THE PETER PRINCIPLE WHEN BERNSTEIN PLAYS L.A., JAZZ GUITAR PLAYERS AND FANS TAKE NOTICE.Byline: Fred Shuster Music Writer The hollow-body electric guitar Peter Bernstein plays isn't manufactured anymore, which is somehow fitting since they don't make musicians like Bernstein much anymore either. The jazz guitarist Jazz guitarists are guitar players who play jazz music using an approach to playing chords, melodies, and improvised solo lines which is called jazz guitar playing. The guitar has a long history in jazz music, both as an ensemble instrument performing chordal accompaniment, and as , among the most sought after in the New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of area, has a feather-light touch, an encyclopedic en·cy·clo·pe·dic adj. 1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of an encyclopedia. 2. Embracing many subjects; comprehensive: "an ignorance almost as encyclopedic as his erudition" knowledge of chords and the ability to play standards like he's inventing them on the spot. He also has a nice line in funky groove-style blues while seeming to prefer a place just outside the harsh glare of the spotlight. Bernstein has recorded or gigged with such top names as Lou Donaldson Lou Donaldson (born November 1,1926) is a jazz alto saxophonist. He was born in Badin, North Carolina. He is best known for his soulful, bluesy approach to the alto saxophone, although in his formative years he was, as many were of the bebop era, heavily influenced by Charlie , Larry Goldings Larry Goldings (born August 28, 1968, Boston, Massachusetts) is an American jazz pianist, organist, and composer. His father was a classical music enthusiast, and Larry studied classical piano until the age of twelve. , Cecil Payne Cecil Payne (born December 14, 1922) is a jazz baritone saxophonist born in Brooklyn, NY. Payne can also play the alto saxophone and flute. He has played with other jazz greats, in particular Dizzy Gillespie and Randy Weston, in addition to his solo work as bandleader. , Lee Konitz, Clifford Jordan, Melvin Rhyne, Joshua Redman and Junior Cook. You can catch him this weekend holding down the guitar chair in the Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio at the Jazz Bakery in Culver City. Expect some sizzling siz·zle intr.v. siz·zled, siz·zling, siz·zles 1. To make the hissing sound characteristic of frying fat. 2. To seethe with anger or indignation. 3. blues, jazz and r&b from Smith, the soulful Hammond organ hero who's been making solid sounds for more than 40 years. And, as became apparent at last week's Bakery dates with Goldings that also featured Bernstein, the city's army of jazz guitar aficionados will again be out in force to soak up some of the most insightful fretwork around. ``Jazz has always been an underground thing,'' said the easygoing eas·y·go·ing also eas·y-go·ing adj. 1. a. Living without undue worry or concern; calm. b. Lax or negligent; careless. c. Bernstein, 37, who started with piano before picking up the guitar at age 12. ``It's a language you learn by mimicking. You first have to understand the differences in various players' phrasing, then you go with what feels good to you.'' It feels good to audiences, too. Jazz Bakery manager Ruth Price says Bernstein is one of the club's most popular guitarists, with a draw that brings musicians and guitar students from throughout the city. ``Peter's an extremely elegant musician with a gorgeous tone that seems to relax you when you hear it,'' she said. ``It's always an event when Peter comes to town.'' Bernstein was initially inspired by Jimi Hendrix and other blues-rock guitarists, leading to B.B. King and Wes Montgomery. He studied music at various colleges, taking lessons from Ted Dunbar, Jim Hall and others. ``I went to see Albert Collins and then started checking out Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian,'' Bernstein recalled. ``Then, we started hearing about this new guy on the scene named Pat Metheny. I also got into the old George Benson stuff, then Grant Green and Kenny Burrell.'' One of the best pieces of advice Bernstein got was from his late instructor, Dunbar, who suggested the guitarist ``be about music, not just the guitar.'' Bernstein explains the instruction had lasting impact: ``I studied horn players, piano players, Thelonious Monk, composers like Stravinsky. I went back to Lester Young and Louis Armstrong. And ``Bird'' (Charlie Parker) - he's the fountainhead foun·tain·head n. 1. A spring that is the source or head of a stream. 2. A chief and copious source; an originator: "the intellectual fountainhead of the black conservatives" : the source of the language.'' Working in the Goldings trio for more than a dozen years, Bernstein and the organist have a subtle musical telepathy telepathy, supposed communication between two persons without recourse to the senses. The word was formulated in 1882 by Frederic William Henry Myers, English poet, essayist, and a leading founder of the Society for Psychical Research in London. that came across last week. ``I'm always looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. something different to play,'' the guitarist said. ``You try and be in the moment with the music. With chording, it's really a game of anticipating, because you want to see where the soloist is going, so you're always a little bit behind. It's not about trying to avoid making mistakes. It's about trying to go for stuff. Accompanying a soloist is like playing shortstop - if the ball's not hit to you, you still need to be aware of what's happening on the field.'' Bernstein, who plays a beautifully crafted instrument made by the late San Diego luthier lu·thi·er n. One that makes or repairs stringed instruments, such as violins. [French, from luth, lute, from Old French lut; see lute1.] Noun 1. John Zeidler, has also been appearing with Lonnie Smith for some years. They first jammed 15 years ago when Bernstein was working with alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson in New York. At some point, Smith asked Bernstein to work with his own trio, which also includes drummer Billy Drummond during the weekend's Bakery gigs. ``When Lonnie's leading the gig, he goes wherever he wants,'' Bernstein said. ``It's unlike anything else in terms of spontaneity. There are always some surprises every night with those guys.'' Fred Shuster, (818) 713-3676 fred.shuster(at)dailynews.com DR. LONNIE SMITH TRIO Where: Jazz Bakery, 3233 Helms Ave., Culver City. When: 8 and 9:30 p.m. today through Sunday. Tickets: $25. (310) 271-9039; www.jazzbakery.org. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Guitarist Peter Bernstein is the common thread in the local stints of organists Larry Goldings and Dr. Lonnie Smith. John Lazar/Staff Photographer |
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