Mike Stern
Who Let The Cats Out?

THE REVIEW

Mike Stern is instantly recognizable. He has a very original sound, emerging from his beautifully heavily modified Telecaster. Mike is a jazz guitarist, and he's among the best out there, as the beauty of this "Who Let The Cats Out?", dated 2006, reminds us.

Let yourself be carried away by the fantastic opener "Tumble Home" (Bob Franceschini on sax and Kim Thompson on drums in great form). Let Mike convey his involvement in ballads like "All You Need" and "We're With You", dedicated to Franceschini, whose wife passed away while the saxophonist was on tour with Mike in 2005, and to Michael Brecker, who unfortunately would die a year after the album was released.

Mike knows what he's doing, folks, and tracks like "Language" are there to prove it. Mike isn't someone who plays 35 notes per second just to show off his skills. And he can do it, make no mistake. Mike knows how to get you excited, as in "Roll With It" (where Victor Wooten slaps without overdoing it for once) and in "KT" (in honor of Kim Thompson), where Stern goes all out and takes off (but always with elegance and taste, he always knows when to stop, in short), as does Roy Hargrove who dazzles with his trumpet.

The best piece of "Who Let The Cats Out?" is surely "Good Question": a perfect track. The great Richard Bona on bass and scat vocals, supported on drums by the immense Dave Weckl. Great Mike, who gives us a textbook solo, and above all, a fantastic sax theme, it's breathtaking. 

This album is an excellent example of the class that distinguishes this man. He is someone who puts his soul into playing, and it shows. Supported by first-choice sidemen, in addition to the ones already mentioned, let's remember Anthony Jackson (bass on "Blue Runway"), Gregoire Maret (harmonica on "We're With You" and "Texas"), and Jim Beard (piano, organ, clavinet, and synthesizer, in addition to the album's production, Stern offers us a simply beautiful album played divinely, with head and heart.

Let yourself be enveloped by the warm and reassuring sound of his guitar, close your eyes and travel far away, or dance without restraint to the swing rhythm of this guy with thirty years of career behind him. Mike knows what he's doing, folks.