Jeff Berlin


Jeffrey Arthur Berlin is an American jazz fusion bassist. He came to prominence in the 1970s as a member of the band Bruford led by drummer Bill Bruford.

Musical career

Berlin was born in Queens, New York, on January 17, 1953. He studied violin for ten years until he was 14, when he was inspired to play bass after seeing the Beatles. He then attended Berklee College of Music to study bass.
He first came to international attention in 1977 when he was handpicked by British musician Bill Bruford for his debut album Feels Good to Me. A bandmate here was guitarist Allan Holdsworth who employed Berlin for his 1983 Warner Brothers album: Road Games.
On August 30, 2013, Berlin married Gabriela Sinagra, a jazz singer and vocal coach from Rosario, Argentina.

Style and appreciation

In a review for his album Low Standards, Bass Musician Magazine said, "Anytime I mention , there seems to be a ripple in the force and the wave of Berlin supporters or antagonists come to the surface and spout-off their opinions. No matter where you stand regarding Jeff's musical philosophy, no one can reasonably deny the simple fact that Jeff seriously knows his craft and is one of the major players of our time."
Berlin's playing style has been compared to that of Jaco Pastorius; however, Berlin has repeatedly stated his distaste for Jaco imitators.

Discography