UPDATED MAY 6th, 2008 WILL BERNARD'S 'PARTY HATS' NOMINATED FOR A GRAMMY!! - BEST CONTEMPORARY JAZZ ALBUM - NEW RELEASES Will Bernard, Andrew Emer, Benny Lackner and Mark Ferber have released a new CD entitled 'Night for Day' on Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records. The CD release party will be at Smalls in New York City on June 14th. A European tour will begin in October. In addition, The Groundation side-project ROCKAMOVYA will release the long awaited CD on June 17th featuring members of Groundation, Will Bernard and the legendary reggae drummer Leroy Horsemouth Wallace. Will is also featured on the new Stanton Moore Trio album entitled 'Emphasis (On Parenthesis)' on Telarc Records which came out in April. UPDATED MARCH 30th, 2008 GIBSON ARTIST Will Bernard is now a Gibson artist, the first step to gaining an official endorsement package from the renowned guitar makers. NEW RECORDING PLANS Will was in the studio January 22nd to record his second CD for Palmetto with an all-star line up. The band is comprised of  John Medeski (keyboards), Stanton Moore (drums) and Andy Hess (bass)! WILL IN NYC Will's move to Brooklyn has been fruitful and you can see him on a regular basis Sundays at the Blue Owl Cocktail Bar in Manhattan. GRAMMY NOD Congrats to Gibson's Grammy-Nominated Artists! UPDATED DECEMBER 6th, 2007 WILL BERNARD TO OPEN SULLIVAN HALL WITH ALL-STAR BAND Guitarist and recent New York transplant Will Bernard will officially open Manhattan's Sullivan Hall on January 2. The famed room, which has been known as the Lion's Den for well over a decade, recently underwent a facelift and now features a new sound system, light design and expanded stage. For his opening night performance, Bernard will lead an all-star band featuring Greyboy Allstars/Deep Banana Blackout drummer Eric Kalb, Fat Mama/Charlie Hunter Trio keyboardist Eric Deutsch and Slip bassist Marc Friedman. Bernard is currently touring behind his new album, Party Hats. UPDATED JULY 24th, 2007 PALMETTO RECORDS I signed on the dotted line with Palmetto Records. The album was released in February 2007. Palmetto has a roster that includes Dr Lonnie Smith, Larry Goldings, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Marty Ehrlich, Ben Allison and many other great players. The first album entitled Party Hats is tracks recorded with all great bay area players that I have been working with over the last few years. New Stanton Moore III album was released September 25 on Telarc and features the Stanton Moore Trio with myself and Robert Walter. Special guests include Skerik and Mark Mullins. Check the tour page for dates.   UPDATED MARCH 10, 2006 LOTS OF NEW EVENTS Stanton Moore & Robert Walter In January we recorded a new CD with the newly formed Stanton Moore Trio with WB on guitar, Stanton Moore on drums, and Robert Walter on organ. Dr Lonnie Smith also contributed some B3. We spent 3 days holed up in the historic Preservation Hall in New Orleans recording with Mike Napolitano at the controls. We recorded Will tunes, Robert tunes and some surprising covers. Skerik and Mark Mullins added some great horn parts as well.   The Groundation Bliss Bus Just last week after Groundation's annual Bob Marley tour we had so much fun playing with one of the inventors and prime innovators of the reggae drums Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace, that we went into the Prairie Sun Recording Studio in Cotati, CA and recorded about 15 or so tracks that came out surprisingly good. These will be released at some point during Groundation's busy schedule on their label Youngtree Records. There is talk of mixing the album in Jamaica. Jazz fest looks good this year Will hooks up with Lonnie and Idris and Stanton and Medeski... not bad so far...   UPDATED JANUARY 1, 2006 Well it has been another interesting year for WB. I've gotten to play with so many fine musicians it's been a blast. The horizons have definitely been expanding. There should be some new releases coming out next year including the new Stephen Yerkey album that features myself, Scott Amendola, Joe Gore, Jim Campilongo, David Phillips and more. Keep an eye out for his new web site. Stephen is a one of a kind singer/guitar player/songwriter who deserves to be a household word in the land of quirky songsters. Also I'm featured on a couple of tracks on the new Freddie Roulette album Man of Steel featuring Ken and Phil Emerson, Henry Kaiser, David Lindley. You can read