Who Let the Cats Out?

Released on August 15, 2006, through Heads Up International, Who Let the Cats Out? is a prominent studio album in guitarist Mike Stern's extensive discography. Produced and engineered by longtime collaborator Jim Beard, the album showcases Stern's signature blend of jazz fusion, post-bop, and blues rock across eleven instrumental tracks. The recording features an elite lineup of guest musicians, including bassists Victor Wooten, Richard Bona, and Anthony Jackson, alongside saxophonist Bob Franceschini and trumpeter Roy Hargrove, creating a highly collaborative and dynamically rich sonic landscape.

The album is characterized by its pristine, high-fidelity production, engineered and mixed by Jim Beard and Phil Magnotti, with mastering handled by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound in New York. Musically, the record balances complex, fast-tempo unison heads on tracks like 'Tumble Home' and 'Blue Runway' with soulful, blues-drenched explorations like 'Texas'. Stern's distinct guitar style, marked by a heavy use of chorus and delay, remains the central voice, frequently doubled by wordless vocal lines or sharp horn stabs. This release solidifies Stern's position as a premier architect of modern fusion, delivering a polished yet highly energetic performance.