Mike Stern: Standards (& Other Songs) (1992)

Guitarist Mike Stern, best-known for playing rock-oriented fusion and in more commercial settings, surprised many listeners by recording an album dominated by standards. Actually, there are three originals included among the 11 pieces, but Stern also digs into such songs as "Like Someone in Love," "Moment's Notice," Chick Corea's "Windows," and "Straight No Chaser." Among Stern's sidemen on this fairly straight-ahead but adventurous set are trumpeter Randy Brecker, Bob Berg on tenor, and keyboardist Gil Goldstein. This little-known release is well-worth acquiring.

Tracklist

1. Like someone in love (6:40)

2. Source (1:48)
3. There is no greater love (9:13)
4. L Bird (5:48)
5. Moment's notice (4:41)
6. Lost time (6:46)
7. Windows (6:28)
8. Straight to chaser (5:26)
9. Peace (5:17)
10. Jean Pierre (1:44)
11. Nardis (7:38)
Standards (& Other Songs)
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Mike Stern: Play (1999)

Mike Stern is a preeminent guitarist for two key reasons: One, he can play all styles very well and with equal command; and two, he plays very well with all other players. He always shows great respect for those with whom he is playing and gives them each the time and space to develop their musical ideas. Stern displays these two qualities in abundance on Play. Several notable guests join Stern and his core band for this release. Guitarists John Scofield and Bill Frisell and drummer Dennis Chambers each team with Stern on several tracks. If you enjoy straight-ahead jazz, listen to Stern and Scofield on the title track, or mix in Bob Malach's tenor sax on "Outta Town." If you like your guitar music slightly more spacious and lyrical, try Stern and Frisell on the hypnotic "Blue Tone" or the pensive "All Heart." Finally, if you want to turn up the heat and move into some rock/funk-influenced fusion, then check out the groovy "Tipatina's," the bold rocker "Link," or the intensely funky "Big Kids." It is no surprise, based on his other work, that Chambers, in particular, gives the band a kick in the musical pants inspiring bassist Lincoln Goines to enjoy the ride. Play is an outstanding guitar album from the highly accomplished and incredibly versatile Mike Stern. It is highly recommended.

Tracklist
1. Play (7:13)
2. Small World (5:24)
3. Outta Town (6:08)
4. Blue Tone (6:43)
5. Tipatina's (6:33)
6. All Heart (6:22)
7. Frizz (5:39)
8. Link (6:52)
9. Goin' Under (4:07)
10. Big Kids (7:27)
Play
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Yiorgos Fakanas: Domino (2007)

The name of Yiorgos Fakanas has been flying around the bass community since an article in which Anthony Jackson named him as one of his favorite bassists. After receiving this CD I can attest (like you needed ME too after that) that, yes, Yiorgos is a stunning player! It always astounds me how much talent there is in the world that we are yet to be made aware of in the US. You would do well to check Yiorgos out!

There are certainly some familiar names on this CD. Dave Weckl and Mike Stern as well as Bob Franceschini, for example. Although, as you might expect from the lineup, the music sounds very much like the Dave Weckl band with a Greek influence. That said, it is perfectly recorded, musically stimulating, the playing is of an astounding caliber all around and this is some of the best groove-fusion music I've heard in quite some time. Yiorgos' playing is stunning. You can bet I, for one, will be transcribing some of his lines and solos (as I suggest you all do!).

Bottom line:

If you're not a fan of the Mike Stern band or Dave Weckl band, this is probably not your thing, but if you're like me and love the way these guys play and love to transcribe some stellar grooves, you absolutely can't go wrong here. In this style, it just doesn't get better than this!--Bass Musician Magazine

Tracklist:

01. Narkissos
02. Rootbraker
03. Freedom Jazz Dance
04. Domino
05. Hawk
06. Passion Groove
07. Bitter Sweet
08. Osaka Express
Domino
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Lee Ritenour: 6 String Theory (2010)

