Peter Bernstein

Born September 3rd, 1967 in New York City, guitarist Peter Bernstein has been a part of the jazz scene in New York and abroad since 1989. During that time he has participated in over 60 recordings and numerous festival, concert and club performances with musicians from all generations. As a leader, Peter has made five recordings for the Criss Cross Jazz label. The latest, Heart’s Content, features the all-star rhythm section of Brad Mehldau, Larry Grenadier, and Bill Stewart.

While a student at The New School, Peter met the legendary guitarist Jim Hall, who asked him to participate in his Invitational Concert as part of the 1990 JVC Jazz Festival. The event featured such guitarists as John Scofield and Pat Metheny and was released as a CD by Music Masters. Hall once noted that Peter "...has paid attention to the past as well as the future. He is the most impressive young guitarists I’ve heard. He plays the best of them all for swing, logic, feel and taste."

That same year, Peter was discovered by alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson and took part in the first of four recordings with him. He was a regular member of his group throughout the 1990s. "Some people just have it." Donaldson said. "...most of the time you have to teach someone what to do, but Peter knows it all."

Peter has also played with legendary drummer Jimmy Cobb (Cobb’s Mob), organist Larry Goldings, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Melvin Rhyne, drummer Bill Stewart, Joshua Redman, Diana Krall, Nicholas Payton, Lee Konitz, Tom Harrell, and Eric Alexander and performed in North America, Europe and Asia and making numerous television appearances.

Peter has taught at the Julliard School, Berklee College of Music, North Texas State University, the New School Jazz Program and the Jazz Conservatory in Amsterdam.

Peter has been fortunate to gain the respect of his peers and mentors. He has been recognized in both the readers’ and critics’ polls in Downbeat Magazine for the past three years. He continues to hone his style through writing and performing and has developed a distinctive and unforgettable guitar voice that is all his own.

Melvin Rhyne: Tomorrow Yesterday Today

by C. Andrew Hovan
November 9, 2025

A disciple of some of the earliest jazz organ practitioners, such as Jackie Davis, Milt Buckner, and Wild Bill Davis, jazz veteran Melvin Rhyne's major claim to fame has been the five years he spent with the renowned Wes Montgomery in the early '60s. Yet this is really only a fraction of the story for the 67-year-old organist. Much like the proverbial hibernating bear, Rhyne kept a low profile throughout the '70s and '80s and he even told writer Pete ...

Album Review

Mike LeDonne's Groover Quartet: Turn It Up!: Live at the Sidedoor

Read "Turn It Up!: Live at the Sidedoor" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
October 25, 2025

For over twenty-five years, Mike LeDonne's Groover Quartet has been a shining example of consistency and authenticity in the organ-jazz scene. The latest double-disc release, Turn It Up!: Live at the Sidedoor, captures the group at two different moments in time: 2024 at the Sidedoor Jazz Club in Old Lyme, Connecticut, and 2004 at Vancouver's Cellar Jazz Club. These two recordings offer an intriguing glimpse into a band that has never aimed to reinvent itself, only to refine its sound, ...

Album Review

Mike LeDonne's Groover Quartet: Turn It Up!

Read "Turn It Up!" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
October 12, 2025

Turn It Up!, the latest recording by organist Mike LeDonne's superb and long-lived Groover Quartet, is actually a two- CD set that reprises concert sessions recorded twenty years apart--the first, You'll See! (Cellar Records, 2004) in Vancouver's now- defunct Cellar Jazz Club, the second,Turn It Up!, in 2024 at Ken Kitchings' The Side Door in Old Lyme, Connecticut. It is hard to say what is most remarkable about the concerts: that the group has preserved its uncommon mastery and rapport ...

Album Review

Anaïs Reno: Lady of the Lavender Mist

Read "Lady of the Lavender Mist" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
July 22, 2025

Anaïs Reno continues to strengthen her reputation among the top young interpreters of the Great American Songbook with her album Lady of the Lavender Mist. Four years after her debut, Reno returns with greater vocal maturity, deeper interpretive insights, and support from a seasoned rhythm section featuring guitarist Peter Bernstein, bassist David Wong and drummer Joe Farnsworth. This ensemble grounds the project in classic jazz values while allowing her plenty of space to shine as she performs a set of ...

Liner Notes

Melvin Rhyne: Classmasters

by C. Andrew Hovan
September 3, 2024

While it's an easy task to designate any number of Hammond B-3 organ players who have quickly fallen under the spell of innovator Jimmy Smith, it's not as simple to inventory the few individuals who've avoided Smith's overpowering influence to develop a sound and manner of their own. Melvin Rhyne is one who managed to carve a niche for himself during the '60s with a much lighter and less bombastic approach, around during the heydays as a member of Wes ...

