Mike Stern
b. 10 January 1953, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. While always a rock-orientated electric guitarist, Stern's forays into contemporary jazz have never lacked edge or excitement. A student of Pat Metheny while at Berklee College Of Music, his first break came in 1976, when he joined Blood, Sweat And Tears. He worked with seminal fusion drummer Billy Cobham towards the end of the 70s, before being hired by legendary trumpeter Miles Davis. Following Davis' band, Stern worked with bass virtuoso Jaco Pastorius' Word Of Mouth, and began touring and recording as a leader in the early 80s. Some of his most exciting work has been with extraordinary tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker, in Brecker's own band or with the fast-fingered fusion group Steps Ahead. Recommended recordings include Time In Place (1988), which features some of the New York fusion/studio virtuosi with whom Stern has become associated, including Brecker and Bob Berg on tenor saxophones, keyboard player Don Grolnick, fusion drummer Peter Erskine and sought-after percussionist Don Alias. Stern also played some subtle guitar on Michael Brecker's Don't Try This At Home, as part of a line-up that included pianist Herbie Hancock, drummer Jack DeJohnette and bass player Charlie Haden. His own 2001 session Voices was a further progression, utilizing elements of African music with vocal sections by Elisabeth Kontomanou and some evocative bass playing from the extraordinary Richard Bona.
Listen to Mike Stern
at Finetune.
Albums
- (2005) Time In Place
- (2001) Voices
- (1999) Play
- (1999) Play
- (1997) Give And Take
- (1996) Between The Lines
- (1996) Between The Lines
- (1994) Is What It Is
- (1994) Is What It Is
- (1992) Standards
- (1992) Odds Or Evens
- (1992) Odds Or Evens
Top Tracks
- Mood Swings
- Common Ground
- Giant Steps
- Chromazone
- Odds Or Evens
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