ResoNation, with Steven Bernstein

Steven Bernstein is a known wildcard in the modern jazz game. He's a wily slide trumpeter, and the whip-smart bandleader behind both Millennial Territory Orchestra, a pugnacious little big band, and Sexmob, a go-anywhere four-piece band. So in some respects, Bernstein's latest is striking for its directness. ResoNation Trio finds him strictly on valve trumpet and flugelhorn, with a lean-and-limber rhythm team of Scott Colley on bass and Nasheet Waits on drums. True to form, Bernstein added a further twist — inviting maverick producer Scotty Hard to reconstitute the trio's recordings for the companion album Ultra Resonance, a kaleidoscopic refraction evoking both dub and electronic collage. Bernstein dropped by our studio before a recent show to talk about the jazz tradition, his drive for connection, and why this project had to happen now. Watch the full conversation on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/n3IwFJe5AiE Chapters: 00:00 – Intro: Josh & Nate catch up, remember Steven during the pandemic 03:42 – Introducing the new records: ResoNation Trio & Ultra Resonance 06:08 – Interview begins: welcoming Steven Bernstein 07:02 – Steven as "the ultimate band guy" — why it had to be Colley & Waits 08:30 – Bay Area roots: coming up around Andrew Hill, Rahsaan, the AACM 11:00 – "Spontaneous composition" and the making of ResoNation Trio 14:04 – Why now: readiness, aging, and finding his own voice 20:48 – Sequencing the album & introducing Ultra Resonance 22:33 – Dub roots: Garvey's Ghost, Scotty Hard's remix process 29:41 – Magical realism as the concept linking both albums 31:25 – Live performance: Steven plays flugelhorn ("Rotary") + the horn's history 38:55 – Learning from Levon Helm — melody, blues, and "spiritual jazz" 42:21 – Jazz education, rhythm, and drummers as the root of the music 50:20 – On legacy, influence, and Sex Mob's lasting impact 1:00:07 – Debrief + "This I Dig" Want to support The Late Set? Become a WRTI member: wrti.org/donate Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wrtimusic Subscribe to our YouTube: youtube.com/@WRTImusic