Ed Berger recently retired from his position as Associate Director of the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University, although he continues work as Special Projects Consultant for the Institute. He is a graduate of Indiana University, holds an M.L.S. from Rutgers, and has written widely on jazz dis­cography and research methods. His publications include Benny Carter: A Life in American Music, Reminiscing in Tempo: The Life and Times of a Jazz Hustler (a biodiscography of record producer Teddy Reig), Bassically Speaking: An Oral History of George Duvivier, and Softly, With Feeling: Joe Wilder and the Breaking of Barriers in American Music (April 2014). He is a contributing writer and photographer to Jazz Times and co-editor of the Journal of Jazz Studies. As photographer, Berger’s works have appeared in a wide range of jazz and general publications, as well as on many album covers.
As a record producer, Berger’s projects include two Grammy-winning releases. He has also programmed and annotated historical reissue recordings for Time-Life Records, the Franklin Mint, the Smithsonian, Verve, and Blue Note. Berger enjoyed a long association with multi-instrumentalist, arranger/composer Benny Carter, serving as Carter’s road manager for nearly two decades, as well as producing most of Carter’s later recordings. He has taught jazz history at Rutgers and several courses at Lincoln Center’s Swing University.