MIKE STERN
In a career that spans three decades and a discography that includes more than a dozen eclectic and innovative recordings, three time GRAMMY nominee Mike Stern has established himself as one of the premier jazz and jazz-fusion guitarists and composers of his generation.

This week he will featuring Sax star Kenny Garrett and Drummer extradinaire Dennis Chambers

Born in Boston in January 1953, Stern grew up in Washington, DC, then returned to Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music. After college, he got his start as a guitar player with Blood, Sweat & Tears at age 22. Following a brief stint with Billy Cobham’s powerhouse fusion band from 1979 to 1980, he moved to New York City, where he was recruited by Miles Davis to play a key role in Miles’ celebrated comeback band of 1981 (which also included bassist Marcus Miller, drummer Al Foster, percussionist Mino Cinelu and saxophonist Bill Evans). During his three-year period with Miles, Stern appeared on three recordings with the jazz maestro – Man with the Horn, Star People and the live We Want Miles. He toured with Jaco Pastorius’ Word of Mouth Band from 1983 through 1985 and returned to Miles’ lineup for a second tour of duty that lasted close to a year.

KENNY GARRETT
Critically acclaimed saxophonist Kenny Garrett, like Stern a Miles alumnus, was well known for his tenures with Woody Shaw, Freddie Hubbard and Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers before joining Davis in his last great band. Since the trumpeter's death he has worked primarily as the leader of his own groups, releasing a string of successful CD's, the most recent of which, Sketches of MD, was recorded live at the Iridium for Mack Avenue Records. Dennis Chambers, currently a member of Santana, has played with a long and varied list of artists from Parliament Funkadelic to Gary Bartz to John McLaughlin. The powerful virtuoso drummer is featured on the Mike Stern Live DVD along with bassist Richard Bona. His latest release as a leader Sketches of MD featuring Pharoah Sanders was recorded Live at the Iridium for the Detroit based Mack Avenue label.

DENNIS CHAMBERS
Dennis Chambers started playing drums at the age of 4 and by the age of 6 he was playing in night clubs.
Chambers had no former schooling in music. All his musical training came from playing in night clubs. At the age of 18 he went from High School to a band called Parliament and Funkadelic. He joined the band in 1978 and played until 1985.
From that point he joined Special EFX in 1985.
In 1987 Chambers joined the David Sanborn Band and the John Scofield Band which ended 1989. Shortly afterwards he joined the Mike Stern/Bob Berg Band.
From that time he has played in various other bands and with bandleaders such as: Bill Evans, Mike Urbaniak, George Duke, Stanley Clarke, Steve Kahn, The Brecker Brothers Band and many others.


The group is filled out by bassist Tom Kennedy, best known for his work with Chick Corea alumni Bill Connors and Dave Weckl.