Touki : Tellem Dreams

 

An improvisational journey by Touki: 

Amadou Diagne - kora 

Cory Seznec - guitar 

Michael Ward-Bergeman - accordion, percussion 

Recorded live at Skipton Town Hall, March 27, 2025 

Video by Oscar Cainer 

touki.bandcamp.com

Let Me Call You Sweetheart

I woke up from a dream a few nights ago at 2:30am. I was in a room full of beat up pianos, running around them playing a multiple piano version of "Sweet Georgia Brown." I finished the last few bars as I ran and slid into place at the final piano like I was stealing second base. Uncle Lionel Batiste was sitting close by the last piano. We spoke and then I woke up. I couldn't go back to sleep. I found myself missing New Orleans more than usual, so I headed to the couch to watch some videos of my friends making New Orleans music.

My mother would always take me around to perform at nursing homes. (Thanks Mom!) I learned a lot of popular songs from the early 20th century this way. Eventually as my childhood ran into my young adulthood I found myself employed at a nursing home as an activities director. I spent my lunch hour at the piano playing all the hits for the residents waiting to be served their lunch.

A lot of them would sing along. There was one song in particular where just about everything would stop. It was so overpowering that for the last chorus I would stop playing and just listen to all these people singing this song. It really was something.

The song was "Let Me Call You Sweetheart"

When I arrived at Berklee in the mid-90s, I felt that a lot of those songs I learned were not really all too popular on campus. So I pivoted to the music of Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett, Jaki Byard, etc. But I never really forgot my experience at the nursing homes.

A decade or two after Berklee I found myself living in New Orleans. As I walked the streets I started to hear the music I had learned at the nursing homes all those years ago. It was played with a groove connected to the earth and the river. A profound language speaking to the people who came from all over the world to listen to this music being played by masters on the streets.

What gratitude I have for the musicians who brought this music back to me in such a surprising and beautiful way! What a marvel.

This is my dearly departed friend Rickey Paulin and our friends from Jackson Square performing "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" back in 2018 in Gainesville, FL.

The Jackson Square Allstars perform "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" by Leo Friedman and Beth Slater Whitson at Heartwood Soundstage, Gainesville, FL. March 3, 2018. From the 2020 documentary film "The Saints and Sinners of Jackson Square" 

Rickey Paulin - clarinet/vocals 

Dwayne Burns - trumpet 

Elliott "Stackman" Callier - saxophone 

Mark "Tuba" Smith - sousaphone 

Reginald Steward - trombone 

Malcolm Morris - bass drum, cymbal 

Dewon "Itchy" Scott - snare drum 

Paul Kemnitz - guitar 

Michael Ward-Bergeman - accordion 

Produced by Michael Ward-Bergeman ©2020 Bergeman Family Productions

Ritmo Machino Video Playlist

Videos in 4k resolution for each track on the debut Ritmo Machino release. Click the fwd arrow to move to the next video.  Seven videos, plus an alternative video for "Papel Picado." Click the gear icon to set the resolution to 4K.

Listen to the release by Ritmo Machino HERE on Apple Music and HERE on Spotify.

Featuring Cyro Baptista, Jamey Haddad, Michael Ward-Bergeman and Yulene Velásquez.

Ritmo Machino AI shorts (16x9)

Hootin' Annie

I had a blast laying down a bunch of accordion, vocal, and percussion tracks for this great tune by my old friend Dave Clark.

Ritmo Machino AI Stills

The Saints and Sinners of Jackson Square (clips playlist)

 

Heaven on Earth

I had the joy of recording and producing this beautiful song with my dear friend Dave Clark.  

A song for our times!

TRIAD live at SUMA RECORDING STUDIOS

La Lucha Dura, Je ne t'aime pas and Domingando

Dominick Farinacci | trumpet Christian Tamburr | vibraphone & marimba Michael Ward-Bergeman | accordion

With special guest Jamey Haddad l percussion

Produced by TRIAD

Recorded by Michael Seifert and David Alan Shaw at Suma Recording Mixed by Michael Seifert

New Orleans Jazz National Park Presents Panorama w/Guests

Pull Time Out of Its Hat

Talkin Blues Podcast

A conversation with Mako Funasaka for his "Talkin' Blues Podcast"

TRIAD - Debut Release 3/22/2024

 

Stop This Train

"Stop This Train" by TRIAD 

With special guests Jamey Haddad & Shenel Johns 

written by John Mayer 

© & Ⓟ Ropeadope LLC 

AI video directed by Michael Ward-Bergeman 

© Papiqueen Productions


Pre-save TRIAD album for streaming - out 3/22/2024 

https://bit.ly/48QEMv7 

Pre-order TRIAD album - out 3/22/2024 

https://bit.ly/49UxIyc 

Dominick Farinacci | trumpet 

Christian Tamburr | vibraphone & marimba 

Michael Ward-Bergeman | accordion 

Produced by TRIAD

TRIAD debut release on ROPEADOPE RECORDS

.  

I’m thrilled to join the Ropeadope record label as we release the debut album of TRIAD on March 22, 2024. With Christian Tamburr (vibraphone / marimba) and Dominick Farinacci (trumpet), the cinematic body of work on this album brings together originals alongside music from Astor Piazzolla, Kurt Weill, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, some New Orleans and blues influence, John Mayer and others. Special guests include Jamey Haddad (percussion) & Shenel Johns (vocal). We invite you to pre-order and/or streaming pre-save for streaming at the below links!
Pre-save TRIAD album for streaming - out 3/22/2024
https://bit.ly/48QEMv7
Pre-order TRIAD album - out 3/22/2024
https://bit.ly/49UxIyc
Dominick Farinacci | trumpet
Christian Tamburr | vibraphone & marimba
Michael Ward-Bergeman | accordion
Produced by TRIAD
With special guests Jamey Haddad & Shenel Johns
Executive Producers: Richard Marks and Amy Haines
Associate Producers: Marty and Al Sikes
Recorded by Michael Seifert and David Alan Shaw at Suma Recording
Mixed by Michael Seifert
Mastered by David Alan Shaw
Art direction: Christopher Kornmann | Spit + Image
Triad photo credit: Matt Baker
DF photo credit: John Abbott

Que Sera Sera - Chandrika Tandon

Que Sera Sera · Chandrika Tandon · Michael Ward-Bergeman · Romero Lubambo

Children of the Stars - Chandrika Tandon

Children of the Stars · Chandrika Tandon · Michael Ward-Bergeman · Romero Lubambo · Cyro Baptista · Jamey Haddad

Industry Tactics with Friendly Rich

Industry Tactics with Friendly Rich · EP. 147 - Michael Ward-Bergeman

Buchbinder, Rubin, Bergeman

A playlist of performances by Buchbinder, Rubin, Bergeman from KlezKanada's 2021 Summer Retreat.

London Revisited

Dominick Farinacci, trumpet
Shenel Johns, vocal
Christian Tamburr, vibraphone and marimba
Michael Ward-Bergeman, accordion