John Scofield

**kris** · 02-12-2012, 05:41 AM

I transcrbed great 5 choruses of John Scofield's solo of the album "Tal Farlow_Jazzvision_Live at The Wiltern Theatre LA_1987".

Autumn Leaves in the key of E minor.

A lot of great Scofield lines.

**Franklin52** · 02-12-2012, 09:59 AM

Great kris, thanks for sharing that!

**Eric Rowland** · 03-01-2012, 06:23 AM

The video is on You Tube. John Patitucci really gets off into Sco's solo. Great solos by Abercrombie and Carlton as well.

**dead222222** · 04-26-2013, 12:27 PM

Love this

**kris** · 04-26-2013, 01:32 PM

**ooglybong** · 04-30-2013, 08:44 AM

No particular insights to offer as to Scofield's technique, etc.... but I will say that John's earlier work was and still remains my favorite. IMHO, Rough House (with Hal Galper as a ferocious sparring partner!) and Bar Talk (with the great Swallow/Nussbaum trio) are at the top of my list. Lots of other great ones, too, of course, since then, but I prefer his tone and less-funky approach from the olde daze by a little bit. YMMV!

**eddy b.** · 04-30-2013, 09:33 AM

I love Sco too, I really dig the things he did with Bill Frisell like bass Desires, and Grace Under Pressure. His introspective side is my fave...

TH · 04-30-2013, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by ooglybong

No particular insights to offer as to Scofield's technique, etc.... but I will say that John's earlier work was and still remains my favorite. IMHO, Rough House (with Hal Galper as a ferocious sparring partner!) and Bar Talk (with the great Swallow/Nussbaum trio) are at the top of my list. Lots of other great ones, too, of course, since then, but I prefer his tone and less-funky approach from the olde daze by a little bit. YMMV!

Buy Solar Energy by Bill Goodwin... NOW! And come back and tell me if it was a mistake. The best early (and all time) Sco nobody's heard of. By download only. Trust me
Sco plays Bewitched, Carla Bley tune, standards, with Steve Swallow...
David

**ooglybong** · 04-30-2013, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by TruthHertz

Buy Solar Energy by Bill Goodwin... NOW! And come back and tell me if it was a mistake. The best early (and all time) Sco nobody's heard of. By download only. Trust me. Sco plays Bewitched, Carla Bley tune, standards, with Steve Swallow...David

Oooo... I *forgot* all about that one! Know it well actually, but that's finally what I get for not having hooked up my turntable after moving here about five years ago. Yup, I would definitely put that Solar Energy album (1981 LP!) right in the same period of Sco's finest work for sure. Good call!

Amazon.com: Solar Energy: Bill Goodwin: Official Music

Hey, I'll return the favor. Check out Hal Galper's Ivory Forest from the same period (1980, also 'forgotten' about with my LPs). I've always thought that they were 'exchanging' leader recording dates at that point by the look of it.

Amazon.com: Galper, Hal: Ivory Forest: Hal Galper: Official Music

Also a fan of the Shinola and Out Like a Light albums (with Swallow and Nussbaum), plus the early one he did with Richie Beirach, JS Live.

And I really, really hate to even breathe any blasphemy here, but—looking up at this semi-list—I guess that, IMVV*V*HO, Scofield's best work—OK, at least *my* favorite work of his—was pre-Miles. Afterwards, well... that's when he started gettin' more funky—which is fine, of course, and I love those albums, too, but still ....
< Head ducking. Flame suit on! >

Thanks for the nudge about Solar Energy, David. Now... where were all those RCA cables, anyway......

TH · 04-30-2013, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by ooglybong

Hey, I'll return the favor. Check out Hal Galper's Ivory Forest from the same period (1980, also 'forgotten' about with my LPs). I've always thought that they were 'exchanging' leader recording dates at that point by the look of it.

