MAR 16-19 | GUITAR WEEK
Mar 17, 2023
Joe Henderson Lab
PLEASE NOTE:
This page is an archive of a past production
Please visit our calendar for all upcoming SFJAZZ shows.
Original show description below.
“One of the best-kept jazz-guitar secrets on the planet” (Billboard), guitarist Will Bernard has established an impressive career as a GRAMMY-nominated bandleader and founding member of all-star Bay Area jazz conglomerate T.J. Kirk (with Charlie Hunter and Scott Amendola) as well as Galactic drummer Stanton Moore’s rollicking trio. He returns with music from his newest album, Pond Life.
A Berkeley native transplanted to Brooklyn, Bernard is a fiery and virtuosic performer whose bone-deep, groove-heavy playing was a vital part of saxophonist Peter Apfelbaum’s landmark world-jazz Hieroglyphics Ensemble and the guitarist’s own massively funky quartet, Motherbug. On the heels of his 2021 Posi-Tone release Ancient Grains — a classic organ trio album with organist Sam Yahel and drummer Donald Edwards — Bernard issued 2022’s Pond Life on his own Dreck to Disk imprint. His 11th album as a leader, the session is an adventurous collection of compositions equally inspired by contemporary classical music, knotty post-bop, funk, and the avant-garde and based around an exploratory trio including bassist Chris Lightcap and drummer Ches Smith, with guest appearances by keyboardist John Medeski and saxophone great Tim Berne.
Bernard's 11th album as a leader, Pond Life is an adventurous collection of compositions equally inspired by contemporary classical music, knotty post-bop, funk, and the avant-garde.
Will Bernard is one of the best-kept jazz-guitar secrets on the planet.
Billboard
Will Bernard is one of the best-kept jazz-guitar secrets on the planet.
Billboard
Personnel
Will Bernard guitar
Lisa Mezzacappa bass
Scott Amendola drums
One of the most potent, if under recognized, guitarists on the post-Frisell/post-Scofield scene.
JazzTimes on Will Bernard
Personnel
Will Bernard guitar
Lisa Mezzacappa bass
Scott Amendola drums
One of the most potent, if under recognized, guitarists on the post-Frisell/post-Scofield scene.
JazzTimes on Will Bernard
Watch & Listen
Will Bernard
Poor Man's Speedball
Will Bernard
Moving Target
Will Bernard
Poor Man's Speedball
Will Bernard
Moving Target