Peter Bernstein @ The REX

Peter Bernstein @ The REX

Talk about a hot ticket, Peter Bernstein and Lorne Lofsky just laying out and having fun on Queen street, what else could you ask for?

Peter Bernstein is definitely in the conversation when you are talking the top contemporary guitarists.  He strikes a nice balance of modern cool sounds and accessible singable lines.  He can pull of some impressive lines, but doesn't overplay and is definitely a melody first kind of player.

He is somewhat unique in his use of a 3 finger technique.  Though it certainly isn't because of a lazy pinky finger.  In his recent masterclass at the Toronto New School of Music he explained it's a preference for phrasing, tone and intonation.  Not only does he prefer the sound, he enjoys the horizontal freedom it opens up for him on the fretboard.  Though acknowledging position playing's importance, he feels more restricted and likes to move around a lot more than most guitar players.  This gives him a really expressive and unique sound that has carved out his spot as one of the top contemporary players today.   

Lorne Lofsky makes an excellent compliment to Peter's style.  His playing is heavily influenced by Bill Evans and Toronto legend Ed Bickert.  He has a very interesting fingerstyle way of playing; there's a lot of subtlety and dynamics in his touch.  He also has a special way with the Lenny Breau harmonic cascade stuff.  He's a master who plays some very hip stuff and loves to move around harmonically.

When you have someone in from out of town one couldn't ask for a better rhythm section than Neil Swainson and Barry Romberg.  Neil has been a fixture of the Toronto community for decades and he's played with Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel, Sonny Stitt, amongst many others.  He has a killer groove and a beautiful touch when doing melodic playing.  Barry is a very fun and dynamic drummer, you can definitely tell when he is feeling it.  He is a creative and fun drummer and always a joy to watch.  

 

The Music: It was an impressive night of standards played by some seriously heavy cats (not that kind!),  Peter and Lorne are a perfect compliment to one another.  Peter spent the night crafting beautiful melodic solos where you could always hear exactly the tune he was playing underneath his playing.  Lorne's solos tended to branch out more harmonically and in length, the ying to Peter's Yang.  

More details to come.....    

 

Drink Pairing:  Anciano no.10

What a killer Rioja and at an affordable price though not for the feint of heart if you don't like big bold oaky wines.  But then again, if we are listening to heavy cats like these we need a heavy wine to match.  If you do prefer a little less oak, the still excellent Anciano No 7 Reserva is super easy to find and very good.   

So what's the big deal? Why is the no.10 worth it?  Well, in Rioja you will see bottles labelled Joven, Crianza, Reserva and Grand Reserva.  Rioja is usually made principally of tempanrillo grapes but can be made without as well.  You'll often see Grenache, mazuelo or garnacha tinta in some blends as well.

Joven is the unoaked version, often bright red fruit flavours with a little tobacco.  Rare to see outside Europe but make excellent quaffing wines.  

Crianza, literally meaning young, usually spends only 6 months to a year in oak before bottle aging; it is a young, super fruity, good-value table wine that despite lacking some of the depth of its more aged counterparts shines in its own rights.  Generally red fruit, strawberry, red currants and mellow hints of more savoury notes.

Reserva straddles the gap between - aged just a little longer in oak (at least a year), it is still super fruity but also with pronounced oak. Generally you start to see more of those savoury notes, tobacco, cedar, cloves, vanilla etc. Many producers often select some of their better grapes to lay down for the Reserva.  There are some absolute steals at this level, like the iconic Campo Viejo with its iconic orange label or Muga Reserva that are always safe bets.

Gran Reserva has the longest maturation period (at least 2 years in barrel) and thus the effect of the oak is most pronounced, as well as a long maturation period beyond that slowly cools its tannins. Tons of those savoury notes like the reserva and a lot of depth.  Usually the very best grapes from the oldest vines are selected.

That's where we come to this pairing - Lorne and Peter though I wouldn't describe as vintage per se are well seasoned veterans of their craft.  Take a couple of virtouso guitarists, mature them carefully for years on the stage in New York and Toronto respectfully and you wind up with a heavy, smoky, long deep finish like a good Gran Reserva.

Anciano is a mix of Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo grown in high altitude vineyards (300-500 metres) on gravel and sandy soils from bushes with an average age over 50 years. (Again Lorne Peter and veteran bassist Neil Swanson)  It spends 2 years in American oak and an extended bottle maturation that results in a bold wine perfect for pairing with Peter's strong sense of melody, rhythm and rich harmonic content, with complex aromas of dark fruit, blackberry, cherry, leather and salted almond toffee.  

 

"This deep-ruby-colored wine has a nose of blackberry and salted almond toffee. Bright at first sip, it has luxurious tannins that support black-cherry, Mission fig, chocolate-covered-caramel, roast fennel-bulb and orange-zest flavors. Pleasing acidity and luxurious tannins stroll arm and arm into a lasting, dark-chocolate-infused finish. Editors' Choice. Score - 94. (Mike DeSimone, Wine Enthusiast, April 1, 2024)"

From the LCBO website.

This wine bottled in September of 2016, a great year, well a Muy buena year in the local parlance, is a perfect match for a night for guitar nerds like this or perhaps more appropriately 2016s Inspired featuring Rale Micic, John Abercrombie, Peter Bernstein, and Lage Lund.

Food Pairing : Lamb

Heavy hitting jazz with complex harmonies calls for a dish with complex flavours.  Lamb is a great protein choice and besides, the tannins in that Gran Reserva are going to melt right into that soft lamb.  Though I'd also be tempted by something like braised beef cheeks for an aged Tempranillo, I want to use lamb so that I can  be more aggressive with my seasoning - think  cumin, coriander, rosemary (particularly with that Anciano no10) and piles of garlic.  A slow roasted joint or braise if you get the no10 or perhaps juicy pink chops if you can only grab the no.7.   

   

TV Pairing:  Sharpe

Since we have a bit of a loose Spain theme going on, why not recommend a tv program with a bit of Spain in it.  Yes, this is a show about the Napoleonic wars, but there is plenty of Spain in it.  

Sharpe follows the adventures of Richard Sharpe, played by Sean Bean, who (spoiler alert) doesn't die for once (though he does seem to be a magnate for bullets, blades and babes alike), and his collection of "chosen men" as they navigate the dangers of war, spies and incompetent buffoons in British uniforms during the Napoleonic wars.  It's a veritable who's who of actors before they made it big.  With such a killer cast it seems a fair match for an all-star line-up like this night. 

It's fun action and drama that is funny, well acted, and doesn't feel too cheap despite the low budget.  It's a classic that holds up well and is in that sweet spot of obscurity where there are plenty of free ways too watch it still.  There are 14 episodes that all clock in around an hour and a half.