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A native of Baltimore, Maryland, cellist Steven
Berson moved to New York in 1997 to pursue the greater potentials
it offered to those wishing to make creative music. Responding
to an ad in the New York Press seeking other string players,
he joined forces with Chris George in September, 1998 in order
to create Invert.
Steve is a graduate of Boston's Berklee College of Music,
where he studied both electric bass and composition. While
in Boston he also studied West African rhythm and percussion
with master drummer Nurudafina Pili Abena. Steve did not
pick up the cello until 1988, when he illicitly borrowed
one from the school by posing as a Music Education major
and claiming to need it for a nonexistent cello lab (for
those people with a highly developed sense of morality -
don't worry! - the cello was returned). Primarily self taught
on the cello, he has always pursued using the instrument
for non-traditional genres.
As a bassist & cellist he has performed extensively
in Baltimore, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Richmond, Boston,
and New York, including performances with Charm City Klezmer,
3 Pigs Café, False Face Society, The Bohemian Angels,
Jo Connor, The Michael Raitzyk Jazz Orchestra, Estrojet,
McCaul Valliant, The Delicate Prey, Scat-o-mat, SAW, Sansaclue,
Spindle, Earthwurm & Sarah Greenwood. In 1996 he toured
the United States as bassist for Knitting Factory recording
artists Suck Pretty. From 2006 to the present he has performed
and toured backing vocalist/songwriter/violinist/keyboardist
Rebecca Moore in her band, Prevention of Blindness.
From 1990 to 1996 a central focus for Steve was Acoustitronics,
a solo project where he used a digital echo system to layer
and loop bass guitar, cello, bouzouki, djimbe, bamboo flutes,
voice and percussion, creating edgy ambient textures and
surreal songs. With Acoustitronics he performed on the East
Coast extensively, including supporting Mission of Burma
founder Roger Miller on a 1995 tour. Acoustitronics has also
done numerous live soundtracks for Baltimore's Black Cherry
Puppet Theatre, and has collaborated with interactive video
animator Marcos Ferrer, and choreographers Marsha Tallerico
and Tony Agostinelli.
Steve's main instrument is a post-War German cello by Framus,
and he is greatly pleased with its restoration, done by Robert
Young of Viseltear & Young Violins. In December 2001
Steve commisioned a 5-string acoustic/electric contra-cello,
which he has dubbed "The Green Funk Machine." A
collaboration between three instrument makers, this instrument
allows Steve to reach as low as the F on an upright bass,
and to amplify the cello's sound while retaining a rich natural
tone. Richard Barbera from Barbera Transducers created the
hybrid bridge/piezo pickup, Nicholas Tipney from Vector Instruments
created the tailpiece and neck (using Gotoh bass tuners instead
of traditional pegs), and Robert Young & Sebastian Maria
from Viseltear & Young Violins assembled the instrument
using the body of a Wilhelm Eberle cello, and provided the
top and neck with its unique green finish.
Steve now resides in a converted industrial building in Greenpoint,
Brooklyn, where he shares his room with a plethora of instruments
and recording gear. |
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