Tim Berne
Encyclopedia
Tim Berne is an American
jazz
saxophone
player and composer
.
Described by critic Thom Jurek as commanding "considerable power as a composer and ... frighteningly deft ability as a soloist," Berne has composed and performed prolifically since the 1980s. His mainstream success has been limited—Berne recorded two albums for Columbia Records
-- but Berne has often earned strong critical reviews for his distinctive music.
until he was in college, when he purchased an alto saxophone. He was more interested in rhythm and blues
music--Stax
records releases and Aretha Franklin
, especially—until he heard Julius Hemphill
's 1972 recording Dogon A.D.
Hemphill was known for his integration of soul music
and funk
with free jazz
. Berne moved to New York City
in 1974. There Berne took lessons from Hemphill, and later recorded with him.
In 1979, Berne founded Empire Records to release his own recordings. He recorded Fulton Street Maul and Sanctified Dreams for Columbia Records
, which generated some discussion and controversy, due in part to the fact that Berne's music had little in common with the neo-tradionalist hard bop
performers prominent in the mid-1980s. Some regarded Berne's music as uncommercial. In the late 1990s Berne founded Screwgun Records
, which has released his own recordings, as well as others' music.
Beyond his recordings as a bandleader, Berne has recorded and/or performed with guitarist Bill Frisell
, avant-garde composer/sax player John Zorn
, violinist Mat Maneri
, guitarist David Torn
, cellist Hank Roberts
, trumpet player Herb Robertson
, the ARTE Quartett
and as a member of the cooperative trio Miniature
.
Recent years have found Berne performing in several different groups with drummers Tom Rainey
and Gerald Cleaver
, keyboardist Craig Taborn
, bassists Michael Formanek
and Drew Gress
, guitarists Marc Ducret
and David Torn
, and reeds player Chris Speed
.
Berne's complex, multi-section compositions are often quite lengthy; twenty to thirty minute pieces are not unusual. One critic has written that Berne's long songs "don't grow tiresome. The musicians are brilliantly creative and experienced enough not to get lost in all the room provided by these large time frames."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
player and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Described by critic Thom Jurek as commanding "considerable power as a composer and ... frighteningly deft ability as a soloist," Berne has composed and performed prolifically since the 1980s. His mainstream success has been limited—Berne recorded two albums for Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
-- but Berne has often earned strong critical reviews for his distinctive music.
Biography
Though Berne was a music fan, he had no interest in playing a musical instrumentMusical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
until he was in college, when he purchased an alto saxophone. He was more interested in rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
music--Stax
Stax
Stax can refer to:* StAX, Streaming API for XML. An API for reading and writing XML in Java.* Stax Earspeakers, a Japanese brand of electrostatic earspeakers* Stax Records, an American record company...
records releases and Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, especially—until he heard Julius Hemphill
Julius Hemphill
Julius Arthur Hemphill was a jazz composer and saxophone player. He performed mainly on alto saxophone; less often soprano and tenor saxophones and flute.-Biography:...
's 1972 recording Dogon A.D.
Dogon A.D.
-Track listing:# "Dogon A.D." -14:30# "Rites" - 8:07# "The Painter" - 15:00-Personnel:* Julius Hemphill - alto sax, flute* Baikida E.J. Carroll - trumpet* Abdul Wadud - cello* Philip Wilson - drums* Oliver Sain - engineer...
Hemphill was known for his integration of soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
and funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
with free jazz
Free jazz
Free jazz is an approach to jazz music that was first developed in the 1950s and 1960s. Though the music produced by free jazz pioneers varied widely, the common feature was a dissatisfaction with the limitations of bebop, hard bop, and modal jazz, which had developed in the 1940s and 1950s...
. Berne moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1974. There Berne took lessons from Hemphill, and later recorded with him.
In 1979, Berne founded Empire Records to release his own recordings. He recorded Fulton Street Maul and Sanctified Dreams for Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, which generated some discussion and controversy, due in part to the fact that Berne's music had little in common with the neo-tradionalist hard bop
Hard bop
Hard bop is a style of jazz that is an extension of bebop music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz which incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospel music, and blues, especially in the saxophone and piano...
performers prominent in the mid-1980s. Some regarded Berne's music as uncommercial. In the late 1990s Berne founded Screwgun Records
Screwgun Records
Screwgun Records is a jazz record label founded by Tim Berne.Most releases have been by Berne, though a few have been by Berne's associates and bandmates....
