Dan Berg

Biography
Articles

After graduating from Hampshire College, Philly native Dan Berg now lives in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. His music is unique, drawing from many different sources and styles. He says he tries his best to strike a balance between groove and art--between the familiar and the esoteric. His current band, The Gestalt, covers a lot of genres featuring his own originals and covers and the standards that he has revamped. The word "gestalt" means something that is greater than all of its parts. In the music you may find certain rhythms or other elements that are familiar but the overall picture is something original. Come out to a performance (listed above) for a unique and unforgettable evening.

Dan Berg & The Gestalt: Manifesto

Read "Manifesto" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
November 20, 2010

The idea of creation through inclusion seems to be lost on a lot of musicians today. Jazz--like every other area of music--has become highly compartmentalized. A need to place oneself as a direct descendant of a particular artist or style often limits horizon-expanding opportunities and results in stunted creativity. Pianist/composer Dan Berg and his band, The Gestalt, seems to see things differently, with open arms and an open mind. Berg's debut album, or Manifesto, if you will, is a bold ...

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Album Review

Dan Berg & The Gestalt: Manifesto

Read "Manifesto" reviewed by Karl Ackermann

by Karl Ackermann
September 5, 2010

Manifesto, the debut release from Dan Berg & The Gestalt, may be one of 2010's best recordings. The composer/keyboardist--a Brooklyn native and former student of reed man Marty Ehrlich--has created a smart, versatile and accessible collection that bridges genres and techniques, while remaining at home in the jazz idiom. With touches of Tin Hat Trio, bits of rock, Latin and the occasional operatic vocal, Manifesto has a broad appeal that fits contentedly within the overall scheme of the collection. Berg's ...