After fifteen years with Atlantic, Stern signed with ESC Records for the 2004 release of "These Times", an eclectic album that included guest appearances by bassist Richard Bona, saxophonist Kenny Garrett and banjoist Béla Fleck. He joined the Heads Up label with the August 2006 release of "Who Let the Cats Out"? In 2008, he collaborated with the Yellowjackets for their "Lifecycle" album, contributing two compositions and performing on most of the tracks, and toured with the Yellowjackets for much of 2008 and 2009. In February 2009, in the first of a series of articles celebrating "Down Beat"s 75th anniversary, Stern was named one of the 75 Great Guitarists of all time.