about him here. Look for a new Duck Baker album some time in the future with 3 duet tracks featuring Duck and myself. Duck is a fine fingerstyle guitar player who resides in the UK at this time. He combines a soulful ragtime knowledge with modern approaches. Anthony Brown's American Rhapsodies is now out featuring Will Bernard as soloist in Gerswhin's Rhapsody in Blue with The Asian American Orchestra. Peter Apfelbaum's New York Hieroglyphics has a long awaited new CD...the first one for Peter in quite a while:       http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=19827       http://www.actmusic.com/act9437_e.htm Check out the track with Trey Anastasio, Will Bernard and Jai Uttal on guitars. We are still going with the band formally know as Frequinox....trying to find the right name. Any Ideas? Also the Stanton Moore Trio which is rumored to be recording at some time in the future. Look for a new trio which I like to think of as the three tenors of the guitar... myself, Ken Emerson and Paul Mehling. We will be playing dates in January. In February, Groundation's Seventh Annual: A Tribute To Bob Marley 2006 will take place with original Burning Spear drummer and star of the movie Rockers Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace, and Bay Area jazz guitarist Will Bernard. Drummer Paul Spina will be taking some time off with his family, but he'll be back in full force for the new Groundation tours spring/summer/fall 2006. Check the Groundation website for more info. Also oh yeah....Motherbug keeps on going still working on that new album. Motherbug member B3 man Wil Blades has a new web site and a new baby daughter (Maelah). UPDATED: JUNE 16, 2005 DOWNLOADS Now you can download Will's first album Medicine Hat from the Verve music group web site. This is the only way to obtain this CD at present date unless you get it on Amazon. This featured the Will Bernard 4tet with WB, Scott Amendola, John Schifflet and Rob Burger. The Album Reviewed: "Will Bernard, the former guitarist for the quirky San Francisco jazz combo T.J. Kirk, shows dynamic bluesy chops with his new band's first release, Medicine Hat. But Bernard's true talent lies in composition. The Will Bernard 4-Tet, featuring Rob Burger on Hammond B-3 organ and accordion, John Shifflett on acoustic bass, and Scott Amendola on drums, wouldn't know a conventional melody if it bit into one. The songs on Medicine Hat follow a musical map that only a madman could design. The sound here is mostly in a blues and funk groove, with the B-3 lending a dramatic urgency to the proceedings. Though Bernard's playing is clean and fluid, his generous use of wah-wah combines with the guttural organ to create a grimy, back-alley vibe. Amendola is quite agile with the sticks, creating snare-drum sonatas and unconventional rhythms that lead to obscure conclusions. The open sound of the bass creates a warmth that leaves the harmonies room to wander. The album opens with a few rump-shakers, which may lead the listener to the mistaken conclusion that Medicine Hat is a danceable record. The playful shuffle-stomp of 'Boomtown' (featuring bass clarinet by Beth Custer, a quirky Bay Area artist in her own right) could be the theme of a '60s detective show or perhaps the backdrop for a Jets-vs.-Sharks rumble. The title track slows the pace to a swagger. Bernard's economical solos seem like quiet celebrations, yet a discordant fog seeps through the harmonies. This feeling continues throughout the album: in the deep, dark floor-toms of 'Prankster,' the walking blues of '3-Ply,' and the hipster tango of 'Trap Door Spider.' The 4-Tet can pack a lot of unpredictability into a small space. In a way, every song on Medicine Hat is a musical Cracker Jack box: There's always a little surprise to be found, and working your way to it is half the fun." - Larry Getlen, New Times, March 12, 1998 There is a download available of the Stanton Moore Trio with Will, Stanton and Robert Walter from La Ve Lee in Los Angeles from earlier this year. LONNIE SMITH See WB with Dr Lonnie Smith for FREE July 3rd at the Fillmore Street Jazz Fest. Will plays in a trio setting with the master of the B3. If you haven't heard Lonnie you are really missing out. Lonnie can make you rethink all you thought you knew about the instrument. UPDATED: MAY 25, 2005 TOUR WB..back at home after Nola Jazzfest and Frequinox California tour.....whew! Highlights of course were the 2 sold out Frequinox Independant shows