Peter Bernstein & Jesse Van Ruller

Jesse about Peter Bernstein: "Around 1993 or 94, the first time I came to NYC as a young guitarist and student of jazz, I went into the East-Village, walked around and heard faint jazz music. I followed the sound and entered a club called Visiones. The sound was that of a guitar-organ-drums trio and it was the most swinging, original, soulful guitar playing I had ever heard. And it came from someone who couldn’t be much older than me. It was Peter’s trio with Larry Goldings and Bill Stewart. That experience brought the music that I only knew from a distance, belonging to an older generation, forward in time and made it relevant to me. Clearly I have been an admirer of Peter’s playing since and many years later we met and started playing together occasionally. Peter is the kind of improviser I try to be as well: impressing by not trying to impress anyone, always chasing melodic development, not relying on prepared material and 'being in the moment’."