Jazz Articles about John Scofield

Metropole Orkest - John Scofield - Vince Mendoza: 54

by AAJ Italy Staff
September 13, 2010

Non è facile attribuire a qualcuno in particolare questo ottimo album. Apparentemente il titolare dovrebbe essere l'ampia formazione olandese Metropole Orkest che dal 2005 vede Vince Mendoza come direttore artistico e arrangiatore principale. Allo stesso tempo il ruolo dell'ospite John Scofield è assolutamente centrale, sette brani su nove sono scritti da lui, gli altri due sono stati scritti da Vince Mendoza in occasione di alcune precedenti collaborazioni con il chitarrista americano che risalgono addirittura agli inizi degli anni novanta. Ce ...

Metropole Orkest / John Scofield / Vince Mendoza: 54

by John Kelman
May 28, 2010

Metropole Orkest / John Scofield / Vince Mendoza 54 Emarcy 2010 Guitarist John Scofield's shared history with Vince Mendoza dates back to the composer/arranger/conductor's Start Here (World Pacific, 1990) and Instructions Inside (EMI/Manhattan, 1991)--two criminally out of print gems that provided early evidence of Mendoza's distinctive harmonic language, compositional perspicacity and innate ability to get the best out of an ensemble, regardless of the size. Now an in-demand, Grammy Award- winning producer/arranger who has worked ...

John Scofield: Shinola

by Tom Greenland
March 2, 2010

John Scofield is documented in his pre-Miles Davis period on Shinola, a 1981 date with Steve Swallow (electric bass) and Adam Nussbaum (drums). The guitarist's distinctive style is highly developed even at this stage in his career, combining elements of rock and rhythm 'n' blues with post-bop leanings and an uncanny, 'left-handed' lyricism, all colored with a lightly distorted, subtly phase-shifted tone, his legato lines embellished with bent notes, picked octaves and sweet 'n' sour cluster chords. ...

John Scofield: Piety Street

by John Kelman
April 6, 2009

Over the course of his four-decade career, guitarist John Scofield has maintained a successful dual career that alternates purer jazz with projects that skirt its edges and are aimed at a larger demographic. Not that there's anything wrong with that. His That's What I Say: John Scofield Plays The Music of Ray Charles (Verve, 2005) garnered critical and popular acclaim, keeping him on the road for the better part of a year, including a stellar performance in Gatineau, Quebec, near ...

John Scofield: Piety Street

by Doug Collette
March 31, 2009

John Scofield's Piety Street is an exercise in musicology, but it's also much more than that. Without sacrificing the prominence of his electric guitar playing--just utilizing it from a different perspective--this gospel blues album further demonstrates how he has executed similar fusions, in altogether different contexts, throughout his extensive 36-album career.

Just as Scofield doesn't play in an obvious way, simultaneously staccato and fluid, so, too, does he pursue his renewed interest in blues from an unusual angle. “That's Enough" ...

John Scofield: This Meets That

by Karen Hogg
June 14, 2008

Guitarist John Scofield's This Meets That is a trio record--sort of. While Scofield has old friends and collaborators Steve Swallow and Bill Stewart on board as his rhythm section, the guitarist also enlisted quite a horn section for this venture: Roger Rosenberg, Lawrence Feldman, Jim Pugh and John Swana add a harmonic lushness and punch to the arrangements. The originals on the disc are classic Scofield. While there is plenty to please jam-band fans, jazz guitar aficionados ...

John Scofield at Jazz Cafe, London

by Frederick Bernas
April 9, 2008

John Scofield Trio + Horns Jazz CafeLondon, England March 29, 2008

How to begin a review of a concert at which one's musical outlook has been picked up, shaken about, flung around haphazardly and finally set back down in a completely different state?

John Scofield has enjoyed a rich and varied career, the nature of which is aptly mirrored in his guitar playing. Material from his latest album, This is That (Emarcy, 2008), was ...