Producer * Bassist * Composer
Ben Bernstein’s passion for music began early as a drummer growing up in Sioux City, Iowa. Upon the suggestion of his high school band director and musical mentor Larry Kisor, Ben switched from drums 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. 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. He professional career started at the same time, when the Eddie Skeets Orchestra asked him to join the group. With 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.
At the same time he was in Eddie Skeets’ band, Ben started a 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. Ben relocated to Chicago to study music at De Paul University. Along with Pat Ford, who also found his way to Chi-town, the duo frequented the weekly blues jam at Wise Fool’s and put together a blues band called Little Brother to perform at the 3rd annual Saturday in the Park Festival in 1993.
Wishing to further his music career, Ben moved to Austin, Texas to attend University of Texas at Austin Music Department where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications in 1996. Having focused on music and audio post-production at UT, Ben’s continued his education in Austin’s fabled clubs, playing bass for Melodious Thunk Jazz Quartet and Karrison Afro-Cuban ensemble. He also started another band with Pat Ford, called Shah-Boogie. After several years on the Austin scene, Ben packed his bags for New York City in 1999, attending the New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music and studying at The Bass Collective. There, he became a founding member of the city’s premier bluegrass band, Citigrass, and formed 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.
Seeking more challenges, Ben headed West for the San Francisco Bay in 2002 where he quickly became an in demand bassist, playing blues and funk gigs at the Blue Lamp in San Francisco with Edna Love and the Lovetoys and the Smokedaddies. In the summer of 2002 Ben co-founded the Ho’ Down Quartet and to further expand his bluegrass explorations. The band became a local favorite, performing weekly at the Blackthorn Tavern, and at the 2003 San Francisco Old Time and Bluegrass Festival. The group also toured 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, and gigging 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.
Ben left the band in late 2006 to focus on solo work, music production, and freelance performance and session work.
Recent Projects:
For the first half of 2009 Ben was engineering "Sex in the Morning", the third release of Bay Area World Beat artist Hyim. He also worked with Emily Bonn to complete her EP “Songs from Alabama Street”, and began working with Kwame Copeland (Straw Coyotes, Two-Headed Turtle) on his debut solo release "Simple Things.”
Credits
Producer:
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)
Deborah Crooks "Adding Water to the Ashes" 2008 (producer, engineer, mixer, bass)
Bucky "Bucky (EP)" 2008 (producer, engineer, mixer)
Hyim "Sex in the Morning" 2009 (engineer)
Emily Bonn "Songs from Alabama Street (EP)" 2009 (engineer, mixer, mastering)
Bob Thomas“New Mexico” 2009 (mixer, mastering)
Hobo Paradise EP 2010 (Producer, Mixer, upright bass, mastering)
Deborah Crooks "It's All up to You" 2010 (producer, mixer on select tracks, instrumentalist)
Bucky "Bucky" unreleased (Producer, Mixer, Instrumentalist)
Discography:
Citigrass "Citigrass" 2001 (upright bass)
Fortune Cookie Dreams Soundtrack 2001 (bass)
Ho’Down Quartet “Hangin' Tree” 2003 (upright bass, songwriting)
Ho’Down Quartet “Live: on a High Wire” 2004 (upright bass, songwriting)
The Stolen Bibles “Medicine Show” 2004 (bass)
New Monsoon "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)
Culann’s Hounds “One for the Road” 2007 (bass)
Deborah Crooks "Adding Water to the Ashes" 2008 (bass)
Deborah Crooks "It's All up to You" 2010 (upright Bass, acoustic guitar, synth)
Bucky "Bucky" unreleased (Producer, Mixer, basses, synths)
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
Culann’s Hounds
The Smokedaddies
Chochmat HaLev Band
Megan Jacobs
The Saul Kaye Band
Samantha Stollenwerk
J.L. Stiles
Deborah Crooks
Bucky
John Howland
Hyim
Kwame Copeland
Sean Garvey
Eddie Gale