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Product Description
Product Description
Guitarist Mike Stern latest CD sees the fusion legend joined by a number of high profile guests from both rock and jazz including guitarists Steve Vai and Eric Johnson; bassist-vocalists Esperanza Spalding and Richard Bona; jamband godfathers Medeski Martin & Wood & drummers Dave Weckl and Cindy Blackman.
Stern made his reputation as a member of Miles Davis' "comeback" band of the early 80's and has always grafted elements of rock, blues, soul and more to his solid jazz foundations. 'Big Neighborhood', therefore, refers to Mike's eclectic approach and as he says himself "You can find all kinds of things in a big neighborhood - all kinds of different people, all kinds of different ideas and perspectives, and of course, all kinds of different sounds."
Personnel:
Mike Stern (guitar), Richard Bona, Esperanza Spalding (vocals, bass guitar), Eric Johnson , Steve Vai (guitar), Bob Franceschini, Bob Malach (saxophone), Randy Brecker (trumpet), Jim Beard (piano, Hammond b-3 organ, keyboards), John Medeski (Wurlitzer piano, Clavinet, Hammond b-3 organ), Chris Wood (electric bass), Chris Minh Doky, Lincoln Goines (bass guitar), Cindy Blackman, Dave Weckl, Terri Lyne Carrington, Billy Martin, Lionel Cordew (drums)
Review
(4 stars) Spectacular...hats off to Heads Up for a varied album by the world's pre‑eminent jazz-rock guitarist.
-- Evening Standard, (Jack Massarik), October 9, 2009
-- Evening Standard, (Jack Massarik), October 9, 2009
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By M. Dawson
Format:Audio CD
For true Mike Stern fans, this will not disappoint! After Mike's previous album "Who Let The Cats Out", which in my opinion is still one of his best to date, Big Neighbourhood still continues to have the more funkier groove as well as maintaining the traditional Mike Stern tunes. I was pleased to see that Dave Weckl continued on to this album for a few tracks to keep the comtempory jazz funk going which I think was re-born (after being absent for a few albumns) on "who let the cats out".
A surprised addition of Steve Vai on two tracks (ex Whitesnake lead guitar) who added a few more rockier tracks than normal but still absolutely on the same wavelength as you would expect for Mike Stern. "Big Neighbourhood" just has to be played loud!!
Overall tracks were on par with previous albums that included Richard Bona on bass and vocals on an uptempo "Reach" track. Medeski, Martin & Wood apprears on two tracks which add to the funky taste but more traditional and slower Stern Tracks can also be found in the form of "Coupe de Ville" and "Long Time Gone".
The only disapointment was after seeing his band (again) live at Ronnie Scotts last year with Anthony Jackson, that he wasn't on the album!
However if you are a true Mike Stern fan, do not hesitate to buy this as I did!
A surprised addition of Steve Vai on two tracks (ex Whitesnake lead guitar) who added a few more rockier tracks than normal but still absolutely on the same wavelength as you would expect for Mike Stern. "Big Neighbourhood" just has to be played loud!!
Overall tracks were on par with previous albums that included Richard Bona on bass and vocals on an uptempo "Reach" track. Medeski, Martin & Wood apprears on two tracks which add to the funky taste but more traditional and slower Stern Tracks can also be found in the form of "Coupe de Ville" and "Long Time Gone".
The only disapointment was after seeing his band (again) live at Ronnie Scotts last year with Anthony Jackson, that he wasn't on the album!
However if you are a true Mike Stern fan, do not hesitate to buy this as I did!
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By zargb5
Format:Audio CD
Stern has always incorporated rock and blues elements in his playing, it was one of the main reasons Miles invited him into his comeback group - so he could play some of that 'Hendrix 5hit' (as Miles so candidly put it.
His previous release 'who let the cats out' hinted at the move into more rock jamming areas and on a few tracks that is where this album goes. To the more conservative jazz guitar audience Stern is probably anathema anyway, the same way Holdsworth, Gambale, Scofield and Scott Henderson are to them.