You kidding? I have that one down by memory. Sco's solo Monk's Mood is maybe the only Sco chord solo on record?
John Scofield--with Teramaso Hino came out even before Bar Talk or Who's Who. Teramaso then released May Dance with the exact same band. Twin sessions with Sco, Ron Carter, Teramaso Hino and was Tony Williams on that? Gotta check the actual recording.
He did stuff with Nils Orsted Hennig Peterson, I think it was called Dancing On The Cieling, that didn't make it to digital. As a matter of fact I just don't mention that stuff on the forum because you can't find it, but he recorded a lot in Europe but that stuff's just on LP. And it's amazingly fresh, fiery, adventerous and yes, in my opinion punchier than anything else on record. But he's always been a live player first and foremost. If you saw him live back then, you experienced an event(s) of a lifetime.
He's got some recordings with Dave Leibman, he's got some with Martial Solal, Billy Cobham, a really nice Joy Spring on McCoy Tyner's CD, with Mingus (did you know he recorded with Charles Mingus?!), Mingus's sidemen on a George Adams recording, but I think Solar Energy just about nails it for me. That solo on Ida Lupino... that's up there with my favourite solos of anyone.
David

**Rob MacKillop** · 04-30-2013, 12:41 PM

From that interesting video interview: "All the jazz players know Messian scales". Discuss :-)

**ooglybong** · 04-30-2013, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by TruthHertz

You kidding? I have that one down by memory. Sco's solo Monk's Mood is maybe the only Sco chord solo on record?

Ha! I think you're right. Great album that have to admit I have not listened to in a looong while. GOTTA get that turntable set up!

Originally Posted by TruthHertz

John Scofield--with Teramaso Hino came out even before Bar Talk or Who's Who. Teramaso then released May Dance with the exact same band. Twin sessions with Sco, Ron Carter, Teramaso Hino and was Tony Williams on that? Gotta check the actual recording.

Are you talking about East Meets West (1977) with T. Hino, M. Hino and Clint Houston (piano, drums and bass respectively)?
Yeah, that's another old LP but I somehow never liked it as much. IIRC, that was actually Sco's debut release. Have to give it another try. Yeah, just checked; May Dance has Williams on drums. Great stuff.

Originally Posted by TruthHertz

He did stuff with Nils Orsted Hennig Peterson, I think it was called Dancing On The Cieling, that didn't make it to digital. As a matter of fact I just don't mention that stuff on the forum because you can't find it, but he recorded a lot in Europe but that stuff's just on LP. And it's amazingly fresh, fiery, adventerous and yes, in my opinion punchier than anything else on record.

Got that NHOP album, too. I really used to collect Scofield years ago, but slowly lost some interest as he got funkier on his solo work.
I still found him doing some really interesting things as a sideman since the early '80s, of course, although the CDs escape me.
There's also Live at Montmartre in George Adams/Don Pullen Quartet from 1985. Probably also only available on LP.
Man, there's been SO much great jazz that's never been re-released on CD.
Just checked Wikipedia. There's a pretty long list of Sco's work, both leader and sideman. SO much great stuff.

Originally Posted by TruthHertz

But he's always been a live player first and foremost. If you saw him live back then, you experienced an event(s) of a lifetime.

Never did back then (I would've LOVED to see the Bar Talk trio!), but I caught him with Swallow and Bill Stewart about three years ago locally. PHEW! Awesome! Plus I have a live Paris DVD from recent years that's also excellent.
Don't get me wrong: I still am a big fan, I just prefer the older stuff. Plus anything more recent that nods back towards a somewhat more 'mainstream' approach rather than the funk (which is still fine, too). He's done a few more 'retro' things (IMO) 'lately', too, which I also like a lot (Works For Me, for example).

Originally Posted by TruthHertz

He's got some recordings with Dave Leibman, he's got some with Martial Solal, Billy Cobham, a really nice Joy Spring on McCoy Tyner's CD, with Mingus (did you know he recorded with Charles Mingus?!), Mingus's sidemen on a George Adams recording, but I think Solar Energy just about nails it for me. That solo on Ida Lupino... that's up there with my favourite solos of anyone.
David

Oh, yeah! I have that Mingus LP. I forgot! Actually, I bought that because I was following Phillip Catherine at the time and happened to thereby also discover Scofield. Hmm... that's right, it's all coming back to me now... That's when I went out and picked up John Scofield Live (w/Beirach). Phew. Thanks for jogging the ol' memories!

TH · 04-30-2013, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by ooglybong

Are you talking about East Meets West (1977) with T. Hino, M. Hino and Clint Houston (piano, drums and bass respectively)?

