Bobby Stern
.....that's who!!!

It's a long story...here are some of the highlights 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 - singer/ sculptor/ artist Maurice Stern; stepmother - pianist/ singer Rita Loving)
• brother Stevie Stern - 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 in Spain with legendary pianist 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, in 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 AKAI Electronic Woodwind Instrument (EWI)
• toured Europe with rock ' n' roll show including Clarence Clemons, Alvin Lee & John Mayall, et al
• 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 in Germany
• was guest instructor for two semesters at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, teaching saxophone, improvisation & ensemble
• authored "The Melodic Minor Handbook: A Jazz Player's 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 Carnatic 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; founders of the Karnataka College of Percussion in Bangalore, India. 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 - p,  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 & Rock Ensemble, 2nd Generation
• authored "Slick Licks That Stick!", "The Ultimate! Diminished Scale Coloring Book" as well as an expanding library of  Shortbooks™, all available from this website.

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In Memory of Charlie Mariano & Guillermo Marchena

Charlie Mariano - Painting by his wife Dorothee

Guillermo Marchena