, which has released his own recordings, as well as others' music.
Beyond his recordings as a bandleader, Berne has recorded and/or performed with guitarist Bill Frisell
Bill Frisell
William Richard "Bill" Frisell is an American guitarist and composer.One of the leading guitarists in jazz since the late 1980s, Frisell's eclectic music touches on progressive folk, classical music, country music, noise and more...
, avant-garde composer/sax player John Zorn
John Zorn
John Zorn is an American avant-garde composer, arranger, record producer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist. Zorn is a prolific artist: he has hundreds of album credits as performer, composer, or producer...
, violinist Mat Maneri
Mat Maneri
Mat Maneri, born on October 4, 1969 in Brooklyn, New York is an American composer, improviser and jazz violin and viola player, specifically derivatives such as the five-string viola, the electric six-string violin, and the baritone violin...
, guitarist David Torn
David Torn
David Torn is an American composer and guitarist.He is known for the organic blending/manipulation of electronic and acoustic instruments and performance techniques that have an atmospheric or textural quality and effect, along with a particular harmonic richness...
, cellist Hank Roberts
Hank Roberts
Hank Roberts is an American jazz cellist and vocalist. He plays the electric cello, and his style is a mixture of rock, jazz, avant garde, folk and classical influences...
, trumpet player Herb Robertson
Herb Robertson
Clarence “Herb” Robertson is a jazz trumpeter and flugelhornist. He was born in New Jersey and attended the Berklee School of Music...
, the ARTE Quartett
ARTE Quartett
The ARTE Quartett was founded in 1995 by the saxophonists Beat Hofstetter, Sascha Armbruster, Andrea Formenti and Beat Kappeler.They are mainly committed to contemporary music and to jazz and free improvised music...
and as a member of the cooperative trio Miniature
Miniature (group)
Miniature was a cooperative jazz trio. Saxophone player Tim Berne, cellist Hank Roberts and drummer Joey Baron all composed songs for the group.-Discography:*1989 – Miniature*1992 – I Can't Put My Finger on It...
.
Recent years have found Berne performing in several different groups with drummers Tom Rainey
Tom Rainey
Thomas "Tom" Rainey is an American drummer.After attending Berklee College of Music he moved to New York in 1979. He has played with American jazz saxophonist and composer Tim Berne, and also with Nels Cline, Fred Hersch, Tony Malaby, Tom Varner, Drew Gress, Kenny Werner, Mark Helias, and Simon...
and Gerald Cleaver
Gerald Cleaver (musician)
Gerald Cleaver is an African-American jazz drummer from Detroit, Michigan. He joined the jazz faculty at the University of Michigan in 1995...
, keyboardist Craig Taborn
Craig Taborn
Craig Taborn is an American keyboardist and composer. Playing piano, organ, and Moog synthesizer, Taborn has worked mostly in jazz, although he also does dark ambient and techno music....
, bassists Michael Formanek
Michael Formanek
Michael Formanek is an American jazz bassist born in San Francisco, California and associated with the jazz scene in New York City....
and Drew Gress
Drew Gress
Drew Gress is an American jazz double-bassist and composer born in Trenton, New Jersey, raised in the Philadelphia area, and currently based in New York City.-Biography:...
, guitarists Marc Ducret
Marc Ducret
Marc Ducret is a jazz, and avant garde, guitarist, self-taught, who is most well known for his work with saxophonist Tim Berne.-Selected discography:As leader2011 Tower, vol.2...
and David Torn
David Torn
David Torn is an American composer and guitarist.He is known for the organic blending/manipulation of electronic and acoustic instruments and performance techniques that have an atmospheric or textural quality and effect, along with a particular harmonic richness...
, and reeds player Chris Speed
Chris Speed
Chris Speed is an American saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.He studied classical piano from the age of five, and began clarinet at eleven. In high school he took up the tenor saxophone and began studying jazz...
.
Berne's complex, multi-section compositions are often quite lengthy; twenty to thirty minute pieces are not unusual. One critic has written that Berne's long songs "don't grow tiresome. The musicians are brilliantly creative and experienced enough not to get lost in all the room provided by these large time frames."
Groups
- Bloodcount (w/ Michael FormanekMichael FormanekMichael Formanek is an American jazz bassist born in San Francisco, California and associated with the jazz scene in New York City....
, Chris SpeedChris SpeedChris Speed is an American saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.He studied classical piano from the age of five, and began clarinet at eleven. In high school he took up the tenor saxophone and began studying jazz...
