Mike Stern has been in the jazz business for over three decades and he has played with everybody anybody in jazz would have loved to have played with. He is a multi-Grammy nominated guitarist and was named one of the 75 best
guitarists of all time by Down Beat Magazine in its 75th anniversary issue.
Born in 1953, he took his stepfather’s surname (he was born Sedgwick, the half-brother of actress and Litchfield County resident, Kyra Sedgwick). He graduated from Berklee and joined the now iconic band Blood, Sweat and Tears. He then joined Billy Cobham and later Miles Davis in the trumpeter’s comeback band with Marccus Miller, Al Foster and Bill Evans. In 1992 he became a member of the Brecker Brothers Band. He has 15 recordings as a leader and tours an performs around the world.
Mike Stern at the 2014 Litchfield Jazz Festival photo by Nathan Turner
In 2001 the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal honored Stern with the Miles Davis Award, created to recognize internationally acclaimed jazz artists whose body of work has contributed
significantly to the renewal of the genre. Previous recipients include Keith Jarrett, Michael Brecker and Charlie Haden. In 2012 he was presented with Guitar Player Magazine’s Certified Legend Award. Past GP Legends include Les Paul, Duane Eddy, Larry Carlton, and others.
This is Mike Stern’s second appearance at Litchfield Jazz Festival. He was with us last year and was so well received, fans clamored for a return appearance. He performs with Tom Kennedy on bass, Richie Moraleson drums, and Bob Franceschini on saxophones.
