Bernard Alcorn

Bernard is a Chicago-based contemporary jazz guitarist who plays regularly in the Chicago area and occasionally tours, mainly in the Midwest but plans to tour outside of that area beginning in mid-2010. His latest cd, "A New Day", released in February,2009, contains over 70 minutes of jazz-funk and smooth jazz music-10 originals plus unique versions of 4 cover tunes:(1)Light My Fire(the Doors/J.Feliciano);(2)The Way You Move(Earth,Wind, & Fire w. Kenny G);(3)Just My Imagination(the Temptations); and (4)Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?(Chicago).

The influences of Wes Montgomery and George Benson can be heard in Bernard's playing style.However, several other sources of inspiration can be heard on the new cd:(eg.Lee Ritenour,Larry Carlton,the Crusaders,Kenny Burrell,Grant Green,Azymuth(Brazilian)Incognito,Ronny Jordan,Hugh Masekela,E.W.&F,D.Sanborn,DTTB,C.Santana.Bernard also plays standards and classic jazz tunes by many of the jazz masters.

"With all of those various influences,I decided not to take the "safe" route;I didn't want to produce a one-dimensional project", says Bernard."On this cd,the listener gets to hear some of the styles I like and use when playing live,"he adds."LIGHT MY FIRE represents the guitar/organ funk-jazz sound I grew up playing and that was very popular in Chicago; DOWN TO THE WIRE,A NEW DAY, JUST MY IMAGINATION, and NICE N' EASY represent what's been called smooth jazz;CHI-TOWN STRUT, THE WAY YOU MOVE, and KEEP ON STEPPIN' are uptempo grooves for the urban "steppers"; S.O.S. is a funky tune with an afrobeat rhythm which was inspired by my interest in Afropop music; BOSSAMBA combines elements of the new Brazilian sound; WHERE IS LOVE? has a smooth Latin-influenced vibe; DOES ANYBODY REALLY KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS? is done in a traditional jazz style; and the remaining tunes,A NEW BEGINNING and FUTURE STEPS are the result of my absorbing some of the sounds from the "chill music" genre."

"A New Day" has received very favorable reviews and airplay on 3 internet radio programs based in the UK.(www.smoothgroovers.com; Colin Hughes' "Strawberry Jazz"(www.strawberryjazz.com); and Denis Poole's "Smooth Jazz Therapy"(www.smoothjazztherapy.com).In the U.S.,his music has been featured on podcasts programs and on KPOO in San Francisco.Bernard's first cd, "Late Arrival" received radio airplay on stations in Chicago(V-103,WBEE), and in Minneapolis,Milwaukee,San Francisco,New Orleans, and Portland,OR.

Bernard has worked as a leader/co-leader of guitar-organ trios/quartets in Chicago while spending several years working as a social worker and vocational rehabilitation counselor."From those experiences, I can definitely relate to an artist whose work I admire(Al Jarreau)who also had a dual-career of working as a vocational counselor and musician before deciding on music fulltime," says Bernard. Bernard played at Andy's Jazz Club, one of Chicago's premier jazz clubs, for over 10 years, and for over 15 years, he has worked as a solo performer utilizing his MIDI technology skills in programming sequencers to get an exciting sound enjoyed by audiences that see his performances.

Bernard is a Chicago-based contemporary jazz guitarist who plays regularly in the Chicago area and occasionally tours, mainly in the Midwest but plans to tour outside of that area beginning in mid-2010. His latest cd, "A New Day", released in February,2009, contains over 70 minutes of jazz-funk and smooth jazz music-10 originals plus unique versions of 4 cover tunes:(1)Light My Fire(the Doors/J.Feliciano);(2)The Way You Move(Earth,Wind, & Fire w. Kenny G);(3)Just My Imagination(the Temptations); and (4)Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?(Chicago).

The influences of Wes Montgomery and George Benson can be heard in Bernard's playing style.However, several other sources of inspiration can be heard on the new cd:(eg.Lee Ritenour,Larry Carlton,the Crusaders,Kenny Burrell,Grant Green,Azymuth(Brazilian)Incognito,Ronny Jordan,Hugh Masekela,E.W.&F,D.Sanborn,DTTB,C.Santana.Bernard also plays standards and classic jazz tunes by many of the jazz masters.

"With all of those various influences,I decided not to take the "safe" route;I didn't want to produce a one-dimensional project", says Bernard."On this cd,the listener gets to hear some of the styles I like and use when playing live,"he adds."LIGHT MY FIRE represents the guitar/organ funk-jazz sound I grew up playing and that was very popular in Chicago; DOWN TO THE WIRE,A NEW DAY, JUST MY IMAGINATION, and NICE N' EASY represent what's been called smooth jazz;CHI-TOWN STRUT, THE WAY YOU MOVE, and KEEP ON STEPPIN' are uptempo grooves for the urban "steppers"; S.O.S. is a funky tune with an afrobeat rhythm which was inspired by my interest in Afropop music; BOSSAMBA combines elements of the new Brazilian sound; WHERE IS LOVE? has a smooth Latin-influenced vibe; DOES ANYBODY REALLY KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS? is done in a traditional jazz style; and the remaining tunes,A NEW BEGINNING and FUTURE STEPS are the result of my absorbing some of the sounds from the "chill music" genre."

