John Scofield

[Brian D]

You don't see his name thrown around much here on TGP, but what a great player. I just picked up a copy of "A Go Go" and I'm digging it to no end. Tone, phrasing, composition, personality... he has it all.

Any other fans out there? Any recommendations for further listening?

[jazzandmetal?]

I really like Uberjam and some of the playing on the Ray Charles tribute he did.

[slyzspyz]

You're only talking about possibly the most influential jazz guitarist of the last 30 or so years!
If you have the budget, get an album or two from his different era's; maybe pre-Miles (w/ Adam Nussbaum), post Miles (w/ Dennis Chambers or Omar Hakim), the Blue Note era w/ Bill Stewart (I guess I'm distinguishing the era's by the drummers) the 'jam band' era (a go go onwards) etc
Although these days it's not so 'era' driven; he puts out a few CDs every year and they can be pretty diverse, tours constantly, hard worker (might have something to do with having 2 college age kids?)
He is here in Australia as I type this. One of my best friends is playing drums with James Muller and Sco will be joining them for a few tunes at the Wangaratta Jazz Fest next weekend, lucky guy.

[SyKrash]

One of the best.

As scott henderson put it best: "One of the first guys to play legit jazz lines with legit rock tone"

[JS335]

+1 for Uberjam. In the permanent rotation on my MP3 player. Nobody does it quite like Sco.

[geetarboy]

Pick up Out Louder with the same lineup as A Go-Go. One of my favorite players. I've got over a dozen of his albums and they're all fantastic.

[Gris]

BIG fan here... :-)

[clothwiring]

Big fan here too. I love A Go Go and Uberjam as well. Most of his newer stuff does it for me.

[atquinn]

One of the best.

As scott henderson put it best: "One of the first guys to play legit jazz lines with legit rock tone"

I'm a fan and have 6-7 of his albums (I like his Blue Note stuff best, especially Grace Under Pressure (with Bill Frisell)), but legit rock tone? :D

-Austin

[Snottyboy]

Go back and check out 'Hand Jive'...great album as well.

[BarneyFife]

I don't know his earlier stuff, but I have bought his last 4 albums and love every one of them.

He can be nasty, pretty, outside and bluesy all in the same song. And make sense of it all. Then he'll turn around and play a grims fairy tale motif. Sometimes he sounds like a little brat.

He kills me!

[ando]

still warm & loud jazz are 2 of my favs..

[mprvise]

Good recommendations so far. 'This Meets That' is also a great disc - cool treatment of a few classics, and Bill Frisell is a guest on one track.

[rwe333]

Great player w/ many fine releases over a long career...
Still at the top of his game...

[jumpnblues]

One of the "bluesiest" of all the "fusion style" players...and my fav. I love "Hottentot" on "A Go Go".


Tom

[Gris]

I like his take on 'House of the Rising Sun.'

[GP_Hawk]

Was listening last night to his "Still Warm" album. :drool

[bickertfan]

Works for me and Saudades are my recomendations. Great player, sometimes too quirky and jam band oriented for my tastes, but is a fantastic guitarist.

[dets1]

i played the "late night series" at the blue note earlier this year. the featured act that night was a drummer who i'd never heard of. scofield was in his band, so i can now tell everybody that john scofield opened up for us. the sound guy was gonna let me play thru his ac30 but i declined.

[kayemmsee]

instantly recognizable tone and phrasing . . .
i absolutely LOVE his version of Julia (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7-fMhN1djA) with Medeski martin & Wood. there are several hair-raising moments contained within that tune . .
this version of The Chicken (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwhkPSEXs1Q)is kinda cool too

[Rotten]

I'm not sure about legit rock tone; it's not like he is playing a Les Paul through a Marshall. However, he gets that gritty, sloppy and loose rock/blues feel that is so rare in jazz. To me, like Sonny Rollins, his improvs tell a story, rather than endless lines that a lot of folks do.

Also, he writes great tunes - something that I think a lot of people overlook. He is one of my favorite players.

