bve overdubbing some guitar and bass parts later in April, and hope to have a 5 song EP ready by summer.

KFOG Playspace                                 

Outiside of the Petting Zoo, I've been recording and mixing some artists you may, or may not have heard of, yet in the KFOG Playspace.  Most recently I was forunate to record and mix the very talented Lana Del Rey.  If you haven’t check out her hauntingly sultry mu sings yet, get to it.  Her vocal and lyrical style is both fresh and familiar, and quite evocative.

Later this month I’ll be in the playspace recording reggae pop legend Jimmy Cliff, Suzanne Vega, and in May, Edward Sharpe.

Thanks to Chuck Smith, Andrew Stern, and the whole KFOG crew for making things happen!

BEN ON STAGE

OK, I've got 1 performance this month, so if I'm in your zip code, get your arse out there!

4/9
The Deciders

Amnesia

9pm

Free!!!

I'll be playing bass with this Bay Area Bluegrass outfit as they reunite for a brief tour of the SF mission.

853 Valencia St. Between 19th & 20th, San Francisco

ABOUT PETTING ZOO RECORDS

(PZR) is a small independent label based in Oakland, CA, that releases recordings from Petting Zoo Studio and Producer Ben Bernstein. In addition to conventional CD releases, PZR focuses on high quality, small batch vinyl, and digital download-only releases reducing our sonic "footprint" on the earth.  Call it, "Farm to Fan" Music!

Ho-ho-Hobo Paradise

Cafe Van Kleefe

1621 Telegraph Ave.

Oakland, CA

(510) 763-7711

 9PM

Funky rag-time-dixie-jazz-train-jumpin’-music.  No “Silent Night, here.

Sunday, December 11th, 2011

Hobo Paradise

Temple Beth Abraham

327 Macarthur Blvd

Oakland, CA

4 - 8 PM
Fun for the whole family!

Hopmonk Tavern

9pm
691 Broadway
Sonoma California 95476
US (707) 935-9100 [map]

I'll be playing bass with these fresh Marin Folk heros.

Saturday, November 5th, 2011

The Courtney Janes

Lagunitas Brewing Co

3pm-6pm
1280 N McDowell Blvd
Petaluma California 94954
US [map]


Thursday, November 10

Hobo Paradise

Cafe Van Kleef
9pm - 12pm
1621 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, CA

BB on Bass


Sunday, November 13

Actual Cafe
laptop-free weekends


5pm – 8pm
Live Music: Second Sunday's Songwriter's Collective



Actual Cafe (map)
Ben Bernstein and John Howland performing. Hosted by: Deborah Crooks

I'll be playing new songs from my upcoming album solo and with a small band of musical pirates, yar!
more details»  copy to my calendar

Saturday November 19  

JL Stiles
Sam's Chowder House
5:00 PM
4210 Cabrillo Hwy N
Half Moon Bay, CA, 94019, US

Again, on Bass, oy!  Can you say, "Chowda?"

In the Studio, On the Stage

Studio News

So much for April showers, I had my fill in March.  I've got a bunch of new tracks uploaded to my website that showcase the music I've been telling you about over the last year.  Follow the link below to the sounds page:

http://www.benbernsteinmusic.com/music-group-19.html

You can also listen via the groovy flash player at the top of the page.

Artist News

Singer/songwriter Ian Franklin is proud to announce the release of his debut 6-song EP, Step by Step, on May 12, 2011. In addition, two CD release parties have been scheduled; Sunday, April 10, 2011, 7:30 p.m., at Aubergine After Dark in Sebastopol, where fans can purchase advance copies of Step by Step, and Thursday, May 12, 2011, 8:00 p.m., at San Francisco’s Red Devil Lounge.

Which Reminds me...

BEN ON STAGE

I've got 4 performances this month!

4/2, This Saturday!

Ian Franklin Band
When:  2:00 PM
Where: Bay Street, 5616 Bay St, Emeryville, CA, 94608
Details: Free Outdoor Concert.  Featuring: Ben Bernstein-Bass, Paul Spina-Drums, Chris Pappada-Guitar/BackingVox, Mayu Kawata-Backing Vox

4/10

Ian Franklin EP Release Party!
When:  7:00 PM
Where: Aubergine After Dark, 755 Petaluma Ave, Sebastapol, CA, 95472
Featuring: Ben Bernstein-Bass, Paul Spina-Drums, Chris Pappada-Guitar/Backing Vox, Mayu Kawata-Backing Vox, Sky Nelson-Keys

4/16

Hobo's Paradise
3rd Annual Beer Blossom Festival
When:  1:00 PM
Where: Hopmonk Tavern, 691 Broadway
Sonoma, CA 95476
Details: A day & nighttime festivity filled with wild circus attractions, live barn yard music & of course... fresh micro beer!! Free!!!

4/30

Ian Franklin Band
When:  2:00 PM
Where: Bay Street, 5616 Bay St, Emeryville, CA, 94608
Details: Free Outdoor Concert. Kevin Beadles performs at 2pm!  He is an awesome songwriter and performer.  Don't miss it :-) IFB take the stage at 2:45pm.  We will be performing a tasty full band acoustic set for you all.

