The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #26

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    ''Voices'' is a killer album, I'd say it is my favorite. The voices by Richard Bona, and overall the African influence makes it very interesting and original. Highly recommended.

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #27

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    In A Different Light
    Going For It

    Two recordings of standards. Mike playing standards as if Charlie Parker were a metal shredder with a telecaster.

  4. #28

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    Upside Downside is my favorite recording of Mike’s as a leader, but I like most of his recordings a lot, including his early Japanese release Neesh. He writes amazing bebop heads over blues and rhythm changes. So many classics, including Chromazone, Gossip, Jigsaw, Kwirk, D.C.

    I studied briefly with Mike around 1988 and it was really wonderful. I was inexperienced at the time in Jazz and he gave me some very valuable stuff that I never forgot. I even studied briefly with a composition teacher that Mike and Mike Brecker studied with, Edgar Grana.

  5. #29

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    The new one- Going For It released as the Harvie S Trio- is just amazingly good. Trip is also pretty good, written after his fall and injuries, and remarkable comeback from his hand disability.

    And I know I've said this before, but I'm not sure I have ever seen a musician exude more joy while playing than he does. He is so obviously so happy at being able to do what he does. It's infectious.

  6. #30
    I was lucky to have one of Mikes students send me a live 2 set gig at the 55 bar with same bass player but Adam Nussbaum on drums doing all standards. I was really impressed. This was about 20 years ago. He also sent me Bill Conners with Dave Weckel on drums and Tom Kennedy on bass. He also included lessons with Bill. The live gig was outstanding from the Step It period. He didnt think much of Chick Corea as a employer. He made them all wear white and fill out report cards on their performances and paid them about a 100$ a week. And preached a lot about how great Scientology was.

  7. #31

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cunamara
    The new one- Going For It released as the Harvie S Trio- is just amazingly good. Trip is also pretty good, written after his fall and injuries, and remarkable comeback from his hand disability.

    And I know I've said this before, but I'm not sure I have ever seen a musician exude more joy while playing than he does. He is so obviously so happy at being able to do what he does. It's infectious.
    He's got that joyous vibe. It's really at the core of every note he plays. Mick Goodrick was playing in New York one evening years ago and it was a good crowd, everything was going well, he was playing a solo, eyes closed. At one point he felt a change in the energy of the room, felt the electricity of the crowd rise on its own; you players know this feeling-its a wave you can catch and it's like a surfer catching a swell. Anyway he finishes his solo and looks up to look at the room anew and there in the back is Mike, grinning ear to ear. His vibe is contageous.
    I spoke with him about a month ago. He was excited about cracking open Mick's Almanac of voice leading at Julian Lage's recommendation, and in our discussion of that work he mentioned he's got yet another operation, and it's been painful and more exhausting than anything ever. "But I want to keep playing. If there's a crowd out there that's into it, and it brings them joy, I'll keep doing it. That's what it's all about."

  8. #32

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    I'm a big Mike fan - I think he doesn't quite get his due.

    My favourite albums are Trip, Time in Place, Who let the dogs out, Big Neighbourhood... and the others mentioned here I haven't said...

    Here's an article I wrote as an introduction to Mike - hope it helps...

    Mike Stern - Toppermost

  9. #33

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    Quote Originally Posted by steve burchfield
    He didnt think much of Chick Corea as a employer. He made them all wear white and fill out report cards on their performances and paid them about a 100$ a week. And preached a lot about how great Scientology was.
    Scott Henderson says much the same-often!

  10. #34

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    I pretty much agree with the consensus here: Give and Take, Standards, and Play. But am I the only one w a soft spot for Trip? It’s a bit of a sampler of his various styles, but strong throughout.

    And his work on the 4 Generations of Miles live album

  11. #35

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    Quote Originally Posted by Average Joe
    I pretty much agree with the consensus here: Give and Take, Standards, and Play. But am I the only one w a soft spot for Trip? It’s a bit of a sampler of his various styles, but strong throughout.

