Mike Stern
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
73 age
January 10, 1953 Birthday
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. Birthplace
www.mikestern.org Website
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About
Mike Stern is a Grammy-nominated guitarist and composer whose career spans five decades of jazz, fusion, rock, and blues. Born Michael Sedgwick, he grew up in Washington, D.C., and began his professional career with Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1976 before joining Billy Cobham's fusion band. In 1981, Miles Davis recruited him for his celebrated comeback band, a tenure documented on albums including We Want Miles and Star People. Stern has since released over twenty albums as a leader, beginning with Upside Downside in 1986, six of which received Grammy nominations. He held a legendary residency at the 55 Bar in Greenwich Village for nearly four decades until the club closed in 2022. In 2007 he received the Miles Davis Award at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal. His most recent album, Echoes and Other Songs, was released on Mack Avenue Records in 2024.
Trivia
In 2016, Stern tripped over construction debris in Manhattan, fracturing both arms and sustaining nerve damage in his right hand. He adapted by using wig glue and tape to fasten the pick to his fingers, and titled his 2017 comeback album Trip, with tracks "Screws" and "Scotch Tape and Glue" referencing his recovery. His half-sister is actress Kyra Sedgwick; his birth name was Michael Sedgwick before being adopted by stepfather Philip M. Stern. His wife, guitarist Leni Stern, is a noted explorer of West African musical traditions.
Early Life
Mike Stern was born Michael Sedgwick on January 10, 1953, in Boston, Massachusetts, but grew up in Washington, D.C. His mother Helen was a sculptor and art patron, and his stepfather Philip M. Stern adopted him, giving him the surname he uses professionally. Stern picked up the guitar at twelve, drawn to the blues-based rock of B.B. King, Eric Clapton, and Jimi Hendrix. He enrolled at Berklee College of Music in 1971, where he studied jazz with the influential teacher Charlie Banacos and formed close musical friendships with fellow students Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell, and John Scofield. In 1976, at twenty-two, he landed his first major gig as guitarist for Blood, Sweat & Tears, appearing on two albums. He later joined Billy Cobham's fusion band in 1979, which prepared him for his landmark stint with Miles Davis beginning in 1981.
Mike Stern Solos
1987
Electric Guitar solo - Gossip - 1987
4/4 rock in A minor at 121 BPM
Electric Guitar solo - Time in Place - 1987
4/4 rock in B♭ major at 78 BPM
Acoustic Guitar solo - Before You Go - 1987
4/4 ballad in D minor at 64 BPM
Electric Guitar solo - No Notice - 1987
4/4 shuffle in B♭ major at 96 BPM
Electric Guitar solo - After All - 1987
4/4 rock in D major at 71 BPM
Electric Guitar solo - Four Shades - 1987
4/4 rock in E♭ minor at 81 BPM
Electric Guitar solo - Chromazone - 1987
4/4 rock in B♭ minor at 121 BPM