Now strap on your dancing shoes and get out and her some live music!!!

Studio News

Well, it's March again, my favorite month.  And not just because it's my birthday on the 7th.  March means spring, sunshine, new beginnings, and if you are in California, rain!!!  March also means I'll be getting out and playing bass onstage with some local talent.  See details below...

February was notable in the studio as my good friend Hyim and I visited the legendary Fantasy Studios for a day of Piano overdubs.  We were situated in Studio D, and Hyim played the "Bill Evans" piano, that the late great jazz pianist himself hand picked for the studio.  What can I say but that everything about this studio is truly fantastic.  Maybe they should change the name to Fantastic Studios?

Artist News

That's all for now Folks!!!

Wow!  Where did January go?  Let alone 2010... I know, I know, I spaced on my newsletter for 2 months.  But hey, I'm back, and I've been busy.

January brought some new faces to the studio, most notably Luis Malbas.  Luis is an extremely gifted songwriter from Sebastapol, CA.  He stopped by Spliggityfidge and knocked out an 11 song album in 5 days.  We put in some serious overtime indeed, and it still needs some mixin', but nobody does records this fast anymore.  I'm callin' Guiness!  Lord knows I could use one or two!

We had some special guests on the sessions, including Dave Shul from Spearhead on Lead Guitar, Pete Maloney from Tonic and Dishwalla on Drums, and my good friends John Howland & Mike Stevens on Pedal/Lap Steel and Percussion.  Also on the sessions were Tatiana Ecoiffer on Viola, Doug Ellington on Trumpet, that's right Ell-ing-ton (as in Duke), & last but not least, Adam Roszkiewicz on Mandolin.  I even got to play glockenspiel on a little song called "Star in the Sky". 

Most Notably, Luis' old buddy Rob Anderson flew in from Moscow and brought a nice collection of basses to play, including a vintage fretless Jazz bass and a wicked good Rickenbacker bass for some serious 70's super tone. 

In other News, we upgraded to ProTools 9, as well as Windows 7 Ultimate at the studio.  I know windows stinks, but it beats Vista!  The new sytem has been runnin' smooth all year. 

Even better, our Otari 2" 16 track Analog [an-l-awg, -og] recorder is up and running.  Thanks to Josh Roberts for making this happen and showing a new dog some old tricks.  Book an old school [an-l-awg, -og] session, if you can find some tape!

Artist News

Ben has not been onstage in awhile.  But, do not fret, he  shall return in March.  Stay tuned bass face devotees...

Studio News

Whew!  What a busy month October turned to be.  I spent two weeks in the studio without a break producing bluegrass, beats, and even some bongos.  All that and the Giants won the World Series for the first time in as long as anyone alive can remember.  I must say it was quite exciting following the game on my iPhone in studio.  At one point we even had the game streaming during a Belle Monroe session as they won the pennant.  After much celebrating we pulled it together to record a track, which even sounds like a party!

Check out this exclusive behind the scenes video:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=444787772446&ref=mf

November is shaping up quite well.  Please read below for the details:

Artist News

September was a busy month for me.  I kicked it off playing bass with Drew Emmitt in Boulder for 2 sold out nights at The Nomad Theatre.  The shows were electrifying and reminded me of why I love to play so much.  In addition, we helped raise some funds to help victims of the Four Mile Canyon fire, which was still burning just miles from where we were performing.

Hey, speaking of Bluegrass...

In the Studio,

Recording Belle Monroe & Her Brewglass Boys second album at Spligittyfidge. 

I've been more than busy in the studio working on Belle Monroe and her Brewglass Boys second album.  We spent a long weekend tracking basics at Spligittyfidge, my alter-ego studio, and subsequent overdub sessions.  Needless to say, everything went smoothly and the tones are fantastic.  That's Jordan Klein (Banjo) and Tom Drohan (Bass), two of the 'Boys', in the photo above.  Notice Tom has 2 basses, thus the term, double bass!

Wow!  Where did your summer go?  I spent mine finishing a record, as well as starting several more projects with some of the Bay Area's finest independent songwriters.  Furthermore, I completed a stint working in Michael Winger's fabulous mixing suite at 1340 Mission. 

What does the fall bring?  BIG NEWS!  Starting September 1st, 2010 I'll be moving operations to a bigger recording studio in Emeryville.  The new space is called, get this, Spligittyfidge.  That's right, Spligittyfidge.  Go ahead say it.  Take a moment... now say it again Spli-gitty-fidge.  It's catchy, huh?

The studio, curated by Producer/Drummer Kevin Weber, spans two decades of recording and engineering, worlds of music, and has become ubiquitous on the SF music scene.  Names like Trident, Otari, Neumann, U Audio, AKG, Vox, Marshall, Mapex, and Zildjian compliment the gear list.  And did I mention the piano?!

