Jazz Articles about Mike Stern

Mike Stern: Who Let the Cats Out?

by Woodrow Wilkins
October 14, 2006

Mike Stern has outdone himself with Who Let the Cats Out?, the award-winning, three-time Grammy-nominated guitarist's thirteenth release as a leader. This collection of jazz, rock, blues and funk styles is comprised of eleven original songs. The title is both a playful tribute to Stern's wife, who loves cats, and the free expression displayed in the music. Born in Boston and reared in Washington, DC, Stern began his career as a guitarist with Blood, Sweat & Tears. ...

Mike Stern: Who Let the Cats Out?

by John Kelman
August 16, 2006

Guitarist Mike Stern has to be one of the hardest working musicians in jazz. When he's not out on the road, which is often the case, he's working on new ideas at weekly gigs at the 55 Bar in New York City. And when he's doing neither of those things, the eternal student is transcribing solos by Michael Brecker and studying theory with Charlie Banacos. While you can draw a line of logical development through Stern's discography as a leader, ...

Mike Stern: Who Let the Cats Out?

by Jim Santella
August 13, 2006

Contemporary jazz gets hot when Mike Stern enters the room. His sessions are filled with adrenaline and made to last. This program of original compositions features an all-star crew of contemporary artists who provide the guitarist with a colorful palette. Excitement flows from every bar--and indeed every measure--of this exciting music.

Tumble Home features Bob Franceschini on tenor in a powerful, sizzling romp with Stern's guitar. “KT follows with a muted Roy Hargrove trumpet in a smoother affair ...

Sometimes I Hear You: Mike Stern

by AAJ Staff
April 15, 2006

Mike Stern The Jazz Cafe London UK April 3, 2006

Sometimes the muse comes in with the performers, sometimes she doesn't. You can hear her absence instantly in a blindfold test; she steals in like your favorite perfume when she graces you with her presence. So it was with Mike Stern at the Jazz Café in Camden Town, a hip part of London where the Goths hang out waiting for sunrise. The jazzers know where to look for the muse; ...

Mike Stern: About The Music

by Jack Gold-Molina
September 23, 2004

Mike Stern's career in music began in the 1970s with Blood, Sweat, and Tears and took off with Miles Davis in the early eighties -- presently spanning 10 releases as a headliner on Atlantic Records. His latest release, Voices (Atlantic, 2001) features Stern on guitar and wordless vocals in an all-out jazz jam session. Stern came to Seattle on December 12, 2002 when he played a concert at About The Music. It was then that AAJ Seattle's Jack Gold caught ...

Mike Stern: Playing by Heart

by Mike Brannon
March 19, 2004

A little history: Mike Stern was the controversial guitarist that accompanied Miles Davis on Saturday Night Live in 1981 as he made his historic and unexpected return to the world stage and studio after a seven year hiatus; both taking critial heat for the music's rock edge. Miles' now famous directions to his new guitarist, “Turn it up, or turn it off" underscored his Hendrixian affinity and always forward thought. Stern was later called to join legendary bassist Jaco Pastorius ...

Mike Stern Band at Iridium

by Chris Thompson
January 31, 2004

Snow was coming down hard in midtown Manhattan on Tuesday night, January 27th -- one of those notorious Nor'easter's -- but that didn't deter my son Daniel and I from making our way to the Iridium Jazz Club (www.iridiumjazzclub.com) to catch the Mike Stern Band. Iridium is a comfortable but intimate venue just north of Times Square on Broadway. The club features great food and drinks, cozy lighting, excellent service and a top notch sound system.As he approached the ...