Peter Bernstein is one of the greatest of the “unheralded” straight-ahead guitarists alive. I’ve seen him a dozen times, in various group arrangements, and he mixes his warm toned strings with an inherent sense of swing and melody. This 2 disc set has him in the company of one of his long time buddies, pianist Brad Mehldau (with whom he shared sideman role with Cobb’s Mob) as well as all-stars Christian McBride/b and Gregory Hutchinson.
The recording occasion was a reunion of sorts of Bernstein’s excellent 1995 album Signs of Life, from which 2 of the songs here return, “Blues For Bulgaria” and “Jive Coffee, ” with “Cupcake,” which is a reworking of “Carrot Cake” from his ’98 album Earth Tones. Also thrown into the mix are some Monk pieces, “Pannonica,” “Crespescule with Nellie” ( a gorgeous solo reading by the leader) and “We See” and some material such as “Useless Metaphor” and “Resplendor”from some more recent of his albums.
All throughout, the band stretches out like stallions on these mid tempo hummers. Mehldau and Bernstein swing with style, never running out of ideas on the kinda “Blues For Bulgaria” (as Mehldau taps into his inner Wynton Kelly) and “Let Loose” while delivering spacious and wonderfully angular prismatic colors to “Crepuscule With Nellie” and “Pannonica.” Maybe it’s my imagination, but Mehldau sounds more at ease as a sideman, relaxedly digging into “All Too Real” and enjoying 5/4 groove of “Cupcake.” McBride’s deeply resonant touch is palpable on “Jive Coffee” and Hutcherson rides the cymbal like it’s a scene from Wagon Train, with a nice solo on the peppy Giant Stepsy “Hidden Pockets.” In an era of fuzz toned and cacophonic strings, Bernstein keeps consistent with the beauty of the ax. An excellent blue plate special!