Primary Instrument: Guitar
Bern Nix has played the guitar since the age of 11. Bern studied music and graduated with a degree in music education from the Berklee College of Music. Since 1985, he has led The Bern Nix Trio. Before leading his Trio, Bern performed and recorded with Ornette Coleman from 1975 to 1987 as an original member of the Prime Time Band. The Prime Time Band recorded six albums including Dancing in Your Head, Of Human Feelings and Body Meta and performed hundreds of concerts around the world. The Bern Nix Trios first recording, Alarms and Excursions (New World Records) was released in 1993, making many top ten critics lists. Bern has performed with artists such as, Ornette Coleman, John Zorn, Marc Ribot, Elliott Sharp, Jemeel Moondoc, Ronald Shannon Jackson, James Chance, Jayne Cortez and Kip Hanrahan. Hailed as one of the greatest jazz guitarists of our time, Bern was voted among the top ten jazz guitarists poll by Down Beat magazine. Most recently, Bern composed and recorded the score for the feature length documentary, A James Lord Portrait. Bern has a solo album coming out this fall on Tompkins Square Records.
Julius Hemphill: Wildflowers 4: The New York Loft Sessions , Pensive Douglas 1977
Ornette Coleman: Body Meta , Artists House 1978
Jayne Cortez & The Firespitters: Unsubmissive Blues. Bola Press 10/1 1979
Ronald Shannon Jackson: Eye On You ,About Time Records1980
James Chance and the Contortions: Live In New York Danceteria 1980-1981.
Kip Hanrahan:Coup De Tete American Clavé 1981
Jayne Cortez and The Firespitters: There It Is. Bola Press. 7/22/1982.
Jayne Cortez: Life Is A Killer I See Chano Pozo Giorno Poetry Systems 1982
Ornette Coleman:Of Human Feelings Antilles 1982
Jemeel Moondoc: Nostalgia In Times Square Soul Note 1986.
Ornette Coleman: In All Languages. Caravan of Dreams. 1987.
Ornette Coleman: Virgin Beauty: 1988.
Ornette Coleman: Jazzbühne Berlin '88 Vol. 5 Repertoire Records. 1990.
Jayne Cortez-Everywhere Drums Bola Press 9001 USA
CD NYC, Sound Ideas Studios 6/21/90 Sovietskoe Foto: Sex, SPV Recordings 1992
Bern Nix Trio: Alarms and Excursions: New World Recordings 1993.
Jayne Cortez and the Firespitters-Cheerful & Optimistic Bola Press 9401 USA CD NYC, Polarity 2/22/94 3/14/94
Jayne Cortez and the Firespitters-Taking the Blues Back Home Harmolodic 314 531 918 USA CD Harlem, NY, Harmolodic Studios 1996
Jemeel Moondoc & Jus Grew Orchestra: Spirit House, Eremite Records 2000.
Jayne Cortez-Borders of Disorderly Time Bola Press 2003 USA CD NYC, Harmolodic Studios 5/26/2002 7/29/2002 8/23/2002
Frank Lowe Quartet Lowe-down & Blue CIMP 275 USA CD Rossie, NY, The Spirit Room 9/16/2002
Jemeel Moondoc & Jus Grew Orchestra: Live at the Vision Festival. Ayler Records. 2003
Bern Nix: Imaginational Anthem Low Barometer 2005. Tompkins Square Records.
Disclaimer: All About Jazz is not responsible for the accuracy of the discographical data at the website(s) provided. If a link is no longer valid, please contact discography@allaboutjazz.com. Thank you.
