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BOBBY STERN

Bobby Stern(www.bobbysternjazz.com)

"It's a long story, so I'll just give you some of the highlights (low-lights, or no-lights omitted) in rough chronological order...

  • Born in Rochester, New York, USA into a family of musicians and raised in New York City.

  • Parents were professional opera singers (father, Maurice Stern; stepmother, Rita Loving)

  • Brother Stevie - guitarist/ singer/ blues harp master

  • Sister Heidi is the pop singer better known as Jennifer Rush

  • As teenager, learned to play the blues harp by copying Little Walter solos

  • attended the High School of Music & Art in NYC

  • Took beginning saxophone lessons with famed woodwind guru Joe Allard

  • Moved with family to Germany after junior year

  • Played first professional gigs in US military clubs in Frankfurt area

  • Made first recording as member of "Jazz Fusion" group "Virgo"

  • Made first solo recording "Bobby Stern and Head, Heart & Hands - Libra"

  • toured Europe with Brazilian show "Brazil Tropical"

  • Re-formed Head, Heart & Hands(w/ Roy Louis - g, Geoff  Stradling - kybds, Wolfgang Schmid - b,  Guillermo Marchena - dr, voc, Elmer Louis - perc), recorded 2 more albums, played many festivals

  • became a member of long standing Salsa group "Conexion Latina"

  • Toured Spain with Thad Jones Septet

  • performed several concerts with Spanish piano legend Tete Montoliou

  • appeared as soloist on many pop & disco albums of the period recorded in Munich

  • recorded as soloist on Marvin Gaye's "Midnight Love" album, co-produced by Harvey Fuqua

  • attended Berklee College of Music for one semester on a tuition scholarship

  • several gigs with guitarist Joe Perry (Aerosmith) in the Boston area & NYC

  • relocated back to NYC; worked with several Salsa bands; played many weddings

  • studio sessions as soloist with popular music producers such as Mike Powell, Phil Ramone, Desmond Child, Harald Faltermeyer, et al.

  • completed course at the Institute of Audio Research, NYC for recording engineers

  • awarded National Endowment for the Arts study grant to study saxophone and jazz improvisation with David Liebman

  • toured Europe with Jennifer Rush

  • began playing the Eletronic Woodwind Instrument (EWI)

  • toured Europe with rock ' n' roll show including Clarence Clemons, Alvin Lee & John Mayall

  • released self produced and recorded CD, "Ten to 2" featuring the EWI exclusively

  • featured on recording with Conexion Latina - "Mambo 2000", which included Benny Bailey - tp & Nicky Marerro - timbales.

  • produced "hip hop", "house", "smooth jazz" etc. for small labels inGermany

  • was guest teacher for two semesters at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, teaching saxophone, improvisation & ensemble

  • authored "The Melodic Minor Handbook: A Jaxx Players Perspective, published by Jamey Aebersold.

  • took part in alto saxophone legend Charlie Mariano's 85th Birthday Concert in Stuttgart, Germany

  • recorded with, among others, Charlie Mariano - as, Billy Cobham - dr & Chaouki Smahi - oud, leader, "La Rose du Sable/Thinking of You". This was Charlie's final recording session.

  • took part in a seminar on Karnatic (South Indian) Music hosted by the German Youth Jazz Orchestra (BuJazO) and featuring distinguished vocalist R.A. Ramamani and her husband, master percussionist T.A.S. Mani; eminent members of the Karnataka College of Percussion.

in Bangalore. This was a profound musical experience.

  • took part in several concerts, including the North Sea Jazz Festival with a group including Jasper van't Hof -  Phillip Catherine-g, Dieter Ilg-b & John Marshall- dr, performing "The Music of Charlie Mariano" in memory of one year of his passing.

  • recording and concerts as a member of Wolfgang Dauner's United Jazz and Rock Ensemble, 2nd Generation."  ~Bobby Stern

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