Bob Berg

Robert Berg (April 7, 1951 – December 5, 2002) was an American jazz saxophonist.

Biography

Berg was born in Brooklyn, New York, United States.

Berg started his musical education at the age of six when he began studying classical piano. He began playing the saxophone at the age of thirteen. He studied at the High School of Performing Arts and Juilliard before leaving school to tour. Berg was influenced by the late 1964–67 period of John Coltrane's music.

A student from the hard bop school, Berg played from 1973 to 1976 with Horace Silver and, from 1977 to 1983, with Cedar Walton. Berg became more widely known when he joined Miles Davis band in 1984. After leaving Davis's band in 1987, Berg released a series of solo albums and also performed and recorded frequently in a group co-led with guitarist Mike Stern. On these albums he played a more accessible style of music, mixing funk, jazz and even country music, with many other diverse compositional elements to produce albums. He often played at the 7th Avenue South NYC club. He worked with Chick Corea, Steve Gadd and Eddie Gómez in a quartet. Berg's tenor saxophone sound was a synthesis of rhythm and blues players such as Junior Walker and Arnett Cobb with the lyricism, intellectual freedom and soul of Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson and John Coltrane.

Berg was killed in a traffic accident in East Hampton, New York, while driving near his home with Arja, his wife. The person who crashed into his car was driving a cement truck that skidded on ice.

Discography

As leader

* ''New Birth'' (Xanadu, 1978)
* ''Steppin' Live in Europe'' (Red, 1982)
* ''Short Stories'' (Denon, 1987)
* ''Cycles'' (Denon, 1988)
* ''In the Shadows'' (Denon, 1990)
* ''Back Roads'' (Denon, 1991)
* ''Virtual Reality'' (Denon, 1992)
* ''Enter the Spirit'' (GRP, 1993)
* ''Riddles'' (Stretch, 1994)
* ''Another Standard'' (Stretch, 1997)
* ''The Jazz Times Superband'' (Concord 2000)
* ''The Meeting'' (Sound Hills 2009)

As sideman

With Tom Harrell
* ''Aurora'' (Adamo, 1976)
* ''Stories'' (Contemporary, 1988)
* ''Visions'' (Contemporary, 1991)

With Sam Jones
* ''Changes & Things'' (Muse, 1978)
* ''Visitation'' (SteepleChase, 1978)

With Horace Silver
* ''Silver 'n Brass'' (Blue Note, 1975)
* '' Silver 'n Wood'' (Blue Note, 1976)
* '' Silver 'n Voices'' (Blue Note, 1977)

With Leni Stern
* ''Clairvoyant'' (Passport, 1986)
* ''The Next Day'' (Passport, 1987)
* ''Secrets'' (Enja, 1989)

With Mike Stern
* '' Upside Downside'' (Atlantic, 1986)
* '' Time in Place'' (Atlantic, 1988)
* '' Jigsaw'' (Atlantic, 1989)
* '' Odds or Evens'' (Atlantic, 1991)
* ''Standards and Other Songs'' (Atlantic, 1992)

With Cedar Walton
*'' Eastern Rebellion 2'' (Timeless, 1977)
* ''Animation'' (Columbia/CBS, 1978)
* ''First Set'' (Timeless, 1980)
* ''Soundscapes'' (CBS, 1980)
* '' The Maestro'' (Muse, 1981)
* '' Second Set'' (SteepleChase, 1983)
* '' Third Set'' (SteepleChase, 1983)
* ''Eastern Rebellion 4