It’s hard to believe that 2010 marks 50 years since Lee Ritenour starting playing the guitar, setting in motion a career that legends are made of. A career that has earned him 19 GRAMMY® nominations, a GRAMMY Award, numerous #1 spots on guitar polls, A Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian SJ Awards, and the prestigious “Alumnus of the Year” award from USC. During his illustrious career, he has recorded over 40 albums, with 35 chart songs and was a founding member of the group Fourplay, considered the most successful group in contemporary jazz. As a young guitarist his diverse musical style became the foundation of over 3,000 sessions, covering a broad spectrum of artists ranging from his first session at 16 with the Mamas and Papas, to Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Simon & Garfunkel and Frank Sinatra. On his latest endeavor, 6 String Theory, Ritenour celebrates the instrument that has allowed him this blessing, the guitar; -by producing and assembling a star-studded tribute with the greatest and soon- to- be greatest guitarists of our time.

For 6 String Theory, Ritenour is also among the twenty legendary world class guitarists starring on the recording, which he produced along with John Burk of the Concord Music Group. Joining him in this tribute to the guitar, the all-star line-up includes: George Benson, BB King, Slash, Steve Lukather, John Scofield, Robert Cray and Vince Gill among many other superstars. Blending rock, blues, jazz, acoustic, country and classical, they come together for a seamless project that promises to take the listener on a musical journey and exploration of the guitar. Also featured on vocals are BB King, Robert Cray, Vince Gill, Keb’ Mo’, Taj Majal, Joe Bonamassa and Jonny Lang.

Blending together styles, ages and musical colors, Lee Ritenour’s 6 String Theory promises to be one of the greatest guitar recordings ever made!

Tracklist:

01. Lay It Down (Ft. John Scofield) 5:58

02. Am I Wrong (Ft. Keb' Mo' And Taj Mahal) 4:07
03. L.P. (For Les Paul) (Ft. Pat Martino, And Joey DeFrancesco) 4:50
04. Give Me One Reason (Ft. Joe Bonamassa And Robert Cray) 5:14
05. "68" (Ft. Steve Lukather, Neal Schon, And Slash) 4:58
06. In Your Dreams (Ft. Steve Lukather, And Neal Schon) 5:57
07. My One and Only Love (Ft. George Benson) 1:44
08. Moon River (Ft. George Benson And Joey DeFrancesco) 4:57
09. Why I Sing the Blues (Ft. B.B. King, Vince Gill, Keb' Mo', Johnny Lan) 6:34
10. Daddy Longlicks (Ft. Joe Robinson) 1:54
11. Shape of My Heart (Ft. Steve Lukather, And Andy McKee) 4:48
12. Drifting (Ft. Andy McKee) 3:40
13. Freeway Jam (Ft. Mike Stern, Tomoyasu Hotei,) 4:56
14. Fives (Ft. Guthrie Govan And Tal Wilkenfeld) 4:33
15. Caprices, Op. 20, No. 2 and 7 (Ft. Shon Boublil) 3:30
6 String Theory
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Chris Minh Doky: The Nomad Diaries (2006)

Chris Minh Doky is one of the most exciting and most talented bassists in the world today and he has a strong following in the European jazz/electronica scene.

Inspired by the life of a traveling musician and conceived as a series of short stories, renowned Danish bassist Chris Minh Doky's new Blue Note album "The Nomad Diaries" marries his trademark melodic jazz with contemporary electronica, drawing on Doky's work as a producer and his love of artists such as Bjork, Nils Petter Molvaer and Ryuichi Sakamoto. Framed by glitchy electronics and ambient soundscapes Doky's beautiful melodic bass playing and improvisations draw heavily on European jazz. The appearance of US heavyweights such as Mike Stern and Randy and Michael Brecker (with one of his last studio recordings just prior to his death) make The Nomad Diaries a true trans-Atlantic jazz album and one of the years most exciting releases.

