Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra
Ft. Steven Bernstein (trumpet), Curtis Fowlkes (trombone), Sam Bardfeld (violin), Doug Wieselman (clarinet), Peter Apfelbaum (tenor sax), Briggan Krauss (bari sax), Matt Munisteri (gtr & vocs), Ben Allison (bass) & Ben Perowsky (drums).
Presenting Jazz Coalition composition 'Tricks & Treats' | Composed during the global pandemic lockdown, Bernstein based "Tricks & Treats" - originally titled "Pandemic Possibilities" - on his exploration of musical shapes and rhythms, whittled down to the core essentials. This premiere performance showcases the arrangement for the spectacular Millennial Territory Orchestra.
Ft. Steven Bernstein: Trumpet, Curtis Fowlkes: Trombone, Sam Bardfeld: Violin, Doug Wieselman: Clarinet, Peter Apfelbaum: Tenor Saxophone, Briggan Krauss: Baritone Saxophone, Matt Munisteri: Guitar,Vocals, Ben Allison: Bass & Ben Perowsky: Drums.
A presence on the New York music scene with enormous impact over the past 30 years, trumpeter, composer, arranger and bandleader Steven Bernstein has immersed himself in such a wide array of music with his bands Sexmob, Millennial Territory Orchestra, Diaspora Soul, Universal Melody Brass Band, Spanish Fly, Blue Campfire and the Butler-Bernstein Hot 9 that he defies easy categorization.
A former member of the Lounge Lizards and Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble Band, Bernstein has also composed works for film, theater and dance in addition to doing arrangements for a diverse list of artists ranging from Lou Reed to Lee “Scratch” Perry, Allen Toussaint, Marianne Faithfull, Linda Ronstadt, Rufus Wainwright, Darlene Love, Mario Pavone, Bill Frisell, John Lurie and the Kansas City All-Stars.
His lengthy list of sideman credits includes recent recordings by Laurie Anderson (Heart of a Dog), Roswell Rudd (Trombone for Lovers), Mostly Other People Do The Killing (Loafer’s Hollow), Antony and the Johnsons (Turning) and Nels Cline (Lovers). He also continues to perform with Ray Anderson’s Pocket Brass Band, Omaha Diner and the Kamikaze Ground Crew.
The restlessly creative Bernstein continues to juggle working several bands. During his recent residency at The Stone in NYC, he trotted out Sexmob, Millennial Territory Orchestra, Spanish Fly, Blue Campfire and Universal Melody Brass Band. Says the trumpeter-composer-arranger of his modus operandi in all of his wide-ranging musical situations:
“I’m trying to present this way of looking at music where you can do a Jelly Roll piece, then a Leonard Cohen piece, then an Ornette Coleman piece, then a Duke piece and then a piece by The Band. And it’s not even about it being eclectic, it’s just music. Let’s play it. Here’s a chart, let’s go!”.