Album Notes

"Bernie's Journey" is a collection of songs written by 97-year old composer, Bernard Bierman. Honored with a 2004 Backstage Bistro Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Field of American Popular Song, Bierman's music captures the wit and sentimentality that encompasses the great music of Tin Pan Alley. This compilation of songs, written in the last two decades, features performances by a multitude of New York City based cabaret and jazz artists including the legendary Hildegarde, Steve Ross, Klea Blackhurst, Michelle Pirret, as well instrumentalists Cameron Brown, Barry Levitt and Alex Rybeck.

Born in 1908, Bernard Bierman grew up in New York City. Under contract as a songwriter with Shapiro/Bernstein & Co. in 1947, Bierman was contemporary of Sammy Cahn, Jerome Kern, and Johnny Mercer. From 1947-1951, he had over 60 recordings made by artists on major labels including Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Billy Eckstine, Don Cherry, Sammy Kaye, Harry James, Fran Warren and Guy Lombardo. His song "Cuban Mambo" (co-written with Xavier Cugat) was featured in the Woody Allen film, "Crimes and Misdemeanors" in 1989.

Bierman's songwriting is a true testament to the durability of the Great American Songbook. His lyrical honesty and melodic structures are rare gems that appeal to listeners of all ages. Bierman's own musical journey, with a commitment to continue this art form as he approaches age 100, is sheer magic in itself.