, Jim BlackJim BlackJim Black is a jazz drummer who has performed with Tim Berne and Dave Douglas, among others. He attended Berklee College of Music....
, Marc DucretMarc DucretMarc Ducret is a jazz, and avant garde, guitarist, self-taught, who is most well known for his work with saxophonist Tim Berne.-Selected discography:As leader2011 Tower, vol.2...
) - Caos Totale (w/ Mark DresserMark DresserMark Dresser is an American double bass player and composer.-Biography:He has performed and recorded with many of the luminaries of "new" jazz composition and improvisation. For ten years he performed with the Anthony Braxton Quartet, as well as diverse groups led by Ray Anderson, Tim Berne,...
, Steve SwellSteve SwellSteve Swell is an American free jazz trombonist and composer.Swell studied at Jersey City State College before moving to New York City in 1975 where he began his musical life, playing in top 40 bands, salsa bands, big bands and performed on Broadway in Bob Fosse's "Dancin""...
, Bobby PreviteBobby PreviteRobert "Bobby" Previte is a drummer, composer and bandleader. Previte earned a B.A. in Economics at the University at Buffalo, where he also studied percussion. He moved to New York City in 1979, and became active in the city's thriving jazz and experimental music scenes...
, Herb RobertsonHerb RobertsonClarence “Herb” Robertson is a jazz trumpeter and flugelhornist. He was born in New Jersey and attended the Berklee School of Music...
, Marc DucretMarc DucretMarc Ducret is a jazz, and avant garde, guitarist, self-taught, who is most well known for his work with saxophonist Tim Berne.-Selected discography:As leader2011 Tower, vol.2...
, Django BatesDjango BatesDjango Bates , is a composer, multi-instrumentalist and band leader. He plays the piano, keyboards and the tenor horn. He currently lives in Copenhagen where he is a professor at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory and leader of the StoRMChaser orchestra.-Career:Django Bates was born in Beckenham,...
) - Big SatanBig SatanBig Satan is a musical side project headed by saxophonist Tim Berne.Tom Rainey and Marc Ducret , both regular collaborators with Berne, comprise the remainder of the band's line up.- History :...
(w /Tom RaineyTom RaineyThomas "Tom" Rainey is an American drummer.After attending Berklee College of Music he moved to New York in 1979. He has played with American jazz saxophonist and composer Tim Berne, and also with Nels Cline, Fred Hersch, Tony Malaby, Tom Varner, Drew Gress, Kenny Werner, Mark Helias, and Simon...
, Marc DucretMarc DucretMarc Ducret is a jazz, and avant garde, guitarist, self-taught, who is most well known for his work with saxophonist Tim Berne.-Selected discography:As leader2011 Tower, vol.2...
) - Hard Cell (w/ Tom RaineyTom RaineyThomas "Tom" Rainey is an American drummer.After attending Berklee College of Music he moved to New York in 1979. He has played with American jazz saxophonist and composer Tim Berne, and also with Nels Cline, Fred Hersch, Tony Malaby, Tom Varner, Drew Gress, Kenny Werner, Mark Helias, and Simon...
, Craig TabornCraig TabornCraig Taborn is an American keyboardist and composer. Playing piano, organ, and Moog synthesizer, Taborn has worked mostly in jazz, although he also does dark ambient and techno music....
) - Science Friction (group) (w/ Tom RaineyTom RaineyThomas "Tom" Rainey is an American drummer.After attending Berklee College of Music he moved to New York in 1979. He has played with American jazz saxophonist and composer Tim Berne, and also with Nels Cline, Fred Hersch, Tony Malaby, Tom Varner, Drew Gress, Kenny Werner, Mark Helias, and Simon...
, Craig TabornCraig TabornCraig Taborn is an American keyboardist and composer. Playing piano, organ, and Moog synthesizer, Taborn has worked mostly in jazz, although he also does dark ambient and techno music....
, Marc DucretMarc DucretMarc Ducret is a jazz, and avant garde, guitarist, self-taught, who is most well known for his work with saxophonist Tim Berne.-Selected discography:As leader2011 Tower, vol.2...
) - Paraphrase (group) (w/ Tom RaineyTom RaineyThomas "Tom" Rainey is an American drummer.After attending Berklee College of Music he moved to New York in 1979. He has played with American jazz saxophonist and composer Tim Berne, and also with Nels Cline, Fred Hersch, Tony Malaby, Tom Varner, Drew Gress, Kenny Werner, Mark Helias, and Simon...
