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Crotchet

The John Scofield Band Up All Night VERVE 065 596.2

 

 

1. Philiopiety
2. Watch Out for Po-Po
3. Creeper
4. Watcha See is What you Get
5. I’m Listening
6. Thikhathli
7. Four On the Floor
8. Like the Moon
9. Freakin’ Disco
10. Born in Troubled Times
11. Every Night is Ladies Night

John Scofield – Electric Guitar, Guitar samples
Avi Bortnick – Rhythm Guitar, Samples, Loops
Andy Hess – Bass
Adam Deitch – Drums
With Horn section 1, 4 6, &, 8 & 11
Craig Handy – Tenor, Flute, Bass Clarinet
Earl Garner – Trumpet
Gary Smulyan – Baritone
Jim Pugh – Trombone
Samson Olawale – Percussion Sample 6

John Scofield has a great jazz pedigree, after studying at Berklee 1970 to 1973; he had the opportunity to play in the Gerry Mulligan/ Chet Baker re-union band in 1974 later replacing John Abercrombie in the Billy Cobham/George Duke band. In the later 70’s he played with Charles Mingus, Jay Mc Shann, Ron Carter, Lee Konitz, Gary Burton and Dave Liebman. In the 80’s he worked with Steve Swallow before joining the Miles Davis band in 1982 where he stayed until 1984. With such a background it is hardly surprising that he has grown in stature to the point where he is now regarded as the most important guitarist on the contemporary jazz scene. He is certainly a great improviser and it seems a shame to me that we don’t really hear him as a jazz guitarists until track 4, the first three tracks being full of technically clever stuff that I would suggest has little to do with jazz. Track 4 certainly makes up for this however and it contains some of the best jazz guitar I have ever heard.

There can be no doubt that John Scofield puts a lot of thought and effort into his albums, he had a hand in every composition save one on this one. It is though all the planning and arranging and electronics robs us of John Scofield superb jazz guitarist. I know many will disagree, but I would like to hear him with a good trio playing jazz standards recorded in one take, it would be nearer to the true spirit of jazz. Many of these tracks are amazing demonstrations of the possible, but are they jazz?

Don Mather

 

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