Adam Berenson '97’s Double CD Release on NEOS Music Marks Major Milestone

Classically-influenced jazz pianist and composer Adam Berenson '97 released a double CD through NEOS Music, one of only four major labels dedicated solely to avant-garde contemporary classical music. The first CD features Everything that no one ever saw, a 50-minute piano concerto for acoustic piano and synthesizers, entirely improvised. The second CD includes two string quartets performed by the QRTT Quartet, presenting a “composer/performer portrait” of Berenson’s musical range.

The album’s booklet includes an essay by Princeton professor Stanley Corngold, linking Berenson’s aesthetic to that of Kafka, as well as two essays by Berenson himself. The 31-page booklet, printed in English and German, features score excerpts and photographs.

While Berenson has recorded approximately 60 albums for his Dream Play label, this NEOS release marks his first on a major label. A fascinating backstory accompanies the album’s creation, detailed in his essay The Dickensian Tale of Berenson & Lushbaugh, about his collaboration with recording engineer Steve Lushbaugh. Additionally, Berenson’s jazz album What is this place? received 3.5 stars from All About Jazz.

Described by David Dubal as a “true polyartist,” Berenson’s music draws from a broad spectrum of influences, including Beat Furrer, Helmut Lachenmann, Gyorgy Ligeti, Klaus Lang, Keith Jarrett, Paul Bley, Eberhard Weber, Gary Burton, and Ornette Coleman. Beyond music, Berenson’s interests extend to journalism, with past contributions to Pulse! Magazine and Philadelphia Weekly.