Credits:

Mike Stern

Description:

His last album was 2014's "ECLECTIC," released under his own name with Eric Johnson, but this is his first new album under Stern's name alone in five years since "All Over The Place. "In July of 2016, he was getting out of a cab in front of his Manhattan home when he hid He stumbled over a piece of construction debris that he did not see and suffered a serious accident that broke both of his arms. The tour was canceled after such an accident on the day he was supposed to leave for a European tour. Not only did he break both arms, but he also suffered nerve damage and was unable to even hold a pick with his right hand. He underwent surgery and made a comeback in October at Chick Corea's Blue Note concert, but at that time he still could not hold a pick properly, so he played with a velcro glove with a pick on it, and in November he went on tour with Dave Weckl. He then had a second surgery, and although his nerve condition was getting better, he trained to glue the pick to his right finger and force it into his grip, and from January to March 2017, he entered Spin Studios on Long Island to record this, his 17th album. The members participating in this album are superb.Randy Brecker(tp), Wallace Roney(tp), Bob Franceschini(sax), Bill Evans(sax), Victor Wooten(b), Tom Kennedy(b), Dave Weckl(ds), Dennis Chambers( ds), Lenny White(ds). Produced by pianist/keyboardist Jim Beard, who also produced 1991's "Odd or Evens," the album features the cool post-Milesian funk/fusion riffs of "Trip," "Screws," "Watchacallit ), the swingy "Half Crazy," "Scotch Tape and Glue," "B Train," and the lyrical ballad "Emilia," "I Believe You. Leni Stern, Mrs. Stern's wife, also guests on two songs, playing the African instrument n'goni.The band also features Gio Moratti on background vocals, Arto Tuncboyaciyan and Elhadji Alioune Faye on percussion, Living Colour drummer Will Calhoun, and bassists Teymur Phell and Edmond Gilmore on bass. Screws" refers to the 11 screws that were inserted into his arm during his first surgery, and "Scotch Tape And Glue" refers to the glue and sellotape that he used to attach the picks to his fingers.

Tracklisting:

1.Trip
2.Blueprint
3.Half Crazy
4.Screws
5.Gone
6.Whatchacallit
7.Emilia
8.Hope For That
9.I Believe You
10.Scotch Tape And Glue
11.B Train