Jazz guitar of the 30's, 40,s and 50's saw very little in the development of the music of the idiom with players hunched over semi hollow bodies wearing suit and tie and short haircuts and occasionally appearing on BBC 2 arts programmes. OK the music was artistic and entertaining on the whole but it was 'stiff and uncool' to a broader audience until the 60's came along and shook music up. Along came John Mclaughlin, Hendrix, Derek bailey, Sonny Shorrock and the world of guitar and by extension jazz guitar would never be the same again. There is still a healthy tradition of mainstream jazz guitar played by very deft and talented exponents of which i am a fan of - but times change. The modern players are well schooled in the hard bop style they just want to hear it through amps with different tones and through the looking glass of developments in music since the 60's. The criticism that this is just endless scale run exercises is absurd and written by deaf ears.
Stern on this release has just decided to chill out and play with musicians he admires. It is also a kind of retrospective of where he's been in the past and where he would like to go in the future. The emphasis is on exploring and interacting with the newer people and influences on the scene.... Read more ›
His previous release 'who let the cats out' hinted at the move into more rock jamming areas and on a few tracks that is where this album goes. To the more conservative jazz guitar audience Stern is probably anathema anyway, the same way Holdsworth, Gambale, Scofield and Scott Henderson are to them.
Jazz guitar of the 30's, 40,s and 50's saw very little in the development of the music of the idiom with players hunched over semi hollow bodies wearing suit and tie and short haircuts and occasionally appearing on BBC 2 arts programmes. OK the music was artistic and entertaining on the whole but it was 'stiff and uncool' to a broader audience until the 60's came along and shook music up. Along came John Mclaughlin, Hendrix, Derek bailey, Sonny Shorrock and the world of guitar and by extension jazz guitar would never be the same again. There is still a healthy tradition of mainstream jazz guitar played by very deft and talented exponents of which i am a fan of - but times change. The modern players are well schooled in the hard bop style they just want to hear it through amps with different tones and through the looking glass of developments in music since the 60's. The criticism that this is just endless scale run exercises is absurd and written by deaf ears.
Stern on this release has just decided to chill out and play with musicians he admires. It is also a kind of retrospective of where he's been in the past and where he would like to go in the future. The emphasis is on exploring and interacting with the newer people and influences on the scene.... Read more ›
1 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Music Fan
Format:Audio CD
Contrary to the overly enthusiastic review below, this CD doesn't come close to the standard most fans would expect from Stern. The much-hyped tracks with guest musicians Steve Vai and Eric Johnson are little more than funk/blues based vamps for the most part. In particular, the Vai whammy bar/wah-wah/tapping histrionics are despairingly predictable, and certainly not what one would expect to hear on a Mike Stern album. Perhaps with this release Stern is attempting to appeal to Rock fans, but this would appear to be at the expense of the depth and quality of composition found on early albums such as 'Upside Downside' or 'Jigsaw'. I have given two stars , as Stern still plays well on the whole despite the below-par context, and also because fans of Stern's more recent commercial material featuring vocals may enjoy some of the tracks.
1 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By AN Other
Format:Audio CD
Im not a fan of this type of playing and agree with the first reviewer that the playing is slightly overcooked - that goes for the drumming, bass playing, etc.. Loads of guys like Stern, Schofield, Metheny, et al strive to find a voice that is uniquely their own and in doing so back themselves into the tightest cul de sac they can find - although Schofield is funky.I prefer more traditional bebop/hard bop style with loads of blues inserted and would suggest that people like Joe Pass, Wes, Grant Green, Barney Kessel, Kenny Burrell and the tragic Emily Remler still reign supreme,
Peace..
By the way, the Morrocan tune is horrendous - i was tempted to take another star off based on that track alone!
Peace..
By the way, the Morrocan tune is horrendous - i was tempted to take another star off based on that track alone!
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