Eric Johnson & Mike Stern - Eclectic (2014)

Two bona fide guitar heroes in their respective fields - Eric Johnson in the rock realm and Mike Stern in the jazz world - go toe-to-toe on 'Eclectic', a scintillating musical showcase that brings together their disparate influences in one potent package.

Guitar aficionados of all stripes will stand slack-jawed hearing these formidable six-stringers exchanging high octane licks on tracks such as Stern's funky "Roll With It" and Johnson's cruising pop anthem "Hullabaloo" (a kind of answer to his catchy GRAMMY-winning rock instrumental "Cliffs of Dover" from the platinum-selling 1990 album 'Ah Via Musicom').

The two dip into a jazzy bag on Eric's "Tidal" (a tribute to his own personal guitar hero, Wes Montgomery) and on Mike's surging modal romp "Remember". And it is somehow fitting that these two sons of Jimi close out this six-string extravaganza with a scorching rendition of the famous Hendrix blues, "Red House," with each of them trading vocal choruses.

'Eclectic' is anchored by the flexible rhythm tandem of drummer Anton Fig and Johnson's regular bassist Chris Maresh, who also contributes the open-ended Bitches Brew flavoured "Bigfoot." Special guests include Austin's resident soul man Malford Milligan, Mike's wife Leni Stern who provides vocals and plays n'goni and singer-songwriter Christopher Cross contributes backing vocals.

Tracklist:

1 Roll With It 05:23
2 Remember 06:27
3 Benny Man 04:30
4 Wishing Well 07:38
5 Big Foot (With Intro) 07:08
6 Tidal 05:27
7 You Never Know 06:41
8 Dry Ice 06:52
9 Sometimes 08:08
10 Hullabaloo 03:11
11 Wherever You Go (With Intro) 06:06
12 Red House 04:51

Personnel:

Eric Johnson (guitars, synthesizer, piano, vocal),
Mike Stern (guitars, vocal),
Chris Maresh (electric and acoustic bass),
Anton Fig (drums, percussion)

Plus special guests:

Malford Milligan (vocal),
Christopher Cross (background vocal),
Leni Stern (n'goni, vocal),
Guy Forsyth (harmonica),
James Fenner, Wayne Salzmann II (percussion),
Mike Mordecai (trombone),
Andrew Johnson (trumpet),
John Mills (saxophones)