JOHN STEIN, Next Gen

As John Stein caps his prolific 30-year recording career with Next Gen, his artfully and soulfully conceived and performed trio album (and 19th overall!) with bassist Ted Lucie and drummer Mike Connors, it makes sense to also honor him upon his recent retirement from his concurrent 36 years as a Berklee College of Music Professor.

While those details ensure a stellar resume as an artist and educator, perhaps the most fascinating aspect of his personal biography is the fact that, while he played in rock bands as a teen in Kansas City, post-college he moved to Vermont, set music aside and worked as a carpenter living in the backwoods with a wood stove and no electricity!

After laying the groundwork playing rock and folk with bar bands, he emerged to become one of the premiere jazz guitarists of our time. While it’s likely his five adoring grandkids know at least a little about Stein’s multi-faceted background, they’re paying more attention these days to the five originals on Next Gen, which were inspired by one of his daughters asking him, upon hearing his 2023 album No Goodbyes, when he would write some music for his grandkids.

As clever and adventurous as his arrangements of “Lover Man” (a laid back presentation in 12/8), Monk’s “Miserioso” (a hypnotic, meditational blues) and the “eyes” songs (a Latinized “Star Eyes,” Wayne Shorter’s dreamy ballad “Infant Eyes) are, the heart and soul of the stellar collection are the five gems that are not only named after his three granddaughters and two grandsons, but fully reflect their individual personalities as well.

His energetic granddaughter “AJ,” represented by a dynamically percussive, quick-grooving romp, must love the fact that Stein chose to open with the tuned penned in her honor. It’s likely those listening to the album will never meet these great kids, but Stein allows us to get to know them through the brisk, swinging “Kai” (a fast runner on his school’s track team), the playful, jaunty “Ellie” (capturing the energetic spirit of his youngest granddaughter), the breezy bossa, laid back “Lidiana” (reflecting her chill personality) and the coolly strutting “Elyas,” which winsomely captures his second grandson’s cocky vibe.

The easy rapport between Stein and his trio sprang to life during the pandemic, when they began playing casual outdoor gigs during the pandemic. Next Gen is their second album together after No Goodbyes – and hopefully not the last!