, Drew GressDrew GressDrew Gress is an American jazz double-bassist and composer born in Trenton, New Jersey, raised in the Philadelphia area, and currently based in New York City.-Biography:...
) - Miniature (group)Miniature (group)Miniature was a cooperative jazz trio. Saxophone player Tim Berne, cellist Hank Roberts and drummer Joey Baron all composed songs for the group.-Discography:*1989 – Miniature*1992 – I Can't Put My Finger on It...
(w/ Joey BaronJoey BaronJoey Baron is an American avant-garde jazz drummer probably best known for his work with Bill Frisell, Stan Getz, Steve Kuhn, and John Zorn...
, Hank RobertsHank RobertsHank Roberts is an American jazz cellist and vocalist. He plays the electric cello, and his style is a mixture of rock, jazz, avant garde, folk and classical influences...
) - Buffalo Collision (w/ Hank RobertsHank RobertsHank Roberts is an American jazz cellist and vocalist. He plays the electric cello, and his style is a mixture of rock, jazz, avant garde, folk and classical influences...
, Ethan IversonEthan IversonEthan Iverson is a pianist, composer, and critic best known for his work in the postmodern jazz trio The Bad Plus, with bassist Reid Anderson and drummer Dave King....
, Dave KingDavid King (musician)David King is a drummer/ composer from Minneapolis. He is best known for being a founding member of the jazz groups The Bad Plus and Happy Apple although he is active in many other projects including free jazz collective Buffalo Collision with NYC "Downtown" legends Tim Berne and Hank Roberts and...
) - BBC Trio (w/ Nels ClineNels ClineNels Cline is an American guitarist and composer, currently the lead guitarist of alternative rock band Wilco. David Carr of the New York Times describes Cline as "one of the best guitarists in any genre."-Career:...
, Jim BlackJim BlackJim Black is a jazz drummer who has performed with Tim Berne and Dave Douglas, among others. He attended Berklee College of Music....
)
As leader
- 1979 The Five Year Plan
- 1980 7X
- 1981 Spectres
- 1982 Songs And Rituals In Real TimeSongs And Rituals In Real TimeSongs And Rituals In Real Time is a double LP album by Tim Berne released by Empire Productions in 1982 and re-released on CD as a part of The Empire Box on Screwgun Records in 1998. The album was Recorded live at Inroads, New York City on July 1, 1981...
- 1983 The AncestorsThe AncestorsThe Ancestors is an album by Tim Berne and which was released on the Italian-based Soul Note label in 1983. It features two compositions by Tim Berne performed by the Tim Berne Sextet which consisted of Clarence Herb Robertson, Ray Anderson, Mack Goldsbury, Ed Schuller, Paul Motian and Tim Berne.-...
- 1983 Mutant Variations
- 1983 TheoreticallyTheoreticallyTheoretically is an album by Tim Berne and Bill Frisell which was released on the Empire label in 1984. It features four compositions by Berne, two by Frisell, and one joint composition.-Reception:...
- 1986 Fulton Street Maul
- 1988 Sanctified Dreams
- 1989 Tim Berne's Fractured Fairy Tales
- 1990 Pace Yourself
- 1992 Diminutive Mysteries
- 1993 Nice View
- 1994 Lowlife - The Paris Concert One
- 1994 Poisoned Minds - The Paris Concert Two
- 1996 Memory Select - The Paris Concert Three
- 1997 Unwound
- 1997 Discretion
- 1997 Saturation Point
- 1997 I Think They Liked It Honey
- 1998 Please Advise
- 1998 Visitation Rites
- 1998 Ornery People
- 1998 Cause & Reflect
- 2001 The Shell Game
- 2001 Open, Coma
- 2002 The Sevens
- 2002 Science Friction
- 2003 The Sublime And
- 2004 Souls.Savedhear
- 2004 Acoustic and Electric Hard Cell Live
- 2005 Feign
- 2005 Pre-Emptive Denial
- 2006 Livein Cognito
- 2007 Seconds
- 2008 Duck
- 2010 The Rub and Spare Change
External links
- A more detailed discography: http://www.northwestern.edu/jazz/artists/berne.tim/discog.html
- An 1998 interview: http://www.furious.com/perfect/timberne.html
- Another Interview: http://www.jazzweekly.com/interviews/berne.htm
- Audio Recordings of WCUW Jazz Festivals - Jazz History Database
- Extensive interview by Ethan Iverson