What more Mike Stern live at Cosmo Music! "Mr. P.C." by John Coltrane - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-buSEmUr1Cow.html Highlights - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-8mRbx0LZOwo.html
I saw Mike Stern with Jaco's Word Of Mouth Band at My Father's Place in Roslyn Long Island around 1983. Don Alias on drums and a couple of horn players. I sat 5 feet from the stage. I was in heaven.
He was absolutely the coolest person one could ever meet. Back in the 90's I used to see him at the 55 all the time and got to speak with him often. It was like he just didn't get how talented he really was. Great memories
I met Mike back in 1997 at the end of a gig he played with his band in Leeds, UK. The concert had been a long one with phenomenal music but he was still willing to talk to me and some friends about what it was like to play with Miles and so on. I will never forget how warm and friendly he was and how genuine and humble. A really good guy at every level.
1964 - Washington D.C. - The first band I was ever in (at age 13 or 14) was with Mike Stern and his younger brother on drums, I think. I was playing bass at the time. We played stuff like House of the Rising Sun, Wipeout by The Ventures, Gloria, That Boy by The Beatles. We rehearsed at Mike's house.
Yea, that's pretty much it. I mean there are some other cats that you can kind of put up there, but those two sound innovators and probably along with Coltrane.
Love Mike’s humility and his glowing, uplifting reflections on all the folks he mentioned playing with. Never empty flattery, but genuine adulation. His own playing speaks for itself. Cracks me up how people malign the interviewer. Jealous it wasn’t you asking the questions.
For all of his ability and accomplishments, Mike Stern seems so down to earth and humble! A genuinely nice guy, he has built, and continues to build a body of work of which anyone should be proud! In life generally and in today's music business specifically, being a good person doesn't hurt at all. Thank you for posting this interview!
Mike is right; the best way to get better is to play with musicians who can eat you alive. You learn fast, from the best - it brings out the absolute best that's in you. You either learn, or you die trying. Either way, it doesn't get any better for a real, dedicated musician.
When I first came to Boston in 1979, Mr. Stern was playing with Tiger Okoshi in Tiger’s Baku. They played at tiny clubs such as Pooh’s Pub and Mike’s. Mike was just blowing up! Soon, he was with Mr. Davis when the great man came out of retirement. there was a disco down in Kenmore Square called checks, and that’s where they played three nights in a row. Mr. Davis drove a red Lamborghini I think, one of them fast Italian cars, and this is when he would drive right up to the front door of the venue I just parked car right up front you drive up on the lawn drivable hills and stuff. And they sounded great! mr. Davis was unfortunate in a lot of physical pain due to age and so forth and had people around him who could help him in the morning when he woke up with massages and hot coffee and so on. I can’t believe that was almost 40 years ago! As for Mr. Stern, he still plays that same Yamaha set up with that one signature sound of his, he wears his hair exactly the same as he did back then. and he was such a pool, gentle guy and he still is just a wonderful person. I’ve seen him be very patient with young fans and never makes people feel like they’re bothering him or what have you. What can I tell you, he’s one of my all-time musical heroes.
Mike Stern has to be one of the most humble and gracious individuals. I never detect ego or any sense of self importance. I saw him gig in London many years ago and was of course blown away by his musicality. Now I have heard several interviews in more recent years, I am equally taken by his demeanour.
Mike saying he "practiced a lot" is a bit of an understatement. He practiced incessantly, hours and hours every day, transcribed hundreds of solos, and studied extensively with Charlie Banacos, the legendary music teacher in Boston.
I have seen Mike several times . I remember in the 1990's he had a Yamaha Combo Amp and got some great tones out of it . I ran into him several years later and asked if he still had it . He was shocked I remembered that . Hey Mike , do you still have the Yamaha ? Stay well !
I have seen Mike live at least half a dozen times and every time was brilliant, but one performance I saw him as bandleader, Mike was absolutely transcendent. One time I saw him play at the 55 Bar, standing aboutg 6 feet away with the great bassist Richard Bona who has a voice so beautiful he could make the angels cry. I was amazed when Mike sang and his voice was ewvery good as Richard's. I really wish Mike would sing more, but not play guitar any less.
Musicians like Stern and EJ will use whatever musical tool from whatever genre to create the sound they want. Genres of music can use musical tools and theory in specific and patternistic ways that get labeled Jazz or Rock or Progressive. But, good musicians like Mike S will borrow or steal from where ever and are not locked into any rigid genre labels or parameters. To do so would limit creativity and musical expression. Let's all work to be more open and let the music go where it sounds cool or interesting, without worrying about what genre it fits into.
A really cool guy. I saw him once and he lost his pick. Had to borrow one from someone in the audience. )). I was like 'huh, he only brought one pick?' Great guy though and one hell of a musician.
Yeah. I think they said it was the first one. I know that I had not heard of Jaco before that. Dave Holland was supposed to play that night but couldn't make it. Who's this guy with the funny name?
I don't get this guy at all! The Interviewer! Did he just get into music, I wonder!?? Did he learn about it reading a bookj, or has he actually Experienced music? He is just too Set in his "boxes", about styles etc wtf is he talking about!!? Eric Johnson rock guitarist??? Mike Stern came up playing Blues!! Jazz came later, at Berklee!
