(Heads Up)

Mike Stern has one of the most recognizable voices of any contemporary electric guitarist on the music scene. His latest, All Over The Place, has Stern as the centerpiece of a very eclectic work. The album is a nice of music of the high-energy acrobatics and sweet soulful ballads. The project also features an impressive guest list of stellar music talents in their own right, including saxophonists Kenny Garrett and Chris Potter, drummers Al Foster and Dave Weckl, bassists Richard Bona and Esperanza Spalding and trumpeter Randy Brecker. With all these talents a lot of musicians, and recordings, could get lost in the fog of variety, but Stern and producer Jim Beard masterfully make it all work beautifully.