Although currently a New Yorker, Grammy nominated guitarist Will Bernard's unique voice was formed for the most part from the rich cultural roots of the San Francisco Bay Area. Along the way he studied classical music, jazz, played in basements and coliseums, and absorbed the Bay Area Multi-Kultii, the New York downtown edge, and the loose funk of New Orleans. He has performed or recorded with Charlie Hunter, Stanton Moore, Robert Walter, John Medeski, Dr Lonnie Smith, Ben Sidran, Peter Apfelbaum, Jai Uttal, Tom Waits, Dr. John , MTO, Butler/Bernstein and the Hot 9 and a lot of other known and unknowns. Will can be seen working in a chameleon-like way to fit into his current habitat. His 2007 CD "Party Hats" as well as his 1997 collaborative project T.J. Kirk's If Four Was One were both nominated for Grammys, and he is nominated yearly in Downbeat Magazine's Critics Poll for "Best Rising Star" Guitar Player. Will is a regular fixture at New Orleans Jazz fest, Jam Cruise and other similar events, and has toured extensively in the US and Europe. Currently, Will performs with John Medeski's Mad Skillet, Peter Apfelbaum's Sparkler, Frequinox with Stanton Moore and Robert Walter, Pleasure Drones, Brian Charette's Mighty Grinders, Clubfoot Orchestra, Revelator featuring Bill Laswell, and the Will Bernard Trio and Quartet. Will's 8th album as a leader, Out and About was released in 2016 on Posi-Tone Records. Will’s 9th record as a leader “Freelance Subversives” was released in 2020 on Ropeadope records and 10th record “Ancient Grains” on Posi-Tone in 2021. Since then he has released two records on his on label Dreck to Disk “Pond Life” in 2022 and “Sky” with Beth Custer in 2023
Here are what the critics have said:
Pond Life:
"What he
does with the instrument, assisted by an array of effects, is at times so
transformative, so wholly inventive, that one would be excused for forgetting
momentarily where those ethereal sounds are actually coming from."
"It’s
all rather thrilling stuff, stimulating and capricious, not intended for those
who always want to know what’s coming next."
Jeff
Tamarkin, Relix Magazine
"Bernard,
as ever is as generous as a leader as he is a profoundly gifted composer"
Herb
Boyd, Downbeat
"Guitarist
Will Bernard bears the bittersweet blessing of virtuosic skill and eclectic
taste, making his music a perpetual delight and yet hard to categorize."
Britt
Robson, Jazz Times
"These days the
jazz guitar stage is almost overloaded with extraordinary talent, but Bernard
clearly has the distinctive vision to stand out from the crowd."
Michael Toland, The Big Takeover
WILL BERNARD QUARTET
"Happy Belated” from Out and About featuring Ben Allison, Allison Miller, and John Ellis:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLpqHz1z4_k
I think the Pond Life project would be amazing to do. We have gotten a lot of amazing reviews of the album.
“Pond Life” was chosen on at least 6 best of critics list for jazz albums in 2022.
Trio: myself Ches Smith, and Chris Lightcap. Special guests John Medeski and Tim Berne.
Down Beat Best of 2022
https://archive.maherpublications.com/view/223855741/
JAZZIZ
https://www.jazziz.com/winter-2022-jazziz-on-disc-annotated-playlist/
Rock and Roll Globe best of 2022
https://rockandrollglobe.com/jazz/the-top-ten-jazz-albums-of-2022/
Glide Magazine best albums of 2022
Nippertown best jazz records of 2022
https://nippertown.com/2023/01/01/best-of-2022-the-top-10-jazz2k-releases-of-2022/
All About Jazz Doug Collete’s best of 2022
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/doug-collettes-best-jazz-albums-of-2022
One of my other projects “Freelance Subversives" is more in the funk
vein:
“Freelance Subversives”: With Eric Kalb, Eric Finland, Ben
Stivers, Ben Zwerin, John Medeski, Jay Rodriguez, and Skerik
https://willbernard.bandcamp.com/album/freelance-subversives
Here are what the critics have said:
Pond Life:
"What he does with the instrument, assisted by an array of effects, is at times so transformative, so wholly inventive, that one would be excused for forgetting momentarily where those ethereal sounds are actually coming from."
"It’s
all rather thrilling stuff, stimulating and capricious, not intended for those
who always want to know what’s coming next."
Jeff
Tamarkin, Relix Magazine
"Bernard,
as ever is as generous as a leader as he is a profoundly gifted composer"
Herb
Boyd, Downbeat
"Guitarist
Will Bernard bears the bittersweet blessing of virtuosic skill and eclectic
taste, making his music a perpetual delight and yet hard to categorize."
Britt
Robson, Jazz Times
"These days the
jazz guitar stage is almost overloaded with extraordinary talent, but Bernard
clearly has the distinctive vision to stand out from the crowd."
Michael Toland, The Big Takeover
Press links “Pond Life”
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/will-bernard-finds-his-own-path-to-jazz-career-will-bernard
https://somethingelsereviews.com/2022/05/27/will-bernard-pond-life/
https://jazztrail.net/blog/will-bernard-pond-life-album-review
https://www.makingascene.org/will-bernard-pond-life/
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/pond-life-will-bernard-dreck-to-disk-records
https://jazztimes.com/features/profiles/will-bernard-pond-life/
https://www.jazzword.com/reviews/will-bernard/
https://www.saxophonforum.de/threads/will-bernard-pond-life.59849/
Press links "Freelance Subversives"
https://newyorkmusicdaily.wordpress.com/2021/03/06/willbernard/
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/freelance-subversives-will-bernard-ropeadope
https://jazzjournal.co.uk/2021/01/04/will-bernard-freelance-subversives/
http://georgegraham.com/reviews/will-bernard-2020.html
https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/will-bernard-freelance-subversives-ropeadope/
https://www.gratefulweb.com/articles/will-bernard-freelance-subversives-review
https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/will-bernard-freelance-subversives-ropeadope/
https://rockthebestmusic.com/2020/05/will-bernard-freelance-subversives.html
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/09/14/new-music-3-new-albums-that-should-be-on-your-radar/
https://cdhotlist.com/2020/05/04/may-2020/
http://tomhull.com/ocston/arch/rhap/rh2006-1.php
https://www.jazzism.nl/recensies/will-bernard-freelance-subversives/