Tracklist:
01. September (for Tanja) (06:33)
02. Last Call (05:03)
03. If I Run (04:50)
04. Blog : Tracking (M.Krog) (00:35)
05. Satellite (05:26)
06. Blog : Frida + Milo (01:25)
07. The Scanner (04:50)
08. Blog : Rise + Shine (01:43)
09. Life in The Mirror (G.Whity) (06:03)
10. Where R U? (04:38)
11. I Skovens Dybe Stille Ro (04:46)
12. Blog : Noon - bonus track (01:14)
13. Teen Town - bonus track (J.Pastorius) (04:59)
14. Blog : Display - bonus track (00:35)
Personnel:
CHRIS MINH DOKY- bass, keyboards, piano, voice
RUICHI SAKAMOTO (1), KASPER WILLAUME- piano (5,11)
JACOB CHRISTOFFERSEN- piano (2)
GEORGE WHITY- keyboards
MIKE STERN- guitar solo (2), phone message (10)
OZ NOY- guitar and sound vibes (2,10)
MICHAEL BRECKER- tenor sax (10), EWI (3)
'KO' PERRY- vocals
RANDY BRECKER- trumpet (7)
MADS B.B. KROG- electro programming
Nomad Diaries at Amazon
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Mike Stern: Time in Place (1988)

Guitarist Mike Stern's music has often been a little difficult to classify, featuring strong improvisations, the sound and power of rock, and elements of funk, R&B and sometimes pop. For his second recording as a leader, Stern is joined by either Bob Berg or Michael Brecker on tenor, keyboardist Jim Beard, electric bassist Jeff Andrews, drummer Peter Erskine and percussionist Don Alias; Don Grolnick sits in on organ during "No Notice." The music (seven Stern originals) ranges from the rhythmic to the more sophisticated and features plenty of the leader's high-powered guitar.
Tracklist:
1. Gossip
2. Time in Place
3. Before You Go
4. No Notice
5. After All
6. Four Shades
7. Chromazone
Time in Place

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Yellowjackets: Lifecycle (2008)

"Lifecycle" is, in some respects, two albums in one. Seven of the ten tracks are quintet pieces featuring guitarist Mike Stern and the Jackets, while the remaining three are quartet pieces that showcase the individual and collective talents of the current Yellowjackets lineup: keyboardist Russell Ferrante, saxophonist Bob Mintzer, bassist Jimmy Haslip and drummer Marcus Baylor. Whatever the combinations and permutations, it's all good. Mintzer contributes three tracks: the energetic opener, "Falken's Maze," the rhythmically complex "Yahoo," and the easygoing "I Wonder."

Buy at Amazon.com

Lifecycle (RS) / Lifecycle (DF) @ 320K

Jay-Tee Teterissa: Jay-Tee (1999)

Bass player Jay-Tee Teterissa was born in the Netherlands and started his career in Candy Dulfer`s first Band "Funky Stuff". Jay-Tee Teterissa has performed with Mike Stern, Candy Dulfer, Jazzsick, and is featured on Bass Talk 5. This funk/fusion project features bass greats Alain Caron, and Darryl C. Anders playing with Jay-Tee on a few tracks. Jay-Tee Teterissa, 4, 5 string bass; Alain Caron, Darryl C. Anders, bass; Mike Stern, Martin Van Iterson, Jaco Abel, guitar; Jerome Van Iterson, Reyn Ouwehand, Stanislav Mitrovic, keys; Candy Dulfer, David Belmare, sax; David Garibaldi, Marcello Latupeirissa, Rolf Bremer, drums.
Jay-Tee (RS) / Jay-Tee (DF) / Jay-Tee (HF)

Mike Stern: Big Neighborhood (2009)

Mike Stern's music has always come from a colorful and diverse part of town - a place where numerous artistic styles converge to create a fresh sound that's rooted in jazz but refuses to adhere to rigid borders. Since his earliest recordings, this former bandmate of Miles Davis, Jaco Pastorius, Billy Cobham and other high-profile innovators has grafted elements of rock, blues, soul and more to his solid jazz foundations. On Stern's street, anybody who brings a sense of energy, eclecticism and passion to the craft of music is welcome to play.

Stern invites fans and newcomers alike into his rich and diverse little corner of the world with the release of Big Neighborhood. Aiding Stern in this latest chapter of his never-ending quest for the new and better groove is a long list of talented guests: guitarists Steve Vai and Eric Johnson; bassist-vocalists Esperanza Spalding and Richard Bona; jamband godfathers Medeski Martin & Wood; drummers Dave Weckl, Terri Lyne Carrington, Cindy Blackman and Lionel Cordew; bassists Chris Minh Doky and Lincoln Goines, and several others.

