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ED BERNARD

Symphonic Prog • Canada


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Ed Bernard biography
Edward Bernard - Born in Toronto Canada

Ed Bernard is a multi-instrumentalist and composer born and raised in Toronto Canada. At age 14, Ed was featured performing solo guitar on the popular TV show,The New Music. Within a few years he was busy touring across North America with a variety of artists, playing to thousands of people.

Eventually tiring of the road, Ed started his own studio, ED ID Productions. Sessions and lessons were the order of the day as Ed honed his production chops, developing the skills that led to the first, self-titled Druckfarben album. The success of this record led to a live DVD entitled Artifact, produced and mixed by Ed in his studio. Artifact also garnered excellent reviews and showcased Druckfarben as a formidable live act.

Druckfarben followed up the first record with Second Sound in 2014. Ed once again handled the production duties, with many of the album's parts recorded in his studio. Second Sound showed a remarkable growth from the first record, and was eagerly received by fans and critics alike.

2015 saw the release of Transformation by the legendary Canadian prog band FM. The band consists of founding member Cameron Hawkins, drummer Paul DeLong, and violinist Aaron Solomon. Ed played violins, violas, mandolins and sang harmony vocals and is truly honoured to be involved in this project, with a band he has admired for so long. The album was mixed by legendary producer Terry Brown.

Bio taken from the artist's official website

See also:
- DRUCKFARBEN
- FM

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3.55 | 28 ratings
Polydactyl
2015

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ED BERNARD Reviews


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 Polydactyl by BERNARD, ED album cover Studio Album, 2015
3.55 | 28 ratings

BUY
Polydactyl
Ed Bernard Symphonic Prog

Review by Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars `Polydactyl' is the 2015 debut solo album from Canadian multi-instrumentalist Ed Bernard, known for his association with prog band Druckfarben and both their self-titled and `Second Sound' albums from a few years back. Hardly some meek little low-key singer-songwriter solo album deal, Ed delivers a gutsy and melodic prog/crossover rock album that offers just as much variety and energy as the discs from his band, with mostly vocal-driven pieces full of unexpected direction changes and plenty of dynamic instrumental passages (plus a few choice vocal-free pieces as well), and it also includes contributions from Druckfarben's vocalist Phil Naro, Canadian vintage proggers FM's Cameron Hawkins and others.

Considering he's mostly a one-man-band here, Ed successfully throws in everything from thrashing bass guitar spasms, zippy synth spiralling and wailing electric guitar fusion-flecked fire to the busy album opener `Symfoprogru', with a tough groove plied to the relentless back-and-forth time changes all in just over three minutes! `Derealization' sets a template that much of the rest of the disc follows, a strong melodic tune with busy and diverse heavy instrumental displays throughout, which sometimes reminds of everything from Spock's Beard, Yes' `Union' period (which is not a slight!) and even the busyness of the Liquid Tension Experiment. `Entitled' is a chugging rock tune with Matthew Sweet-like multi-tracked harmonies, and the up- tempo and lively `Eyes Everywhere' holds a strong tune with plenty of slow-burn guitar, purring bass and endless Mellotron bursts. `Running' is another compact epic that bristles with lively acoustic guitar, Mellotron wisps and a soothing inviting vocal with a rich collection of glorious harmonies before diverting into a tougher heavy sounds loaded with thick Hammond organ that almost resembles a lost Spock's Beard piece.

`Withywindle' is a shorter instrumental mostly based around mandolin, acoustic guitar and violin that in any ways serves the same purpose as those solo Steve Howe interlude tracks on so many Yes albums, and it comes to resemble a grand orchestration by its climax, and after a further dramatic and ominous orchestral-like introduction, `1000 Hates' proves to be a warm electric/acoustic rocker that tears through a frantic range of soloing. `The Quiet Race' moves between melancholy and grooving, and has both the above mentioned Naro and Hawkins guesting on backing vocals (with Cameron returning the favour after Ed performed as part of FM for their comeback work `Transformation' in 2015), with 90's onwards sleek King Crimson-esque shimmering guitars laced with unease, and `Bring It Home' is a joyful folky acoustic ballad with a strong melody and silken vocal that ends the album in a very uplifting and sweet manner.

Ed Bernard is a highly skilled musician who has released a very accomplished album here that he should be immensely proud of, one that is easily comparable to the recent Ted Leonard-fronted Spock's Beard albums, only with a slightly little more intimate production and much more busily eclectic, and he achieves a strong balance between enjoyable tunes and prog-rock show-boating (which is not a criticism, it's what we're all here for!). `Polydactyl' will certainly tide fans over until the next Druckfarben album arrives, and crossover-prog fans will likely find plenty to enjoy here as well.

Three and a half stars, rounded up to four.

 Polydactyl by BERNARD, ED album cover Studio Album, 2015
3.55 | 28 ratings

BUY
Polydactyl
Ed Bernard Symphonic Prog

Review by b_olariu
Prog Reviewer

3 stars 3.5 stars for sure

Ed Bernard, is a name that probably will not ring any bells when someone heared the name, but is one of the most talented multi instrumentalist in last almost a decade. Being member and founder of already well respected prog band Druckfarben, he released his first album in 2015 under his name. Polydactyl is the name of the release and from start to finish is a winner for sure. If he has to prove once more how great guitarist it is, then must check this one out, plus he has a pleasent voice. Also he has some guests here from famous canadian band FM, plus his mate from Druckfarmen Phil Naro on voice. The album beggining with strong instrumental piece named Symfoprogru, really awesome opning where Ed really shines. Derealization or Running are awesome aswell, like the rest of the pieces. A quite eclectic album, from symphonic parts, to little bit of jazzier moments , sometimes he doesn't get far away from Druckfarben sound, but all in all is more then ok release , that was a pleasent listning for me from first to last tune. 3.5 stars for sure, that is meaning good towards great in places. Worth to be investigated. A nice package aswell.

Thanks to southsideofthesky for the artist addition. and to Quinino for the last updates

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