    And his work on the 4 Generations of Miles live album
    As I mentioned above, I love trip. It may even be my favourite album of his.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  12. #36

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    Here's a direct question, for those well-versed in Mike's stuff:

    I really dig the GUY. I watch his rig rundowns and all interviews. I like him, and he's one of the coolest cats ever.
    But I don't like his music much. I just can't connect with it. It's too "out there" for me, maybe? Too acid/bebop I feel like? He's just all over the place, a million notes.....

    This is not a criticism. Just an observation. But does he have any music that could be considered more "standard" or "straight-ahead playing"? A "gateway album" perhaps? I actually have the album he did with Eric Johnson "Eclectic" and I enjoy that... but Stern and Johnson are trying to complement each other, so each has changed their approach a bit to accomplish that, I think.

    So- gateway Stern? Something not so frantic as he seems to be most of the time?

  13. #37

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    Quote Originally Posted by ruger9

    This is not a criticism. Just an observation. But does he have any music that could be considered more "standard" or "straight-ahead playing"? A "gateway album" perhaps? I actually have the album he did with Eric Johnson "Eclectic" and I enjoy that... but Stern and Johnson are trying to complement each other, so each has changed their approach a bit to accomplish that, I think.

    So- gateway Stern? Something not so frantic as he seems to be most of the time?
    The new live release, Going For It recorded back in 1985 was all standards and a hardcore jazz trio with drummer Alan Dawson and upright bassist Harvie Swartz.
    No studio tricks, just great live playing in the tradition of the bebop small groups...with a modern twist.
    https://www.jazzwax.com/2021/07/harv...N_wd2buH1Sn4Sk

  14. #38

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    I'm a huge, huge fan.

    I discovered him playing with the brecker brothers and as a sideman for miles. Maybe you should check those as well. Many free videos on YT.

  15. #39

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    Quote Originally Posted by dlew919
    As I mentioned above, I love trip. It may even be my favourite album of his.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Sorry, I missed that.
    It's certainly up there among my favourites but if I could have only one it might be Give and Take. I have a copy of Going For It in the mail though, and I'm looking forward to that one.

  16. #40

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    Most of the ones I like are where he's a sideman. As a leader, Neesh is my favorite, followed by Time in Place.

    As a sideman:
    Dedication - Bunny Brunel
    In a Different Light - Harvie Swartz, John Scofield
    Vertical Reality - Jerry Bergonzi
    In The Shadows - Bob Berg

    IMO, nothing beats seeing him live.

  17. #41

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    Quote Originally Posted by ruger9
    But I don't like his music much. I just can't connect with it. It's too "out there" for me, maybe? Too acid/bebop I feel like? He's just all over the place, a million notes.....

    .....

    So- gateway Stern? Something not so frantic as he seems to be most of the time?
    No offense, but I am sure that many said exactly the same things about bebop in the 40's.

    Just saying...

  18. #42

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    Quote Originally Posted by Doug B
    No offense, but I am sure that many said exactly the same things about bebop in the 40's.

    Just saying...
    And I'm still not a fan of much of it. With Johnny Smith and Kenny Burrell being my favorite guitar players post-christian, I've never really gotten into hardcore bop. I love all swing, all the pre-swing stuff, jump blues, but when jazz went hardcore bop, it lost me.

  19. #43

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    Quote Originally Posted by ruger9
    And I'm still not a fan of much of it. With Johnny Smith and Kenny Burrell being my favorite guitar players post-christian, I've never really gotten into hardcore bop. I love all swing, all the pre-swing stuff, jump blues, but when jazz went hardcore bop, it lost me.

    Fair enough, I like all sorts from KB to Barney, Jim Hall, Mike Stern, Bruce Forman, Eddie Lang, etc, etc.

    We can def. agree on Kenny B- one of my first jazz guitar heroes!

  20. #44

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    Upside Downside is mine...and On Tribute to Miles I really dig his version (or his playing on that version) of So What.

  21. #45

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    I've had the Howie S - Going For It album for a few days now. Get it if you are at all interested in Stern's standards playing. He's on fire. It's a warts and all live album so whether it'll rank as his best album I'm less sure about, but the playing is phenomenal