Liner Notes

Ralph Bowen: Five

by C. Andrew Hovan
September 1, 2024

Although he's better known in educational circles due to his solid commitment to jazz pedagogy as a member of the faculty at Rutgers University, Ralph Bowen has been a vital member of the jazz community since debuting with the group Out of the Blue back in the mid '80s. His adaptability to a diversity of musical situations has made him a valuable sideman over the years, although the opportunities for Bowen to call the shots as a leader have not ...

Album Review

Mike LeDonne: Wonderful!

Read "Wonderful!" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
March 27, 2024

Organist Mike LeDonne's latest recording, Wonderful!, is a labor of love on several levels. Of course, there is love of the music and love of accomplishing something that had not been done before--teaming a gospel choir with jazz quartet. Above all else, there is love for LeDonne's wife, Margaret, and daughter Mary who is disabled but, as LeDonne says, is nonetheless “truly wonderful." LeDonne wrote the album's title song for Mary, wherein he compares her to “a ...

Performance / Tour

Announcing Smoke Jazz Club’s October Line-up Including A Special Tribute To Monk, Smoke Sessions Records Album Release Celebration By Peter Bernstein, And More

Source: AMT Public Relations
August 27, 2024

Entering its second quarter century as committed as ever to pure jazz (All About Jazz),” SMOKE Jazz Club continues its 25th anniversary season with a month of both legendary artists and young jazz luminaries. October begins with the award-winning David Weiss Sextet (Oct 2) celebrating the release of Auteur, its first album in a decade. Peter Bernstein convenes a remarkable all-star quartet featuring legendary drummer Al Foster to celebrate the release of his stunning album Better Angels on the club’s ...
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Event

Zinc Announces Its Summer Jazz Series Lineup

Source: Decibel
May 3, 2022

After a 2-year hiatus amid the Covid pandemic, Zinc is announcing the summer lineup of its highly successful jazz series produced by New York-based concert promoter, Charles Carlini of In Touch Entertainment. The programs comprise Piano Jazz and Guitar Masters evenings on select Mondays and Tuesdays. All these performances will continue to be a regular feature at Zinc throughout the summer months and into the fall. “These programs have met with such enthusiastic response from our audiences because each one ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Bernstein

Source: Michael Ricci
September 3, 2021

All About Jazz is celebrating Peter Bernstein's birthday today!

Born September 3rd, 1967 in New York City, guitarist Peter Bernstein has been a part of the jazz scene in New York and abroad since 1989. During that time he has participated in over 60 recordings and numerous festival, concert and club performances with musicians from all generations. As a leader, Peter has made five recordings for the Criss Cross Jazz label. The latest, Heart’s Content, features the all-star rhythm section ...
read more

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Bernstein

Source: Michael Ricci
September 3, 2020

All About Jazz is celebrating Peter Bernstein's birthday today!

Born September 3rd, 1967 in New York City, guitarist Peter Bernstein has been a part of the jazz scene in New York and abroad since 1989. During that time he has participated in over 60 recordings and numerous festival, concert and club performances with musicians from all generations. As a leader, Peter has made five recordings for the Criss Cross Jazz label. The latest, Heart’s Content, features the all-star rhythm section ...
read more

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Bernstein

Source: Michael Ricci
September 3, 2019

All About Jazz is celebrating Peter Bernstein's birthday today!

Place our Musician ...
read more

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Bernstein

Source: Michael Ricci
September 3, 2018

All About Jazz is celebrating Peter Bernstein's birthday today!

Place our Musician ...
read more

Performance / Tour

Jazz Bakery Presents Jeremy Pelt And Peter Bernstein on December 2nd and December 3rd

Source: Jeff Gauthier
November 24, 2017

The Jazz Bakery presents a weekend of cutting edge jazz with trumpeter Jeremy Pelt's Make Noise Quintet on December 2nd, and guitarist Peter Bernstein's Mostly Monk Quartet on December 3rd. On Saturday December 2nd, Jeremy Pelt's Make Noise Quintet with pianist Victor Gould, bassist Richie Goods, Jonathan Barber on drums and Jacquelene Acevedo on percussion, will perform at the Musicians Institute Concert Center in Hollywood at 8PM. Saturated with the rhythms of two percussionists Pelt's Make Noise quintet has an ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Bernstein

Source: Michael Ricci
September 3, 2017

All About Jazz is celebrating Peter Bernstein's birthday today!

Place our Musician ...
read more

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Bernstein

Source: Michael Ricci
September 3, 2016

All About Jazz is celebrating Peter Bernstein's birthday today!

Place our Musician ...
read more

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Bernstein

Source: Michael Ricci
September 3, 2015

All About Jazz is celebrating Peter Bernstein's birthday today! Born September 3rd, 1967 in New York City, guitarist Peter Bernstein has been a part of the jazz scene in New York and abroad since 1989. During that time he has participated in over 60 recordings and numerous festival, concert and club performances with musicians from all generations. As a leader, Peter has made five recordings for the Criss Cross Jazz label. The latest, Heart’s Content... Read more. Place our Musician ...
read more