Mike Stern

One of the finest electric guitarists of his generation, Mike Stern combines phrasing normally attributed to jazz saxophonists with innovative chord voicings, the dynamics of a rock musician, and the soulful, emotive expression of a bluesman. They were displayed on his 1983 solo debut Neesh. In 1992, Guitar Player magazine named him Best Jazz Guitarist of the Year after the release of Standards (And Other Songs). The next year's Is What It Is and 1996's Between the Lines both received Grammy nominations, as did 2009's Big Neighborhood. Stern is also a veteran collaborator, teaming up with the Yellowjackets' on 2008's Lifecycle. In 2014, he and guitarist Eric Johnson co-led the contemporary jazz chart-topper Eclectic. Five years later, he and Jeff Lorber shared billing for Eleven. Stern returned with an all-star backing band and friends on 2024's Echoes & Other Songs, his first album for Mack Avenue.