Trip

Album review

During the 80s, Mike Stern was a five star jazz fusion expert. Knighted by Miles Davis—who took him along between 1981 and 1985—he also worked with Billy Cobham and Jaco Pastorius. The guitarist from Boston unleashed an impressive virtuosity and a rather violent playing that contrasted with the one from his peers. His career was punctuated with highs and lows and several struggles with drugs and alcohol… During the summer of 2016, Stern fell hard while at home and broke his two arms. The nerve endings of his right hand had even been damaged! But after a few passages under the knife, he was able to take his Telecaster back and learn to use it brilliantly again. This aptly named Trip is therefore the disc about a voyage towards resurrection. It’s an album that proves above all that his playing, his signature, his phrases are definitely there, still intact! Helped by a dream cast that notably includes bass players Victor Wooten, Edmond Gilmore and Teymur Phell; drummers Dennis Chambers, Lenny White, Will Calhoun and Dave Weckl; trumpet players Randy Brecker and Wallace Roney; keyboard player Jim Beard and saxophonist Bill Evans, Mike Stern pens an album which rivals those from his golden age, sometimes looking towards the Miles he knew, during the period of The Man With The Horn/Star People. Mostly, Trip shows him in various contexts, able of impressive guitaristic pyrotechnics as well as more introspective and tempered moments. Welcome back! © CM/Qobuz