feature photo: Paul LaRaia
Bandleader, composer, trumpeter and sideman extraordinaire Steven Bernstein kicked off an ambitious project on September 3, 2021 that will see him release every four months four full albums of mostly his material. Community Music refers to his strong sense of brotherhood with the community of musicians he’s known for decades, before and after he arrived in New York back in ’79, and they’re the guys he turned to in helping him put together this massive endeavor. All this music was recorded over four days live in a studio with no technological assistance like Protools or overdubs.
The first installment – now out – is the also the first release by Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra (MTO) since Sly Stone tribute MTO Plays Sly from ten years’ prior. Tinctures In Times (Community Music, Vol. 1) (Royal Potato Family) is a welcome return to one of trumpeter Steven Bernstein’s primary projects (another one being Sexmob)
MTO is an inspired Bernstein creation whereby he melds the euphoric energy of the pre-Big Band-era territory jazz ensembles with the audacity of Downtown music and the memorable melodies of pop. The first three albums only did covers but it’s been the highly imaginative way they approached these songs that provided the spark, selected from many different styles, eras and composers, from Fats Waller to the Beatles. This time, though, these songs are all Bernstein originals, which is in itself a major point of intrigue. This is an often spiritual, introspective group of songs, probably reflecting the somber period during which Bernstein wrote these tunes after the 2018 loss of close musical partner Henry Butler followed closely by the death of his mother. While the energy of prior MTO’s might be dialed back a bit, Tinctures In Times is every bit as adventurous as before.
Regardless of material, Steven Bernstein is able to properly leverage a nine- or ten-piece band, which is big enough to layer and weave many harmonic strands together but small enough to act as a tidy ‘n’ tight unit. The trumpeter is joined by Curtis Fowlkes (trombone), Charlie Burnham (violin), Doug Wieselman (clarinet, tenor saxophone), Peter Apfelbaum (tenor saxophone), Erik Lawrence (baritone saxophone), Matt Munisteri (guitar, banjo), Ben Allison (bass) and Ben Perowsky (drums).
The horns are split into two factions playing different harmonies for the same melody during “Planet B” and in the bridge it breaks down even further and competing with Matt Munisteri’s guitar solo, giving it a rich, sonic tapestry.
Bernstein gives each of his winds players very brief but meaningful spotlights on the courtly “Quart of Relativity.” The downshift continues for “Angels,” a pretty, gospel-tinged melancholy tune where the leader himself is posited up front with an affected tone perfectly befitting the song, followed by Apfelbaum’s and Wieselman’s (on clarinet) equally poignant spotlights. “Angels Too” is “Angels” taken into an avant-garde, nearly free direction.
“Show Me Your Myth” is a slow, jungle trance that suggests far flung places like Africa and India in addition to American funk-jazz. The slowly funky pulse continues for “High Light” where Burnham’s psychedelic violin on a wah-wah pedal and Fowlkes’ excellent trombone are the primary attractions.
The groove gets going harder for “Satori Slapdown,” with the MTO trademark of marrying 1920s feel-good music with contemporary feel-good music; that syncopated groove is a timeless elixir. By contrast, the slowly unfolding “The Gift” has a minimalist bent to it.
Tinctures In Times (Community Music, Vol. 1) is now up for sale. Bandcamp is one place to get it.
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