Steve Bernstein’s Millenial Territory Orchestra

Steven Bernstein is a New York-based trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader whose expansive career spans jazz, blues, rock, soul, and experimental music. A former member of the Lounge Lizards and Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble Band, Bernstein has collaborated with artists including Lou Reed, Allen Toussaint, Marianne Faithfull, Linda Ronstadt, Rufus Wainwright, Bill Frisell, and Laurie Anderson. He is best known as the leader of Sexmob and the Millennial Territory Orchestra (MTO), a large ensemble that brings his distinctive arrangements and adventurous spirit to music from across the American musical tradition. MTO has released acclaimed projects including MTO Plays Sly, a tribute to Sly & The Family Stone featuring Bernie Worrell and vocalists including Martha Wainwright and Antony Hegarty. Bernstein’s work with MTO reflects his signature approach to the orchestra: bringing together musicians from different backgrounds to reinterpret everything from jazz standards and early swing to funk, soul, rock, and contemporary music with energy, humor, and a deep respect for the source material.