"A New Day" has received very favorable reviews and airplay on 3 internet radio programs based in the UK.(www.smoothgroovers.com; Colin Hughes' "Strawberry Jazz"(www.strawberryjazz.com); and Denis Poole's "Smooth Jazz Therapy"(www.smoothjazztherapy.com).In the U.S.,his music has been featured on podcasts programs and on KPOO in San Francisco.Bernard's first cd, "Late Arrival" received radio airplay on stations in Chicago(V-103,WBEE), and in Minneapolis,Milwaukee,San Francisco,New Orleans, and Portland,OR.

Bernard has worked as a leader/co-leader of guitar-organ trios/quartets in Chicago while spending several years working as a social worker and vocational rehabilitation counselor."From those experiences, I can definitely relate to an artist whose work I admire(Al Jarreau)who also had a dual-career of working as a vocational counselor and musician before deciding on music fulltime," says Bernard. Bernard played at Andy's Jazz Club, one of Chicago's premier jazz clubs, for over 10 years, and for over 15 years, he has worked as a solo performer utilizing his MIDI technology skills in programming sequencers to get an exciting sound enjoyed by audiences that see his performances.

Bernard is a Chicago-based contemporary jazz guitarist who plays regularly in the Chicago area and occasionally tours, mainly in the Midwest but plans to tour outside of that area beginning in mid-2010. His latest cd, "A New Day", released in February,2009, contains over 70 minutes of jazz-funk and smooth jazz music-10 originals plus unique versions of 4 cover tunes:(1)Light My Fire(the Doors/J.Feliciano);(2)The Way You Move(Earth,Wind, & Fire w. Kenny G);(3)Just My Imagination(the Temptations); and (4)Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?(Chicago).

The influences of Wes Montgomery and George Benson can be heard in Bernard's playing style.However, several other sources of inspiration can be heard on the new cd:(eg.Lee Ritenour,Larry Carlton,the Crusaders,Kenny Burrell,Grant Green,Azymuth(Brazilian)Incognito,Ronny Jordan,Hugh Masekela,E.W.&F,D.Sanborn,DTTB,C.Santana.Bernard also plays standards and classic jazz tunes by many of the jazz masters.

"With all of those various influences,I decided not to take the "safe" route;I didn't want to produce a one-dimensional project", says Bernard."On this cd,the listener gets to hear some of the styles I like and use when playing live,"he adds."LIGHT MY FIRE represents the guitar/organ funk-jazz sound I grew up playing and that was very popular in Chicago; DOWN TO THE WIRE,A NEW DAY, JUST MY IMAGINATION, and NICE N' EASY represent what's been called smooth jazz;CHI-TOWN STRUT, THE WAY YOU MOVE, and KEEP ON STEPPIN' are uptempo grooves for the urban "steppers"; S.O.S. is a funky tune with an afrobeat rhythm which was inspired by my interest in Afropop music; BOSSAMBA combines elements of the new Brazilian sound; WHERE IS LOVE? has a smooth Latin-influenced vibe; DOES ANYBODY REALLY KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS? is done in a traditional jazz style; and the remaining tunes,A NEW BEGINNING and FUTURE STEPS are the result of my absorbing some of the sounds from the "chill music" genre."

"A New Day" has received very favorable reviews and airplay on 3 internet radio programs based in the UK.(www.smoothgroovers.com; Colin Hughes' "Strawberry Jazz"(www.strawberryjazz.com); and Denis Poole's "Smooth Jazz Therapy"(www.smoothjazztherapy.com).In the U.S.,his music has been featured on podcasts programs and on KPOO in San Francisco.Bernard's first cd, "Late Arrival" received radio airplay on stations in Chicago(V-103,WBEE), and in Minneapolis,Milwaukee,San Francisco,New Orleans, and Portland,OR.

Bernard has worked as a leader/co-leader of guitar-organ trios/quartets in Chicago while spending several years working as a social worker and vocational rehabilitation counselor."From those experiences, I can definitely relate to an artist whose work I admire(Al Jarreau)who also had a dual-career of working as a vocational counselor and musician before deciding on music fulltime," says Bernard. Bernard played at Andy's Jazz Club, one of Chicago's premier jazz clubs, for over 10 years, and for over 15 years, he has worked as a solo performer utilizing his MIDI technology skills in programming sequencers to get an exciting sound enjoyed by audiences that see his performances.