The Mike Stern/Bill Evans Band featuring Tom Kennedy and Steve Smith
Country: USA
A superband led by famous musicians, guitarist Mike Stern and saxophonist Bill Evans, whose cooperation began in the 1980s’ (when both jazzmen were the members of the Miles Davis band).
Besides, this project involves the bassist Tom Kennedy (a member of Steps Ahead band, a stage partner of David Sanborn, Joe Sample and Dave Grusin and a drummer Steve Smith (the member of Journey, Steps Ahead, and Vital Information projects, a stage partner of the violinist Jean-Luc Ponty).
Mike Stern
Mike Stern is one of the most famous and significant fusion guitarists of his generation, a 6-time Grammy winner. The musician has recorded more than a dozen of successful solo albums, toured and worked in the studio with many famous bands and musicians, from Blood, Sweat & Tears and Miles Davis to Steps Ahead and Yellowjackets.
Mike Stern was born on January 10, 1953 in Boston, Massachusetts. He studied at the famous Berklee College of Music. His professional guitarist career began in the mid 70-s’ of the last century, when Stern joined the famous jazz-rock band Blood, Sweat & Tears. In BS & T Mike played two years and took part in the recording of its two albums, «More Than Ever» (1976) and «Brand New Day» (1977). In the late 1970's - early 80's Mike Stern was a member of the fusion band of the drummer Billy Cobham («Stratus» album 1981).
It was at this time that Mike was noticed by Miles Davis. In the early 1980s, the legendary trumpeter returned to the stage after five years of creative break and was full of energy and new ideas. To implement them in life, Davies needed young musicians. Mike Stern appeared in the Miles’ band thanks to saxophonist Bill Evans (later Bill also brought John Scofield). The guitarist took part in the recording of three albums of Miles Davis, «We Want Miles», «The Man with the Horn» (both in 1981), as well as «Star People» (1982).
The opportunity to play in Miles Davis’s band is a push in the career for any musician. It was the case in the 1950s, and 30 years later nothing has changed. Mike Stern is one of those young musicians whose participation in Miles Davis’s band helped to become famous.
After Mike Stern Davis left the band, he continued to work as a sideman. It is worth noting his participation in the Vital Information band of the drummer Steve Smith, as well as in a tour with bassist Jaco Pastorius.
Stern recorded his debut solo album in 1985. Neesh longplay was published by the Japanese label Trio. Later on Mike signed a contract with Atlantic Records and worked with this famous record company till 2001.
Already in the debut album for Atlantic, «Upside Downside», you can hear all the characteristic features of the style of Mike Stern, i.e. distorted, "floating" sound of his "Telecaster" (later Mike started to play Yamaha guitar designed especially for him); rhythm accompaniment, which is difficult to confuse with something; commitment to rock and funk-oriented fusion. Since then, each new album of the musician is a well-written, beautifully played music, the recording of which traditionally involves the fusion-elite of modern and jazz music. Saxophonists Michael Brecker, Kenny Garrett , Bob Berg, David Sanborn, trumpeter Randy Brecker, keyboardists Don Grolnick, Gil Goldstein, Mitchell Forman, bassist John Patitucci, Richard Bona, Anthony Jackson, Mark Egan, drummer Peter Erskine, Dennis Chambers, Al Foster, Jack DeJohnette, Vinnie Colaiuta, Dave Weckl and many other famous musicians were recorded as the sidemen in Mike Stern’s albums.
In 1994, Mike Stern, wrote an excellent post-bop album «Standards (and Other Songs)», in which he demonstrated the ability to perform traditional jazz, almost without changing the style of the game and the sound of the instrument. The last studio album of the musician was released in 2014. The disc was recorded jointly with his fellow guitarist Eric Johnson, who added notes of the blues-rock to the traditional funk-fusion of Mike Stern.
The projects led by the guitarist were nominated for a prestigious Grammy music award five times.
In 2009, Mike Stern entered the list of the greatest guitarists of all times, compiled by music magazine DownBeat.
Bill Evans
Bill Evans is an American saxophonist, who, for his 30-year career, tried his hand in a variety of styles ranging from jazz to hip-hop, from fusion to bluegrass (traditional American music, a kind of country music).
Bill Evans appeared on the big jazz scene in the early 1980s. On the recommendation of his teacher, Dave Liebman, the young saxophonist enters Miles Davis’s band, in which he had a lot of tours, as well as took part in recording of four albums of the legendary jazz trumpeter. Later, in 1984, Evans joined the famous guitarist John McLaughlin, who at that time revive the well-known fusion group Mahavishnu Orchestra. In the 1990s, the saxophonist becomes a participant of Petite Blonde super-band (along with the bassist Victor Bailey, drummer Dennis Chambers and guitarist Chuck Loeb), and creates a Soulbop project jointly with the trumpeter Randy Brecker.
In late 2004, Bill Evans created Soulgrass project which, probably, is the most significant in his musical career to date. The self-titled album was recorded with involvement of the stars such as banjo player Bela Fleck, bassist Victor Wooten and Mark Egan, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, keyboardist Dave Kikoski and guitarist John Scofield. The disc was nominated for Grammy award. At the beginning of 2008, the Soulgrass project released its second album, «Other Side Of Something».
In 2010, the musician released a solo album «Vans Joint», and in 2012 «Dragonfly» disc appeared. Both records involved the prominent musicians of our time.
The original music by Bill Evans is an organic combination of different musical languages. What does Bill Evans, together with its partners, can only partly be called jazz. His music contains the elements of not only jazz improvisation, but also country, blues, rock and funk. "People often ask me what kind of music we play. I do not know. Most likely, this is music in the style of feel good,” says saxophonist Bill Evans about his work.
