#jeff berman

[itcars]

Mercedes-Benz AMG GT Black Series

Image by Jeff Bergman || IG  

[heatherkropf-blog]

Merry Christmas! This is the closest thing I've got to a new Christmas song. I've been confronting some stuff with this latest hit to my head (concussions have kept me from doing much posting to this blog for the past year or so) and it seems fitting to post. Darkness and confusion own you as long as you let it. Hold the the light and space no matter what. Make friends with all of it. Let it flow. It'll get better.

Meanwhile, I did have a pretty good year exploring music! Here’s my recap of personal moments. Hope to post more regularly in 2016.

14 MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS of 2015

In some ways 2015 has been a year outside of time for me, suspended in an unreality of transitions and the long unwinding. Music as usual has been the thing that keeps me Here, and thank god for that.

Throughout the year I've been noticing myself gravitate towards moments. It’s not really important to be good for good’s sake, is it? What’s important is can you be good enough to transcend yourself and connect with the moment? It’s a practice, not a goal you can check off your list, and reminds me of that Sufi saying about how you don’t find it by seeking but only the seeker’s will find.

Sometimes I lucked out.

1. Blink at James Street - Jeff Berman's quartet one night months ago just dialed it in and I think everyone knew it. It was pretty magical.

2. Lera Lynn at Club Cafe - her bridges and turnarounds back into the songs had me slack-jawed.

3. Silk Sound at Bellefield Hall - Chris Parker's guitar intro into a song early in the set was heartbreakingly beautiful, assured, so exquisite.

4. Kate Tempest at Brillobox (with Christiane D opening) - Fierce and gorgeous and intense and human and holy heck. The Beigeness!

5. Lizz Wright at Highline Ballroom - 4 women's voices in harmony singing pop/neo-soul and gospel, and it doesn't get much better than that.

6. Daryl Fleming at Pittsburgh Hospitality House Concert - the world does not hear enough of Daryl Fleming. He's one of our planet's many hidden gems.

7. Speaking of PHH Concerts I must also add Jesse Prentiss - comparisons are kind of dumb and yet listening to his set was as satisfying as listening to Jeff Buckley, Fred Astaire, and Tom Waits. Like all of them, in ONE PERSON.

8. Brian Blade at Joe's Pub - who has a few new songs that, months later, still linger like a good dream I can't quite remember. Please release your new album soon so I can hear them again!

9. Matthew Tembo at Mansions on Fifth - Matthew's music with his trio, featuring Colter Harper on multiple instruments and loops, is pure audible joy.

10. Maureen Budway at the New Hazlett Theater - at the WQED Live from Studio A Christmas show they played a clip of one of Maureen's performances and I was in tears like I had just learned the news she had died. May her album win a Grammy and the whole nation know her lovely voice.

11. Daniel Marcus at Andy's - every time we played my song "Got to Go" he said it in a way that just cracked me up. Playing with Dan is always a good time. Got ta GO!

12. "Lights are Kennywood" at Club Cafe - I got a taste with the whole band on this song. It'll be one of those tunes that I probably don't play live that much but holy heck I can't wait to record it. C a n n o t wait.

13. Chris Parker's, with Jeff Berman, arrangement of my tune "Rain Quilt" at Rockwood Music Hall - it's just so damn right on

14. "Out of Our Atmosphere" with Bruce Lebovitz at Club Cafe - electric violin and Rhodes duo as a pop song? Yes please. That was fun.

Anyhow. That's my list. Thank you one and all for the music and the moments. Keep doing what you do!

[fortheloveofpunk]

Interview: Jeff Berman of Divided Heaven http://bit.ly/1AsgZfv

Interview: Jeff Berman of Divided Heaven

I first met Jeff Berman of Divided Heaven two years ago. He was looking for any place to play in Laramie, Wyoming. He said he had never played the town, so that was good enough …

[fatasskelly-price]

Divided Heaven Announce European Tour

Divided Heaven Announce European Tour

FB: http://www.facebook.com/DividedHeaven

 Website: http://www.dividedheaven.com

  Having come off their US leg of the tour, LA-based band, Divided Heaven have announced a batch of European tours.  DH will make stops at Germany, Italy, France United Kingdom, Scotland and Belgium. Tour dates can be seen below.

After the Europe tour, Divided Heavenwill hit the road once again joining a whole load…

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[heatherkropf-blog]

Week #6: this week held 2 brand new things for me (new ensemble, new venue) and one brand new thing for my city. Silk Sound a 6-piece Asian-American jazz band, performed their debut (and as of now, only) concert at Bellefield Hall. They played seven pieces, traditional melodies and original compositions, weaving Asian sounds with Jazz forms.

I could hear the newness of the group and sense their commitment and investment. The music was better than the room or the mix in the sound system. I had expected - without anticipating - that I might be emotionally undone by the music: Asian music and Jazz are on my list of favorites. If they ever add Persian I might just leave my body.

But I digress. The point is that I did not find it to be spectacular. There were some beautiful tones and moments, some lively conversation, some incredible emotion (Mimi Jong on Erhu can capture more feeling in a single note than I hear nearly ever by anyone in my city) and clear intention and presence by the musicians.

But it felt new and was inadequately mixed for the room. I had to listen past both of those things and couldn’t quite relax. In this way did the concert fall short. I expect it was actually much better than what I heard from where I was sitting.

I would like to hear their 5th or 6th concert in a great space with a great mix.

It’s qualified, but on the whole week 6 was very good.

[greatbigchoruses]

Sorry for the lapse, there. I'm on vacation and I have had some family health issues to deal with in the last couple weeks. But we're here to celebrate the gift of rock n' roll, and what better way to do that than with a podcast featuring your friend and mine, Divided Heaven singer Jeff Berman. Buy Jeff's new album here and listen to the podcast here.

[theworldaccordingtostan-blo-blog]

Very interesting interview by Mashable of Jeff Berman, the head of social media strategy for the NFL. In the interview, Berman reflects on social media mangement, the types of networks used, and how teams share practices. Highly recommend it!

[faintvox]

Jeff Berman,the 6th Kid in the Hall...'s car.