Well versed in a wide spectrum of musical genres, Bernstein amassed a wealth of experience playing bass for jazz, pop, Latin, hip-hop, Americana, funk, and bluegrass projects. While in New York he was a founding member of the city’s premier bluegrass band, Citigrass. Later he would form The Smoggy Borough Boyz with Citigrass band mates Jordan Shapiro and James Kerr. Ben was also a touring member of Soul Farm, a Jam Band with Jewish Roots led by another Citigrass band mate, Noah Chase.

In 2002, again feeling the winds of change and destiny, Ben headed west for the San Francisco Bay. He began playing blues and funk gigs at the Blue Lamp in San Francisco with Edna Love and the Lovetoys and the Smokedaddies. He quickly became an in demand bassist and continued exploring the many genres in which he had become adept. In the summer of 2002 Ben co-founded the Ho’ Down Quartet and furthered his bluegrass journey. The band, managed and booked by Bernstein, quickly became a local success, performing weekly at the Blackthorn Tavern, and at the 2003 San Francisco Old Time and Bluegrass Festival. The group took a two-week tour to Colorado with a stop at the 30th Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival where they competed for a chance to play on the main stage. While in the Quartet, Ben also became a performing member of Tony Mattioli’s Stolen Bibles, performing a blend of “Americana Soul” around the San Francisco Bay Area. He also performed several gigs with Samantha Stollenwerk, including a short tour to New York City in December 2003.

In 2004, Ben signed on with New Monsoon, touring extensively throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. As part of New Monsoon, Bernstein played for large crowds at major U.S. venues and festivals including the legendary Fillmore in San Francisco, CA, Red Rocks Amphitheater, The Telluride Bluegrass Festival, and Bonnaroo in Tennessee. While with New Monsoon he had the opportunity to participate in the 2005 Big Summer Classic Tour performing alongside and jamming with bands such as the String Cheese Incident, Yonder Mountain String Band, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Keller Williams, and Umphrey’s McGee. After almost three years of touring, Ben left the band in October 2006 to focus on solo work, music production, and freelance performance and session work.

Ben drew on his vast experience to create his first solo effort, “Petting Zoo” (2006) co-produced by his Stolen Bibles band mate Dave Tweedie. Featuring 11 of Ben’s originals, the release highlights his diverse talents as a songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist. Recorded partially in his apartment and at Chocolate O’Brien studios in Oakland, CA, “Petting Zoo” includes light and catchy acoustic pop songs, psychedelia and Dylan-esque stylings.

“Petting Zoo” also immersed Bernstein more deeply in the studio environment. Having learned what it means to get inside of a song and to create a lasting musical impression that would be as timeless as it was fresh, his interest in the power of the recording deepened. Now honing his music production skills at San Francisco’s Pyramind Institute; Bernstein brings a full suite of musical knowledge to his work as a producer.