[peacebone]

As scott henderson put it best: "One of the first guys to play legit jazz lines with legit rock tone"

I'd switch that around to "one of the first guys to play legit rock lines with legit jazz tone."

[JLaps]

I really like Uberjam and some of the playing on the Ray Charles tribute he did.
:agree

Absolutely awesome, I love that Ray Charles tribute (That's What I Say) and Uberjam is great.

[derekd]

As far as rock tone goes, he plays thru an AC 30 that is dimed. There are a number of rock players for whom that was their basic sound. John says he doesn't play those fast fluid lines like other jazzers do because he couldn't. His style has become more about shorter phrases that range from funky, to bluesy, to just beautiful.

I saw him in August and there wasn't anything on his pedal board I would own. A bunch of trashed Boss pedals and a very noisy boomarang looper. One tune he did, he did a long intro of just noise created from guitar, looper and a couple of pedals. Steve Swallow was with him, and was as solid as ever.

Sco is a great example of your techincal limitations being used to help define your style. He is instantly recognizable. Maybe more so than about any other living jazz guitarist.

[tvegas99]

John Scofield is the complete package for me, I dig his sound his note choice and his phrasing, his many different projects I love, great ensembles whether straight-ahead or funk...he's everything

IMO his Boomerang stuff is great, he's always pushing

[joemesser]

Have you guys heard McCoy Tyner's new CD, "Guitars"? It's got Sco on some tracks. It is HOT. The whole record is truly sweet. Ribot, Trucks, Frisell, Bela Fleck (OK, banjo....guitar......close enough)

+1 for Sco's work with MMW, now that's hip. I also got to see a show on the Uberjam tour, great sound as well. Sco's taking it Furthur.

[customstrat]

Absolute monster.

I am not much of a jazz fan but he has never came off as the cork-sniffing I'm too good type of player that I get from a lot of the jazz cats. To me he seems like a cool, humble dude.

[bbarnard]

Pick up Out Louder with the same lineup as A Go-Go. One of my favorite players. I've got over a dozen of his albums and they're all fantastic.

While I love A Go Go, I was disappointed in Out Louder. The Ray Charles tribute is great.

[derekd]

[quote=John Alexander;4931578]...I know what you mean, but for me, he is a great example of a player who is not "limited by technique." He appears to play what he wants pretty easily...his lines are more modern and interesting harmonically to me than many of the so-called great "technique" players...guys like Scofield, John Abercrombie, Bill Frisell, Pat Metheny are all quirkey players with GREAT, GREAT technique...they have re-written jazz guitar playing with their technique...they have awesome technique in my book...know what I'm sayin? [quote]


Sure I get you. He also could be William Hurt's (actor) long lost twin brother. He is a dead ringer. And as Customstrat said, he is pretty down to earth. Spent an hour answering questions, and signed/took photos with everyone interested afterward. Just had one guy with him who helped him with his gear, got into a sedan and drove back to NYC.

[gjf]

Sco is a force of nature. It is odd that while I have never liked his straight jazz playing (and I do like jazz guitar), his funk-fusion is some of my absolute favorite music. I think his writing has a lot to do with. Bump is also an incredible disc and may contain his finest writing IMO, although his playing starts to ramp up a bit on Uberjam and Up All Night.

I agree about Out Louder being a major disappointment. Similarly, I initially thought Up All Night to be an underwhelming follow up to Uberjam - but on further listening it has become perhaps my favorite Sco album, well worth checking out, a nice blend between looser group improv and some killer tunes. But no such fate for Out Louder -- unlike virtually all of Sco's non-jazz efforts, IMO it just completely fails to deliver in terms of songwriting (perhaps by design).

[GVDub]

The first time I was ever aware of hearing Sco play was on the Billy Cobham/George Duke Band - Live In Europe album. For me, the standout track on that record is "Ivory Tattoo", written by Sco. I've been a big fan ever since. One of my regrets is not taking the chance to study with him during the period he was living and teaching around the Woodstock, NY area.

[Brian D]

Thanks for all of the suggestions folks. I knew he'd been around for a while, but I had no idea his career spanned so many years. Sounds like I've got some listening to do!