- This event has passed.
Mike Stern Quintet
March 16 @ 7:30 pm
Mike Stern is a six-time Grammy nominee who received a “Certified Legend Award” from Guitar Player magazine and made Downbeat Magazine’s list of the 75 best guitarists of all time. A true guitar hero, Stern has played with the best of the best. He started off, fresh out of Berklee College, by joining Blood, Sweat & Tears at the age of 22. After a three-year stint with the band, Stern moved on to play with Billy Cobham, then joining Miles Davis with whom he recorded three albums; following this he toured and recorded with Jaco Pastorious before coming back to work with Davis. Stern has recorded over 25 albums as a leader and appeared on over 500 recordings as a sideman or guest artist with artists such as Billy Hart, Victor Wooten, the Yellowjackets, Joe Henderson, Makoto Ozone, Michael Brecker, Andy Narell, Richard Bona, Jaco Pastorious, Jim Hall, Arturo Sandoval, Bob Berg, Billy Cobham, Kronos Quartet, Tom Harrell, Pat Martino, Dave Matthews, Jerry Bergonzi, Eddie Palmieri, Steps Ahead—a virtual whose-who of the top-level jazz players of his era.
Stern’s guitar sound is characterized by a full-bodied sustain when he plays long tones. He is also known for his blistering runs comprised of fully intentional rapid-fire sequences of notes that are both angular and melodic. Stern’s guitar sound has evolved into an often-copied aesthetic that serves as an important reference for geeky guitarists who have followed in his footsteps. But nobody can truly copy Mike Stern – he is the original, a consummate musician who illuminates jazz fusion with dynamics, energy, and brilliance.
—International Herald Tribune
