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Jazz Articles about Mike Stern
Miles Donahue: Just Passing Thru
by Jack Bowers
Miles Donahue is a versatile musician, a talent that serves him well on Just Passing Thru, an album wherein he not only plays soprano, alto and tenor saxophones, trumpet and keyboards but also wrote all but one of the session's nine selections. This is basically a quintet with guitarist Mike Stern added on the last three tracks, guitarist Sal Difusco and accordionist Joey Barbato on one each. Barbato is an especially welcome addition on the closer, “Ireland," a nod to ...
Continue ReadingEHA: Paris Rio New York
by Jim Worsley
French guitarist's Philippe Coignet's new ensemble recording is like that of a well-rooted tree with many powerful branches reaching out uniquely, but collectively connecting back to its inner core. EHA (pronounced as a long A-ha) is comprised of a five-part nucleus with several worldly guest stars. In addition to Coignet, the quintet features fellow Frenchman Damien Schmitt on drums, bassist Michel Alibo from Martinique, pianist Leandro Aconcha from Switzerland, and Brazilian saxophonist Cacau de Queiroz. Eleven distinctly original ...
Continue ReadingTom Kennedy: Stories
by Jim Worsley
It's commonplace that an artist will have a concept or theme in mind when starting a record project. To build from the ground up without any preconceptions could be a recipe for a disaster. However, if it didn't crash and burn and, in fact, went the other direction, the possibilities then become infinite. With no boundaries and nothing to be tethered to, the sky's the limit. Tom Kennedy boldly took that approach to his new record. He took flight with ...
Continue ReadingTeymur Phell: Master Volume
by Geno Thackara
This crackling debut from Teymur Phell is a hearty, eclectic and loud funk-fusion party. He sets the tone right away with “Zero to Sixty"--a title that's actually a bit misleading since it kicks off already at sixty mph—and shows that he knows his way around a bass, and also has plenty of use for one with six strings, thank you very much. This jaunt as leader follows years of live and session work; he has clearly taken a lot away ...
Continue ReadingMike Stern - Jeff Lorber Fusion: Eleven
by Jim Worsley
Eleven is a record co-led by fusion giants Mike Stern and Jeff Lorber. It features ten songs (Stern laughingly stated that he never was very good at math) which are a mix of originals and reworked vintage. Stern was also quoted as saying that he and Lorber are from “different orbits." One thing they do have in common is their highly melodic songwriting sensibilities. Having fun merging their sounds was the focus of this project. The other constant on the ...
Continue ReadingMike Stern: Different Orbits
by Jim Worsley
Having arrived in London from New York City to play two nights at legendary Ronnie Scott's with Dave Weckl, Tom Kennedy, and Randy Brecker, Mike Stern was understandably jet lagged. The revered guitarist and composer has no doubt become used to it. Traveling the world for many years now, the gifted artist can be found annually in Poland, Switzerland, Italy, China, Morocco, Japan, France, England, Sweden, Denmark, Canada, Germany, Czech Republic, and, well the list goes on. Darting in and ...
Continue ReadingMike Stern: Living through a Jazz Clinic
by Rob Wood
A mop of straight hair that swings unbidden to the beat. A face weathered and creased as an old fence post. Hands ribbed by dorsal veins knotting and splitting atop the flexor tendons like highway off-ramps. Eyes lit with a hazel fire. And a slightly goofy smile you might see in a dog very glad to see you. This is Mike Stern, guitar god. Yeah, a god in a pantheon that might include John Scofield, ...
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