Mike Stern: Echoes and Other Songs

This latest album by guitar virtuoso Mike Stern feels like a reunion of sorts, bringing together artists he’s been associated with through the years in mix and match fashioned. Saxists Christ Potter and bob Franceschini, drummers Antonio Sanchez-Dennis Chambers, bassists Christian McBride-Richard Bona are cut and pasted with pianist/keyboardist Jim Beard, percussionist Arto Tuncboyacian and ngoni master Leni Stern for songs that play to Stern’s strengths. Potter and Stern rock in on “Space Bar”, get upbeat on “Where’s Leo”  and create warm tones on the ballad “Climate”  while Franceschini yearns with Bona on the dreamy I Hope So”. McBride lays down a nasty bass line on the backbeat blues of “Stuff Happens” while wife Leni adds exotic ideas over Sanchez’s busy drums on “Connections”. Stern’s guitar is in excellent form, able to fit into every setting, and is amazing lyrical even when reaching the ozone layer.  Enough energy to survive a brown out in LA.

www.mackavenue.com

www.mikestern.org