These Times
ESC4911 2004-01-14
Track List
Chatter - 6:10
Silver Lining - 6:34
I Know You - 5:06
Mirage - 6:44
If Only - 5:31
Street Rhyme - 5:35
Avenue B - 6:13
Remember - 6:02
These Times - 8:12
What You Believe - 6:45
Last One Down - 5:30
Musicians
Mike Stern - guitar
Kenny Garrett - sax
Vinnie Colaiuta - drums
Will Lee - bass
Victor Wooten - bass
Richard Bona - bass
Arto Tuncboyaciyan - percussions
Don Alias - percussions
Dennis Chambers - drums
Bob Franceschini - tenor sax
Bob Malach - tenor Sax
Elizabeth Kontomanou - vocal
Jim Beard - keyboard
Special guest: Bela Fleck - banjo
On these times, his auspicious debut on ESC Records, three-time Grammy-nominated guitarist Mike Stern --one of the true guitar greats of his generation -- places his signature fluid and lyrical lines into the fabric of highly appealing vocal and instrumental numbers that strike a splendid balance between memorable melodies and burning fusillades.
While the vocal presence is significant on these times, there is also considerable stretching instrumentally by Stern and company – world class soloists all. Stern’s 12th release as a leader stands as one of the best of his career.
Reviews
THIS A MAJOR RELEASE by Miles Davis alumni MIKE STERN“More than half the tracks here feel more like adventurous, instrumental rock than jazz, but that’s a really good thing. Stern is a hell of a guitar player, and adventurous instrumental rock worked out pretty well for Frank Zappa, right? Some of these cuts wouldn’t sound out of place on Zappa’s Make A Jazz Noise Here double live set (I don’t think this has much to do with it, but ex-Zappa sideman Vinnie Colaiuta plays drums on 10 of These Times’ 11 tracks), or Santana’s Lotus. These Times is almost radical, in a really sneaky, subtle way.” mostlyewird.blogspot.com
Mike Stern is joined by Richard Bona, Kenny Garrett, Vinnie Colaiuta, Will Lee, Dennis Chambers, Victor Wooten, Jim Beard, Jon Herington, Bela Fleck, Arto Tuncboyaciyan, Elizabeth Kontomanou, Bob Malach, Bob Franceschini and Don Alias.