John Scofield • John Scofield

 

Review
by Thom Jurek
It's hard to believe it took guitarist John Scofield more than 30 albums, hundreds of credits, and 50 years to release a solo guitar album. His sound is almost instantly recognizable whether he's playing jazz, fusion, country, rock, or blues. The many records he's issued under his own name or with others (including Miles Davis, Gary Burton, Pat Metheny, and Medeski Martin and Wood, among others) has only entrenched Scofield's signature style and sound in the jazz canon. Here he plays unaccompanied with a looper. He offers heartfelt, skillful readings of jazz and pop standards, folk, R&B, country, and rock songs, plus a handful of originals. His looping technique involves comping -- sometimes for the entire duration of a tune -- as he solos over the top.

The set opens with a compelling interpretation of Keith Jarrett's "Coral." Scofield actually recorded it once before with a trio for the various-artists tribute set As Long as You're Living Yours: The Music of Keith Jarrett. This solo take reveals the reason for its enduring appeal. In just eight measures, Scofield reveals the pianist's canny ability to combine traditional and non-traditional harmonics simultaneously while underscoring them with intimate lyricism. A six-minute version of Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke's "It Could Happen to You" is rendered with abundant swing, glorious arpeggios, and bent notes. Not even peer Bill Frisell's version of "Danny Boy" is rendered with as much subtlety and introspection; Scofield moves through the Celtic melody and binds it to North American country music. While the original "Elder Dance" offers the guitarist's bluesy bebop chops, his "Mrs. Scofield's Waltz" cuts across jazz guitar history from Charlie Christian to Tiny Grimes to Wes Montgomery in its glorious demonstration of chordal harmony. He interprets the traditional blues "Junco Partner" through its 1951 original single version by James Waynes while imbuing it with a hint of New Orleans flavor via slippery chords and lithe single lines. Harry Warren's "There Will Never Be Another You," is offered as fleet bebop while "My Old Flame" is a sultry, simmering ballad that momentarily recalls Tal Farlow. Buddy Holly's bumping "Not Fade Way" uses loop technology to stack chord progressions as Scofield unwinds the melody with single-string runs. Its strong rhythmic pulse underscores the tune's debt to Bo Diddley's R&B in the process. The guitarist reveals two sides of his compositional style with the tender ballad "Since You Asked," and the angular avant groove of "Trance Du Jour." Scofield closes with a forlorn reading of Hank Williams' "You Win Again." Fueled by almost constant string bending and almost lush chord voicings, his inherent lyricism reflects the songwriter's poignant resignation. Scofield has distilled five decades of experience into these 13 songs. While the endeavor might initially appear slight, one listen will disavow that notion as he reveals an abundance of musical wisdom and sophistication in his approach to recording solo.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/john-scofield-mw0003696148

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Reseña
por Thom Jurek
Cuesta creer que el guitarrista John Scofield haya tardado más de 30 álbumes, cientos de créditos y 50 años en publicar un álbum de guitarra solista. Su sonido es casi instantáneamente reconocible tanto si toca jazz, fusión, country, rock o blues. Los numerosos discos que ha publicado con su propio nombre o con otros (como Miles Davis, Gary Burton, Pat Metheny y Medeski Martin and Wood, entre otros) no han hecho sino afianzar el estilo y el sonido característicos de Scofield en el canon del jazz. Aquí toca sin acompañamiento y con un looper. Ofrece lecturas sentidas y hábiles de estándares de jazz y pop, folk, R&B, country y canciones de rock, además de un puñado de originales. Su técnica de looping consiste en componer, a veces durante toda la melodía, mientras hace solos por encima.

El set se abre con una convincente interpretación de "Coral" de Keith Jarrett. De hecho, Scofield ya la había grabado una vez con un trío para el disco homenaje a varios artistas As Long as You're Living Yours: The Music of Keith Jarrett. Esta versión en solitario revela la razón de su perdurable atractivo. En sólo ocho compases, Scofield revela la astuta habilidad del pianista para combinar armónicos tradicionales y no tradicionales simultáneamente, subrayándolos con un lirismo íntimo. Una versión de seis minutos de "It Could Happen to You" de Jimmy Van Heusen y Johnny Burke se interpreta con abundante swing, gloriosos arpegios y notas dobladas. Ni siquiera la versión de "Danny Boy" de su homólogo Bill Frisell se interpreta con tanta sutileza e introspección; Scofield se mueve por la melodía celta y la une a la música country norteamericana. Mientras que el original "Elder Dance" ofrece las habilidades del guitarrista para el blues y el bebop, su "Mrs. Scofield's Waltz" recorre la historia de la guitarra de jazz desde Charlie Christian a Tiny Grimes y Wes Montgomery en su gloriosa demostración de armonía de acordes. Interpreta el blues tradicional "Junco Partner" a través de su versión original de 1951 por James Waynes, al tiempo que lo impregna con un toque de sabor de Nueva Orleans a través de acordes resbaladizos y ágiles líneas simples. There Will Never Be Another You", de Harry Warren, se ofrece como un fugaz bebop, mientras que "My Old Flame" es una sensual balada que recuerda momentáneamente a Tal Farlow. Not Fade Way" de Buddy Holly utiliza la tecnología de bucle para apilar progresiones de acordes mientras Scofield desenrolla la melodía con ejecuciones de una sola cuerda. Su fuerte pulso rítmico subraya la deuda de la melodía con el R&B de Bo Diddley en el proceso. El guitarrista revela dos caras de su estilo compositivo con la tierna balada "Since You Asked" y el anguloso avant groove de "Trance Du Jour". Scofield cierra con una desolada lectura de "You Win Again" de Hank Williams. Impulsado por una flexión de cuerdas casi constante y unas votaciones de acordes casi exuberantes, su lirismo inherente refleja la conmovedora resignación del compositor. Scofield ha destilado cinco décadas de experiencia en estas 13 canciones. Aunque el esfuerzo pueda parecer ligero en un principio, una escucha desmentirá esa idea, ya que revela una abundancia de sabiduría musical y sofisticación en su enfoque de la grabación en solitario.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/john-scofield-mw0003696148

 

www.johnscofield.com ... 

Tracks:
1 - Coral 2:52
2 - Honest I Do 4:16
3 - It Could Happen To You 5:57
4 - Danny Boy 4:56
5 - Elder Dance 3:58
6 - Mrs. Scofield's Waltz 4:21
7 - Junco Partner 3:44
8 - There Will Never Be Another You 2:52
9 - My Old Flame 2:36
10 - Not Fade Away 5:43
11 - Since You Asked 4:40
12 - Trance De Jour 4:23
13 - You Win Again 3:30


Credits:
    Design – Sascha Kleis
    Electric Guitar, Loops [Looper] – John Scofield
    Engineer – Tyler McDiarmid
    Executive-Producer – Manfred Eicher
    Liner Notes [English] – John Scofield
    Mastered By [Mastering] – Christoph Stickel
    Photography By [Cover Photo] – Luciano Rossetti

Notes:
Track 1: Kundalini Music
Tracks 2, 5, 6, 11, 12: Scoway Music
Tracks 3, 9: Sony ATV Harmony
Track 8: Edwin H. Morris & Co. Inc.
Track 10: Melody Lane Publications
Track 13: Fred Rose-Cramart SP Acct.
Recorded August 2021

Label:    ECM Records – ECM 2727, ECM Records – 453 1164
Country:    Germany
Released:    6 may 2022
Genre:    Jazz
Style:    Contemporary Jazz
https://www.discogs.com/release/23134313-John-Scofield-John-Scofield

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