Learn Mike Stern - 1996 Betwixt The Lines

Mike Stern does what he does very, rattling well. He has carved out a unique niche for himself with modern fusion guitarists, a vision that combines funk as well as R&B bass/drum grooves with skittish melodies ofttimes involving extended chord fragments. Stern's atomic number 82 vox is 1 of the most distinctive inwards the genre as well, as his chorused as well as sometimes distorted note is ever prominently displayed. Stern is joined on this 1996 offering yesteryear frequent collaborator Bob Malach, a tenor histrion with a particular talent for laying screaming lines on laissez passer on of smoking drum grooves as good as ably doubling as well as bringing to life Stern's ofttimes bookish as well as theoretical melodies. Completing the band are twin musical rhythm sections, consisting either of Dave Weckl as well as Jeff Andrews or Lincoln Goines as well as Dennis Chambers. Like many of Stern's recordings, the problems prevarication to a greater extent than ofttimes than non inwards the sameness of the arrangements as well as the relatively forgettable nature of around of these songs. Although they are all thoughtfully composed, they sometimes tend to run together a chip inwards the heed of the listener. Jim Beard's keyboard textures too could travel done without, as they add together a distracting sheen to the compositions. But at that spot has ever been this variety of tension inwards Stern's operate betwixt the obvious as well as the unexpected. Take, for example, "Lose the Suit," which features an extremely funky intro as well as a nifty Stern solo, as good as an extremely predictable twain that almost sounds as if it could travel the topic vocal to a long-running lather opera. Any lingering feel of treacle is dispelled 1 time Stern kicks inwards the fuzz, however, as well as lays into the track, certain to delight fans.

Let's institute 1 affair from the start: Mike Stern is 1 of the greatest jazz guitarists of our time. He is unique stylistically, musically, as well as technically. By the fourth dimension this CD was released, Stern had enjoyed 10 years of both critical as well as commercial recording success. What sets this 1 apart for me is the basic band used for the sessions: Dave Weckl on drums, Jeff Andrews on bass, Jim Beard on keyboards (who too serves as producer on this as well as many other Mike Stern projects), as well as Bob Malach on tenor saxophone. As usual, all songs are written yesteryear Mike Stern with a reasonable residuum of up- as well as down-tempo grooves.

This CD features outstanding recording lineament throughout. Nearly every solo, whether it travel guitar or sax, is a tour de force. There's exclusively 1 rail I actually don't like, as well as that's the final 1 (Bait Tone Blues). The gear upward begins with the driving latin/rock groove of Sunnyside. Checkout Dave Weckl's slick stick operate on The Vine. Wing And H5N1 Prayer is a overnice ballad with a beautiful tune (doubled on sax as well as guitar). You Never Know alternates betwixt a hard-driving stone as well as laid-back blues groove. The side yesteryear side 2 cuts (numbers six & 7) are the exclusively 2 featuring an alternate (but as impressive) musical rhythm section: the nifty Dennis Chambers on drums as well as Lincoln Goines on bass. Both are long-time Mike Stern sidemen. Tell Me may travel 1 of my all-time favorite Mike Stern ballads, as well as With H5N1 Twist features an interesting drum groove along with around overnice organ work. Back to the master copy band, Pages is on my all-time favorite Mike Stern playlist, as well as I tin forcefulness out never larn plenty of the out-chorus sax solo. Also, the interplay betwixt electrical guitar as well as acoustic pianoforte is special. As y'all tin forcefulness out guess, this is an outstanding gear upward of music, laissez passer on to (almost) bottom!

While I similar virtually all of Mike Stern's work, I intend this is (narrowly) his best CD from the 1990's. The band, writing, as well as production lineament are all first-rate, as well as there's over lxx minutes of music on the CD! You can't larn incorrect with this one, as well as then set it on, sit down back, as well as relish around nifty fusion jazz.

On "Between The Lines", Mike Stern's follow-up to his Grammy-nominated "Is What It Is", Stern delivers to a greater extent than of his trademark bop 'n' curlicue on 10 novel master copy compositions. The band includes saxophonist Bob Malach (Steve Miller, Ben Sidran, Horace Silver), longtime bass associate Jeff Andrews (Steps Ahead, Vital Information) as well as the world renowned drummer Dave Weckl (Chick Corea Elektric/Akoustic Band, Brecker Brothers). Stern's old musical rhythm department mates inwards the Mike Stern-Bob Berg Band, drummer Dennis Chambers as well as bassist Lincoln Goines, too seem on 2 tracks. From the energetic opener "Sunnyside" to the slamming funk of "Lose the Suit" to the ferocious "With a Twist", Stern as well as companionship soil their instance with ability as well as conviction. "The stance behind this tape was to purpose guys that I had been touring with a lot", Stern explained. "I wanted a alive band audio as well as I experience similar that came across. I felt skillful virtually the whole vibe of the record. It's loose exactly tight at the same time. And there's materials going on with these cats that tin forcefulness out exclusively come about if you've been playing together a bunch." "Between The Lines" is fantabulous jazz/fusion, as well as is highly recommended.

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Track listing:

1 Sunnyside 7:27
2 The Vine 6:27
3 Wing And H5N1 Prayer 6:37
4 Lose The Suit 8:43
5 You Never Know 7:13
6 Tell Me 6:01
7 With H5N1 Twist 6:37
8 True Enough 6:43
9 Pages 6:43
10 Bait Tone Blues 7:37

Personnel:

Guitar – Mike Stern
Bass – Jeff Andrews (tracks: 1 to 5, 8 to 10), Lincoln Goines (tracks: 6, 7)
Drums – Dave Weckl (tracks: 1 to 5, 8 to 10), Dennis Chambers (tracks: 6, 7)
Keyboards, Producer, Engineer [Additional] – Jim Beard
Tenor Saxophone – Bob Malach