Boo Bernstein

Peter Freiberger · Post by **Peter Freiberger** » 7 Feb 2013 3:19 pm

Here's a couple YouTube's of our own Bob "Boo" Bernstein with Latin superstars Joan Sebastian and the late Jenni Rivera. It's great to see our instrument in this new setting. And Boo's Spanish is improving muy rapido.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNkt9g3iDBc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UQATBHbjbU

Steve Pawlak · Post by **Steve Pawlak** » 7 Feb 2013 5:41 pm

Thanks for the links Peter
I was in Fred Justice's room at the SWSG convention when Boo came in and sat down and "went thru the gears" on Fred's steel. Boo's a great player and seemed like a genuine nice guy. Would like to hear him play a set next year

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 7 Feb 2013 8:46 pm

Very cool; thanks for the links! Great to finally meet Boo in Phoenix this year.

Boo Bernstein · Post by **Boo Bernstein** » 8 Feb 2013 7:05 am

Muchas gracias, mis amigos! Pete, thanks so much for posting these. Steve and Jim, thank you for the kinds words -- it was wonderful to meet so many cool folks at the Phoenix show.

It's been a very fortuitous twist of fate that I've fallen into the Latin world. I love the music and the musicians are truly some of the greatest players I've ever worked with. Plus, they absolutely love the steel.

Pete and Skip Edwards are giving me the full court press to do a set at Phoenix next year so it may be inevitable.

Thanks again for this!

Boo Bernstein · Post by **Boo Bernstein** » 8 Feb 2013 7:43 am

Muchas gracias, mis amigos! Pete, thanks so much for posting these. Steve and Jim, thank you for the kinds words -- it was wonderful to meet so many cool folks at the Phoenix show.

It's been a very fortuitous twist of fate that I've fallen into the Latin world. I love the music and the musicians are truly some of the greatest players I've ever worked with. Plus, they absolutely love the steel.

Pete and Skip Edwards are giving me the full court press to do a set at Phoenix next year so it may be inevitable.

Thanks again for this!

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 8 Feb 2013 8:52 am

¡Muy bien, Señor Boo!

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 9 Feb 2013 1:18 am

Hey Boo.

Really tasty notes in all the right places! I enjoyed it so much. Does the arranger write something for you to play or do you just find your own holes to fill?

It was really nice meeting you in Phoenix and I too am looking forward to hearing you there next year if not somewhere else before. I don't suppose you can bring the entire group

Boo Bernstein · Post by **Boo Bernstein** » 9 Feb 2013 10:15 am

Hey, Bill --

It was great meeting you in Phoenix -- I was really impressed with your musicianship. (I forgot to mention earlier that Jim Cohen's set was amazing!)

Regarding arrangements: Joan Sebastian, who I tour with on a consistent basis, has a 15-piece band so we have to be very aware of who's playing what at any given time. There are some specific lines that we have worked out. When it comes to a verse that is mine to fill, it is left up to me.

The song that was posted by Jenni Rivera was actually from her first pop album -- I played both steel and Dobro. The producer asked me to take the introduction so we worked out a part that was based on the melody. Some of the other lines were worked out, some were improvised. On the end section, they told me just to play. I was fooling around just getting the groove of the song. When it was done, they said, "Great, let's move on." I was going, "but wait ..."

Oh well ...

Look forward to seeing everyone again next year in Phoenix!

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 9 Feb 2013 2:24 pm

Thanks Boo. I am always interested in how things are arranged in a large group.

I have only had one experience in a large group like that. A couple of years ago I played a one night no rehersal gig with Atlanta jazz singer Gwen Hughes in a 17 piece big band. She had lots of flexibility for the gig I guess and likes steel too. As Tommy Dodd was previously committed, he passed it on to me.

There was the typical set list of big band stuff and standards along with other variety. She handed me a copy of the piano book, grinned and said, "don't play a note on Phiadelphia Freedom, play it all on Under The Boardwalk and Sittin On The Dock of The Bay, and other than that, just play any place that feels right." It was a lot of fun and a bit intimidating too!!

Looking forward to seeing and hearing you again.

Charles Curtis · Post by **Charles Curtis** » 9 Feb 2013 3:38 pm

Esta un muy bueno thread; me gusto mucho, Y los canciones tambien! No mas Estados Unidos, esta Norte Mexico ahora, ha! All kidding aside I love this thread and the arrangements also; leaves you feeling good!

Boo Bernstein · Post by **Boo Bernstein** » 12 Feb 2013 10:00 am

Hola, Charles. Usted es muy cómica. Thank you for the comments. The reality is that at the moment, I spend a lot of time in Mexico -- I love it there and the audiences are the best. I agree with you; there is something very joyous and soulful about the music ... and what instrument can be more soulful than a steel? LOL!

Charles Curtis · Post by **Charles Curtis** » 12 Feb 2013 10:52 am

Boo, I'm from Texas, (Houston area) and I always got along with most folks. And way back when I was a boy I had a job at a bowling alley. I was the only anglo and the other guys were of mexican descent. One started picking on me, he was a big guy, muscular, and mean looking. I was afraid of him, but one day I had had enough and I whipped him good. Back then I don't think that we were integrated as well as we are today, but the other guys didn't interfere and left me alone. I had a lot of respect for them the way that they accepted me as a friend. Even though I'm almost 80, I still don't back down after after that incident. Paso bien dia amigo!

Doug Jones · Post by **Doug Jones** » 14 Feb 2013 11:59 am

Killer tone on the Rivera number!

Boo Bernstein · Post by **Boo Bernstein** » 19 Feb 2013 10:06 am

Thanks, Doug. The funny thing is that I brought an amp to use for the session but they were having problems with their patch bay and everything was buzzing. I ended up going direct though a POD XT and was happy with the way it turned out.

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 19 Feb 2013 12:04 pm

Muy bonito mi amigo!

Boo Bernstein · Post by **Boo Bernstein** » 19 Feb 2013 12:14 pm

Muchas Gracias, Ricardo! It was great to hang with you and the whole gang last week. I might go down next week to Paly's with Marty R ... I'll let you know!

Peter Freiberger · Post by **Peter Freiberger** » 19 Feb 2013 2:47 pm

Let me know too! It's my turn to drive.