| Jazz |
Steve Berndt’s Heart Of Hearts is the kind of album that reveals itself gradually, rewarding patience while remaining immediately inviting. A singer and trombonist whose vocal presence recalls the relaxed sophistication of Michael Franks, Berndt operates in a musical space where understatement is never confused with simplicity. His voice, warm, unforced, and conversational, sits comfortably alongside the refined phrasing of today’s leading jazz vocalists, making this record an easy entry point for a broad audience of jazz listeners.
Yet Heart Of Hearts is not merely a vocal showcase. Berndt’s dual identity as both singer and trombonist gives the album a distinctly personal stamp. With the majority of the material written by Berndt himself, the project unfolds as a coherent artistic statement rather than a collection of stylistically pleasing tracks. What emerges is a carefully constructed musical world—one that proves far richer and more engaging than its surface-level ease might initially suggest.
There is, undeniably, a sense of nonchalance running through the album, echoing the legacy of Michael Franks: relaxed tempos, elegant melodies, and a lyrical intimacy that feels almost casual. But repeated listens reveal a second layer. Beneath the smooth exterior lie compositions and arrangements of notable complexity, marked by subtle harmonic shifts, thoughtful voicings, and rhythmic nuance. This is music designed to function on two levels: immediately accessible on first listen, and increasingly sophisticated as the ear begins to focus on the details.
Berndt’s musical background helps explain this balance between ease and craft. He began as a vocal soloist, performing in school music competitions in the Ottawa region during his childhood, before choosing the trombone as his primary instrument in high school. A pivotal moment came in 1976, when Chuck Mangione selected him to perform with the All-Star ensemble at the Canadian Stage Band Festival. That same summer, Berndt attended the Stan Kenton Creative World Clinic at York University in Toronto, an experience that emphasized discipline, ensemble awareness, and the architectural side of jazz arranging. These formative influences led him to the Humber College music program in Toronto, where he graduated in 1982, before returning to Ottawa in 1983 to join the swing-oriented group The Blue Current Preserve.
Rather than presenting these credentials as a résumé, Heart Of Hearts translates them into sound. The album occupies a space between jazz and smooth jazz, positioning itself as a mature work that feels timeless rather than nostalgic. It is music that could have existed decades ago, yet feels entirely comfortable in the present moment. Listeners familiar with Nils Landgren will recognize a similar philosophy at work: a commitment to groove, melody, and emotional clarity over virtuosity for its own sake. The comparison is useful not as marketing shorthand, but as a cultural contrast, Landgren’s Nordic sensibility giving way here to a distinctly North American musical language, shaped by swing, pop, and jazz traditions.
As a trombonist, Berndt is consistently impressive, but the album never forces a choice between voice and instrument. Like Landgren, he treats both as equal narrative tools. The vocals are carefully written and phrased, the instrumental lines purposeful rather than decorative. Melodies are cleanly structured, grooves remain steady and assured, and the overall pacing favors cohesion over dramatic peaks. If there is a limitation, it is a deliberate one: the album largely avoids extremes, opting instead for a mid-tempo elegance that prioritizes atmosphere and flow over risk-taking or radical experimentation.
Heart Of Hearts also carries the weight of circumstance. Delayed by a series of complications, including the pandemic, Berndt finally completed his first solo jazz album in the spring of 2024. He is joined by Steve Boudreau on piano, Ken Kanwisher on double bass, Michel Delage on drums, and an accomplished roster of musicians from Ottawa and Montreal. The record features nine original compositions alongside three jazz-inflected reinterpretations of 1970s pop songs, all unified by a polished, luxurious production that enhances the album’s warmth without sacrificing clarity.
This is not an album chasing trends or trying to redefine the genre. Instead, Heart Of Hearts feels like the work of an artist who understands precisely what he wants to say, and takes the time to say it well. For listeners who value strong songwriting, subtle arrangements, and refined production, Steve Berndt’s debut stands as a quiet but confident statement, built not for the moment, but for longevity.
Thierry De Clemensat
Member at Jazz Journalists Association
USA correspondent for Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief – Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, January 29th 2026
Follow PARIS-MOVE on X
::::::::::::::::::::::::
Musicians :
Steve Berndt, Voices, trombone
Fred Paci. trumpet
Ed Lister. trumpet
Brian Asselin. saxophone, tenor
Petr Cancura. saxophone
David Renaud. saxophone
Steve Boudreau. piano
Miguel de Armas. piano
Guest appearances from Miguel De Armas (piano), Petr Cancura (sax), Michel Brindis Maduro (percussion), Alex Moxon (guitar) and Don Cummings (organ).
Track Listing:
All Over Again
Heart of Hearts
The Moment
Plus Size Love
I Saw The Light
Hold Me Tight
Triplets a Go Go
Long Lost Love Affair
Baby I Love Your Way
Color My Worlds
Blue Skies On Mars
Recorded at Gigspace, Ottawa, Ontario
Producer: Steve Berndt
Session Engineer: Alex Mastronardi
Editing: Steve Berndt
Mix: Jason Jaknunas
Mastering: Philip Shaw Bova
Blue Skies On Mars:
Recorded at Teletune Studios, Ottawa, Ontario
Session Engineer: Ken Kanwisher
All arrangements by Steve Berndt