Studio Special
What does this all mean?  Ben Bernstein Music now has more space, more gear, and most importantly, more possibilities.  To kick things off I am offering 15% off to anyone who books a day at Spligittyfidge in September. Email me for more information.

Artist News
Kwame Copeland "Simple Things" is done.  We finished mixing in late July at 1340 Mission.  The CD was promptly mastered by Mike Wells, and let me tell you, it's sounds fantastic.  It will be released September 23rd.  Details below...

Ryan Mintz "Love Letter"  Work continues on Ryan's second album.  We've spent much of the past month in the Petting Zoo and at 1340 recording his guitars and vocals.  In September we'll complete additional overdubs, with mixing anticipated in October.  Look for an early 2011 release.

Deborah Crooks LP version of "It's All Up to You." We finished 2 more tracks for Deborah's upcoming LP release of "It's All Up to You."  The new tracks include a tasty version of Neil Young's "Heart of Gold."

Ian Franklin was back in the Petting Zoo and at Splgittyfidge recording basics for his upcoming EP.  He'll be back in the studio in September recording additional overdubs and mixing for an anticipated October release.

This just in... I will be producing Belle Monroe & Her Brewglass Boys' second album.  A staple on the SF scene, Belle & the Boys have been laying it on the line for Bay Area Bluegrass lovers for over a decade.  I have a long-standing relationship with the band, frequently filling in on bass. Needless to say, I am thrilled at the opportunity to work with them in the studio.  Look for a late 2010 release.

And, speaking of Bluegrass...

BEN ON STAGE & ON THE ROAD
Drew Emmitt Band
Hey all you Colorado people, I'll be performing 2 nights in Boulder, CO on September 10 & 11 with Drew Emmitt at the Nomad Theatre.  Get your tickets now!

Kwame Copeland
Also, on September 23rd, I'll be performing with Kwame Copeland at his CD release party at the Starry Plough in Berkeley, CA.  I'll be on guitar for this one.

NEW EP FROM BEN BERNSTEIN
Ben Bernstein's long awaited follow up EP to his 2006 "Petting Zoo" release took a step forward in August.  Ben tracked guitar's and vocals at 1340 Mission, as well as spent some time co-writing with his long time collaborator and BBM artist Deborah Crooks.  We anticipate more progress on the EP in the coming months.

In July, we finished mixing Kwame Copeland’s “Simple Things” (mastered by Mike Wells) there, and we’re currently in 1340 tracking vocals for Ryan Mintz. Contact me and we’ll see if we can get you in.

Also in July, we tracked piano for JL Stiles’ "Simple Faith" at Doug Ellington's Lama Box studio.

August will find me working with new and returning artists, both at 1340 and The Petting Zoo:

• Ryan Mintz will be tracking guitar and vocals for his 2nd album, "Love Letter"  


• Ian Franklin will be recording four new songs for an upcoming EP at The Petting Zoo


• Deborah Crooks will be @ 1340 completing tracks begun as part of the “It’s All Up to You” sessions.


• The March West Coast Songwriters Best Performance winner Anthony Bellow will begin work on a new EP at Petting Zoo.

BASS INSTRUCTION  @ Blue Bear School of Music

I continue to offer bass lessons at Blue Bear on Monday afternoons/evenings. Contact the school if you'd like to schedule a lesson.

PERFORMANCE

I’m taking some time offstage for travel and fun this month, but looking ahead, September will find me both on the road and at home playing bass and guitar

• 9/10 - 9/11 with The Drew Emmitt Band at the Nomad Theatre in Boulder, CO, on Bass


• 9/23 with Kwame Copeland, “Simple Things” CD release party at The Starry Plough  in Berkeley, CA, on Acoustic Guitar.

CLIENT NEWS, REVIEWS & TESTIMONIALS

“Ben did a GREAT job! thanks man!” — Ian Franklin Wilkerson Hear “Baby I Got Your Fix,” by Ian Franklin

Check the artist interview I did for Deborah Crooks’ Bird in the Tree Blog Spot.

Another review for Deborah Crooks' Ep It's All Up to You ( 2010) on ZME Music :“...what [Izzy] Stradlin’s record shares with “It’s All Up To You” is an easy, summer road-trip, I’ve-listened-to-a-lot-of-Rolling-Stones-and-I’m-not-afraid-to-show-it kind of vibe.”

Studio Tip #1

Never Forgot your iLok!!!  
While completing mixing for Kwame Copeland’s “Simple Things” at 1340 Mission I made the notorious mistake of forgetting my iLok at home.  I made it all the way to SF from Oakland and didn’t realize it was missing until I fired up a session and Pro Tools just stared at me blankly, wondering where the Waves Plug-in authorizations might be.  Low and behold, I dashed out the door and caught a BART train back to the Petting Zoo while Kwame happily perused the local guitar shop.  I made it back in 1 Hr 15 min. flat.  Walking into the coffee shop to meet Kwame for the second time that day I had an overwhelming sense of Deja Vu.  It would all have been perfect if he’d been sitting at the same table.