in SF and getting to play with Stanton Moore, Dr, Lonnie Smith, Johnny Vidacovich, Skerik Robert Walter, Delfeo Marsalis, Donald Harrison, Eric Krasno, Jacob Fred and all in New Orleans. The Directions to My House show at Yoshi's went well, and shows with old friend Todd Sickafoose and the Tiny Resistors were a lot of fun. This summer is mostly a stay at home summer so far....one of the highlights is getting to play with Dr Lonnie Smith again at the Fillmore Street Jazz Fest on July 3rd. It's time for writing, practicing and getting the word on the new album out. Also updating the Web site! More later.... UPDATED: FEBRUARY 15, 2005 STREET TEAM We have just added a Street Team Sign-up form! Sign up to help promote the next Will Bernard show in your area. You'll have a chance to receive free tickets in exchange for your help posting flyers. UPDATED: JANUARY 27, 2005 TOUR Well looking forward to the usual wide variety of events coming down the pike... This weekend look for more events with Will and Scott Amendola around town. Coming up... celebrating the Birthday of Bob Marley with Groundation on the 4th and 6th....If you don't know Groundation you should check them out. They are a roots reggae outfit from Sonoma county (of all places) and Ryan Newman and Paul Spina are the rhythm section. Also a Western Swing jam coming up at the Conneticut Yankee with Will and John Schott and others backing up Tommy Thompson. Then The Frequinox hits the slopes at the end of February for a 5 day Colorado run. UPDATED: JANUARY 3, 2005 DIRECTIONS TO MY HOUSE The newest release from Will Bernard is out now on Dreck to Disc Records! The Trio release entitled Directions to My House features Will Bernard on acoustic and electric guitars and National steel guitar, Devin Hoff on acoustic bass, and Ches Smith on drums and percussion. The cd also features special guests Ellen Gronningen on violin, Peter Apfelbaum on tenor sax, and Jeff Cressman on trombone on select tracks. Purchase a copy of Directions to My House direct from Will here! TOUR Deeper into it with the Frequinox this last month....dates in the east coast and a week in New Orleans rehearsing ,writing songs and gigging. The debut of a new trio..Stanton Moore, Robert Walter, and Will Bernard in L.A. Coming up... Motherbug goes out again for another Northwest jaunt this time with og bottom end specialist Keith Macarthur and debuting keyboardist Matt Berkeley into the mix. News of great upcoming January shows at the Boom Boom Room with B3 legend Lonnie Smith...yow!!! The release of the new Will Bernard Trio album Directions to My House. All good Stuff! BAGUETTE QUARTETTE Will is in the midst of recording the 4th Album with the Baguette Quartette, a band that specializes in French Cafe music from the 20's, 30's and 40's. He has been working out on the Selmer "D" hole style guitar used in Django Reinhardt's Hot Club of Paris. T.J. KIRK REUNION The legendary T.J. Kirk reunited for two momentous shows on December 26th & 27th at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, CA. Some might remember the band from the mid 90's which consisted of John Schott and Will Bernard on guitars, Charlie Hunter on 8-string guitar and Scott Amendola on drums. The band's name, whose initials pay tribute to their musical heroes James Brown, Thelonious Monk and Rahsaan Roland Kirk whose music they intertwine, was once called James T. Kirk before Universal Pictures threatened to sue the band for not getting permission to refer to the Star Trek character. The band had the last laugh when the name changed to T.J. Kirk which still paid tribute to their other hero, William Shatner from his days on the tv show T.J. Hooker. The band was touring in support of their new cd Talking Only Makes It Worse which is only available at select Bay Area records stores and on the internet. Pick up a copy from Charlie Hunter's official store here. GIVING UP THE GHOST The newest release by Robert Walter's 20th Congress, featuring Will Bernard on guitar, is out now on Magna Carta Records. The cd also features Greyboy All-Stars member Chris Stillwell on bass along with 20th Congress veterans George Sluppick on drums, Cochemea Gastellum on sax, and Chuck Prada on drums. Be sure to pick this release up at your local record store! DISCUSSION GROUP Sign up for the Will Bernard & Motherbug discussion group at Yahoo! Click here for more information. FOR THE LATEST WILL BERNARD & MOTHERBUG NEWS, SIGN UP ON THE MAILING LIST