Warren Bernhardt - Solo Piano (1978)

                                                Arista Novus AN 3001

[Note: tracks were deleted from YouTube] This record was "stooped" (left out on the stoop for anyone to take, IOW, free) along with some Easy Listening & Classical records. It's in very good shape, still in the shrink wrap. The artist's name didn't jump out at me, but the song titles and the photo of the innards of his piano on the rear cover hinted at a musicality that wasn't New Age or Easy Listening, so I grabbed it. It turns out Bernhardt plays on three albums in my collection, including Art Farmer with Joe Henderson, Yama. 

The internet reveals that Bernhardt was mentored by Bill Evans, one of my (and everyone's) favorite pianists. This record is on the Novus label, which didn't ring a bell. Wikipedia (ugh!) says it "was an American jazz record label run by Steve Backer [who] worked at Impulse Records until 1974, when Clive Davis...asked him to oversee the jazz division at Arista." I searched my collection and saw that I'd picked up a copy of Hugh Masekela Uptownship (1989) on Novus in a dollar bin, but I gave it to a friend (you're welcome, M!).

According to discogs, this is Bernhardt's first solo record. It is Not on CD. Discogs listing here.