Album Notes

Bernard is a Chicago-based jazz/smooth-jazz guitarist whose new cd,"A NEW DAY" contains over 70 minutes of funk-jazz/smoothjazz instrumentals-10 originals + 4 unique versions of cover tunes by Earth,Wind &Fire,Chicago,the Temptations, and the Doors.

The influences of Wes Montgomery and George Benson can be heard in Bernard's playing.Other sources of inspiration include:Lee Ritenour,Larry Carlton,Kenny Burrell,Grant Green,the Crusaders, C.Santana,Stevie Wonder,E,W&F,Incognito,Ronny Jordan,Hugh
Masekela,D.Sanborn, and Azymuth(Brazilian).

With all of those various influences(and many more),I decided not to take the "safe" route by doing a one-dimensional project," says Bernard. "On this cd, the listener gets to hear some of the styles I like and use when I play live," he adds.
"LIGHT MY FIRE represents the guitar/organ funk-jazz sound I grew up playing and was very popular in Chicago; DOWN TO THE WIRE, A NEW DAY, JUST MY IMAGINATION, and NICE 'N EASY represent the smooth jazz genre; CHI-TOWN STRUT, THE WAY YOU MOVE, and KEEP ON STEPPIN' are uptempo grooves for the urban "steppers"; S.O.S. is a funky tune with an Afrobeat rhythm inspired by my interest in AfroPop music; BOSSAMBA combines elements of the new Brazilian sound and the "chill" sound; WHERE IS LOVE? has a smooth Latin-influenced vibe; DOES ANYBODY REALLY KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS? is done in a straight-ahead jazz style; and the other tunes (A NEW BEGINNING and FUTURE STEPS) come from my absorbing some of the sounds from the "chill" music movement."




Bernard has worked as a leader or co-leader of various guitar-organ trios/quartets in the Chicago area after spending several years working as a social worker and vocational rehabilitation counselor.He played at Andy's Jazz Club, one of Chicago's premier jazz clubs, for over 10 years and worked on Chicago's popular Rush Street area for over a year.For over 15 years,Bernard has worked as a solo performer utilizing his skills in programming sequencers using MIDI technology.