"As a band leader, Lugerner has released multiple albums to critical acclaim - Narratives (2010) These Are The Words (2010) & Live at The Bunker (2012). His compositions have been described as "a textured, nearly seamless blend of composition and improvisation" by Francis Davis of The Village Voice - while the New York Times calls him "an impeccably trained multi-reedist, with an emphasis on 'multi' - he plays clarinet, bass clarinet, oboe, English horn and flutes, along with saxophones..."

While in New York City, Lugerner has fostered contacts, study and collaboration with such artists as: Grammy nominated pianist Fred Hersch; percussionist Matt Wilson, trumpeter Ralph Alessi; pianist Jason Moran; saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom; composer Jamie Baum & percussionist/composer John Hollenbeck. In San Francisco, Lugerner maintains active ties with pianist Myra Melford, trumpeter Darren Johnston & the rest of the Bay Area creative music scene.

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Steven Lugerner is the product of a multicultural, artistically nurturing family. In his youth, Lugerner performed on clarinet, oboe & saxophone with college orchestras & professional pit orchestras while simultaneously organizing and performing local jazz performances. In 2006, Lugerner moved to New York City to attend The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music where he graduated with honors four years later. Since relocating to Brooklyn, NY in 2010, Lugerner has maintained an active schedule recording & performing throughout the country with ensembles under his own name as well as being a touring member of experimental-pop group In One Wind, jazz-trio-collective CHIVES & post-core quartet killerBOB."-Steven Lugerner website

"Multi-reed player Steven Lugerner's debut recording was actually an impressive 2-CD set, one disk featuring pianist Myra Melford, trumpeter Darren Johnston and drummer Matt Wilson - the music Lugerner created for this chamber quartet was inspired by his study of the 5 Books of Moses, the Torah. Lugerner creates his music using the system of gematria in which the composer assigned used the number assigned to each Hebrew letter to the chords or the time signature or the duration of each note."

For Have We Heard (Primary Records) uses the same system as the previous CD and the same ensemble but this time the pieces are shorter (10 songs in under 33 minutes). The title comes from the Book of Joshua, Chapter 2, Verse 10. The avid listener probably does not need to know all that while the curious one will look for herself. What is impressive is the conversational quality of the music and the excellent interaction. Both Ms. Melford and Mr. Wilson can and do play anything in front of them while Mr Johnston's crisp tone is a fine foil for the different reeds the composer plays throughout. Johnston has a touch of Lester Bowie in him which one hears in his short, clarion-blast, solo on "When a Long Blast Is Sounded", a piece that the drummer displays a forceful style. Wilson leads the way on"Drove Out Before Us" - he has the "vocal" part on the first half of the piece. Lugerner carries the low line on the bass clarinet, adding reed splashes as the song fades. The driving rhythms push "Be Strong and Resolute" until Ms. Melford's rumbling piano slows down the song until Lugerner's soprano carries the melody. Utilizing numerous overdubs, Lugerner creates a woodwind choir on "Before Our Very Eyes" playing the melody in tandem with Wilson's splendid cymbal work. The melody line on "All Those Kings" has elements of "Nobody Knows the Trouble I Have Seen" but soon the piece moves into a tenor saxophone solo over Wilson's marching drums. Johnston's counterpoint weaves in and around the saxophone. When the piano enters (3 minutes into the performance, Ms. Melford starts playing the bass line before opening up for a just a short while. The stately melody and drumming have the feel of a song from the Civil War."

"Though the pieces are fairly short (2 of the 10 tracks barely break the 5 minute mark and 3 are under 1:45), the music is fully realized. There are several occasions in which Steven Lugerner using studio effects on the reeds or trumpet to create a drone. For Have We Heard has no allegiance to any one style of creative music but the program remains true to its composer's unique vision. Take the time to wend your way through the songs - the reward is in the impressive architecture of the performances." - Richard B. Kamins of STEP TEMPEST

"The term "concept album" has been used in connection with rock more than it has been used in connection with jazz, and yet, jazz has also given us some classic concept albums over the years. While rock had Pink Floyd's The Wall, Elton John's Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road, the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Yes' Tales from Topographic Oceans, jazz gave us such essential concept albums as John Coltrane's A Love Supreme, Charles Mingus' The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady and Return to Forever's Romantic Warrior. So concept albums have, in fact, been a valuable part of jazz for a long time. And with For We Have Heard, reedman Steven Lugerner offers a jazz concept album with a Jewish theme."

"For We Have Heard contains post-bop and mildly avant-garde material that was inspired by events in the Book of Joshua, the sixth book in the Hebrew Bible. However, For We Have Heard doesn't depict those events with lyrics, but rather, with melodies, harmonies and improvisation (the album is totally instrumental). And Lugerner pieces like "Up from the Land," "Be Strong and Resolute," "When a Long Blast Is Sounded" and "All Those Kings" have a mystical quality and a highly spiritual feel. Listening to For We Have Heard, it isn't hard to believe that Lugerner was thinking about the Book of Joshua when he wrote these compositions; the CD's spirituality is evident. If a film director decided to make a movie based on events in the Book of Joshua and used For We Have Heard as the soundtrack, Lugerner's compositions would be right at home."

"Thankfully, Lugerner (who plays various saxophones, clarinets and flutes) oversees a team that understands where he is coming from musically and helps him bring those compositions to life. The New York City resident (who is originally from San Francisco) leads a cohesive acoustic quartet that includes Darren Johnston on trumpet, Myra Melford on acoustic piano and Matt Wilson on drums (no bass is used), and all of them are perfectly comfortable with the in- side/outside nature of the album. For We Have Heard, on the whole, is more inside than outside; many of the melodies are accessible post-bop melodies. But when the improvisers do venture outside, they aren't apologetic about it. The dissonance on "Our Children in Time" and "Through Whose Midst We Passed" (two of the disc's more abstract offerings) is dissonance that Lugerner and his colleagues seem to be enjoying a great deal. Melford obviously enjoys the Cecil Taylor-ish moves that she makes on "Our Children in Time." But even on the most free-form parts of the album, Lugerner and his sidemen play with a sense of purpose. For We Have Heard never sounds like the work of someone who is randomly throwing things against the wall and hoping that perhaps some of them might stick. Lugerner, Johnson, Melford and Wilson all sound focused and sound like they went into the studio with a sense of purpose. For We Have Heard is an ambitious, memorable and interesting concept album from Lugerner."-Alex Henderson, Jazz Inside