With a crew this large and diverse, the idea of the album title should be pretty clear, says Stern. "Music is like a big neighborhood - a place where anything and everything can happen," he explains. "You can find all kinds of things in a big neighborhood - all kinds of different people, all kinds of different ideas and perspectives, and of course, all kinds of different sounds."

Mike Stern's Big Neighborhood is an open community where everyone is welcome. Everyone has something worthwhile to say, and everyone is given plenty of room to say it. "The thing that really gets me going is listening to all these very different artists on this record interpret my songs," says Stern. "In the end, everything is unified by the mere fact that there's a lot of spirit and a lot of fun in the music. That's really the common thread. There's just that vibe that emerges when good musicians play their hearts out. Nothing else really matters as far as I'm concerned...I think anyone who likes any of these artists will really dig what they did on this record."

Buy at Amazon.com
Big Neighborhood (RS) / Big Neignborhood (MU)

Bob Berg: Short Stories (1987)

Bob Berg's third release as a leader (released on a Japanese Denon CD) was his first fairly commercial date. Doubling on tenor and soprano but not sounding too distinctive on either, Berg performs eight funky group originals with a sextet also including keyboardist Don Grolnick, guitarist Mike Stern, bassist Will Lee, drummer Peter Erskine and Robby Kilgore on additional keyboards; altoist David Sanborn drops by to add some heat to "Kalimba." The R&B-ish music is very much of the period and sounds a bit dated now, but has its moments of interest due to the high musicianship of the players.

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Arturo Sandoval: Swingin' (1996) mp3 @ 320K

It seems remarkable that Arturo Sandoval never seems to win any jazz polls, for few trumpeters can come close to equaling his technique, jazz chops, and warm sound. On this advanced hard bop date, the music is strictly straight-ahead without any Latin rhythms. Sandoval matches wits quite successfully with clarinetist Eddie Daniels on two songs, tenor great Michael Brecker on three (including a memorable rendition of "Moment's Notice"), and veteran flügelhornist Clark Terry on a joyous "Mack the Knife." In addition, Sandoval pays tribute to Woody Shaw, John Coltrane, and Dizzy Gillespie. Other highlights include the moody "Streets of Desire" (on which Sandoval plays piano), the racehorse tempo of "Real McBop" (which has an impossible but impeccably played melody chorus), and Sandoval's humorous use of the plunger mute on "It Never Gets Old." All in all, this is one of Arturo Sandoval's finest recordings to date.

Mike Stern - 4 Generation Of Miles (2002)

Of the four musicians presented here, saxophonist George Coleman is the least represented on record with the great Miles Davis. But he's swinging here like he wants to play catch-up on this straight-ahead set recorded in a studio with an audience. The concept is as sound as the music, but don't expect any fusion-like explosions from guitarist Mike Stern, who joined Miles in the early '80s. The guitarist doesn't sacrifice the essence of his "dirty" sound; it's just that he's much more in the tradition than he ever was during his tenure with Miles. Stern and bassist Ron Carter do reach back into Miles's In a Silent Way prefusion era on a haunting version of "Blue in Green," circling and darting around the slow meter while Coleman rains down a Coltrane-like sheet of sound. Jimmy Cobb, one of the trumpeter's more subtle drummers, continuously makes sure his voice is heard throughout this nine-song set without ever getting in the way, just as he did with Miles in the late '50s and early '60s. This is really Coleman's record though, with Stern delivering some excellent solos, particularly on Carter's "81." This obviously heartfelt tribute finds the quartet completely on their game, and with Coleman's tasteful, underrated saxophone style leading the way.
Personnel:George Coleman, tenor sax Mike Stern, guitar Ron Carter, bass Jimmy Cobb, drums
Tracks: 01 There Is No Greater Love [Jones, Symes] (9:02) 02 All Blues [Davis] (7:03) 03 On Green Dolphin Street [Kaper, Washington] (7:20) 04 Blue in Green [Davis, Kaper, Washington] (7:28 ) 05 81 [Carter, Davis] (6:30) 06 Freddie Freeloader [Davis] (6:34) 07 My Funny Valentine [Hart, Rodgers] (10:01) 08 If I Were a Bell [Loesser] (8:02) 09 Oleo [Rollins] (5:02)