Yup, right you are... but a strange thing, the LP and CD both have the title John Scofield but in the Wiki, it WAS called East Meets West, with a picture of him sideways on the cover, maybe on the staten island ferry, and a photo on the back from his then apartment on West Street. Both done in '77.Those were before anyone in the US or Europe recorded him. He did another CD with Teramaso about a decade ago I think, something like Blues Struck maybe.
He formed the great Swallow, Nussbaum trio in the early 80's. That's about the time I met him. I have so many cassettes from that era, a Sony pro deck and permission from Sco to document. Probably half or 3/4 of the book for that trio never got recorded. I've got a good incentive to find that all and digitize it now! Swallow, Nussbaum... in a tiny bar called the Willow. There was one night when a drunk came in from the connecting bar next door, in the middle of Swallow's solo, Swallow's eyes closed in concentration and this guy sits on Steve's chair, fell into his lap. In the middle of the solo!
Yup, before the days of the big venue gigs.
Amazing all the stuff you CAN'T get. He is the only one who played, and recorded with Jay McShann (the band leader who started Charlie Parker!!), Mingus, Miles, Chet Baker, Chris Potter, ...Sco is the ONLY guitarist who has literally played with the who's who of jazz from the swing era up through the most modern cats. He's always had so much of himself to give.
The early days are great to look back to though.
We look back on those days and we joke-Everybody had hair!
David

**Average Joe** · 05-01-2013, 04:55 AM

I love Scofield and he's the main main reason I got into jazz as a player. Before I heard Sco the jazz guitar players I knew of like Wes or Charlie Christian were of course fantastic players but I had a hard time hearing it as current to me. Growing up in the era of EVH, hairbands and the overall neon coloured horror that was the 80s I could love listening to Wes or Dexter or Coltrane but I didn't know how to connect that to my own playing in a way that felt like it was made today. Scofield was the first player I heard ca mid 80s in a way I as a teen could relate to as being from the here and now. So you could say he was a gateway drug for me

I love his more mainstream things, especially the Lovano discs as well as his work with Chris Potter and Joe Henderson. Also the Rough House and Live period. I like some of the fusion things too even though I don't listen to Blue Matter or Still Warm as much as I did early on. There are still good tunes on those. Not a big fan of some of the later funk stuff like überjam or the MMW collaborations. Unlike the Chambers/Grainger 80s albums, the later things seem very light on melodies.

**Rob MacKillop** · 05-01-2013, 06:43 AM

Works For Me is still my favourite - just good blowing over good changes. No effects.

**willschmid97** · 05-01-2013, 10:52 AM

Had the pleasure of seeing his hollowbody band with Mike Stern (they were both playing teles, ironic) at the Dakota Jazz Club a month a go. What an amazing show, Scofield is my all time favorite player, a genius! I like almost everything he does, from the "Quiet" CD to the raunchy Uberjam.
Mike Stern is high on my favorites list too, but it's hard to put anybody above Sco.

**docbop** · 12-27-2015, 02:11 PM

Saw this yesterday posted on FB.

John Scofield-johnscofieldmused-jpg

**MarkRhodes** · 12-27-2015, 04:34 PM

John's sure got a great feel to much of his playing. Curiously, I didn't care for his work with Miles (and I love Miles). I like John best when he's bluesy / funky / groovy. But you know, I don't think of him as a jazz guitarist in the way I think of, say, Charlie or Wes or Barney or Herb Ellis or Kenny Burrell. I don't think he's in their orbit. (Not that I'm in his!)

**jazzguy100** · 12-27-2015, 04:45 PM

he don't seem to mind being on the guitar faculty at NYU, so somethings gotta feel right

**docbop** · 12-27-2015, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by MarkRhodes

John's sure got a great feel to much of his playing. Curiously, I didn't care for his work with Miles (and I love Miles). I like John best when he's bluesy / funky / groovy. But you know, I don't think of him as a jazz guitarist in the way I think of, say, Charlie or Wes or Barney or Herb Ellis or Kenny Burrell. I don't think he's in their orbit. (Not that I'm in his!)

To me Sco has a sound that he started developing early on and I hear it as he molds it to who he's playing with. So even with Miles I still hear Sco coming thru. Plus playing for Miles what a task, you have be on you creative best from the time to hit the stage till you leave, Miles was all about spontaneity and would be on his synthesizer or trumpet creating new motifs while a song is going on. Then Miles like Wayne Shorter when they'd talk to you it never direct it was in pictures or like a Zen quote you have to ponder never a direct answer.

Sco it cool and definally has the NOLA mojo in his playing.

**docbop** · 12-27-2015, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by jazzguy100

he don't seem to mind being on the guitar faculty at NYU, so somethings gotta feel right

What I've heard Sco is basically doing a master performance class and runs it very loose. He leaves the formal stuff to rest of the staff. When I was at GIT Joe Diorio was same way he was mainly in his office doing open counseling and occasionally would do a performance like class. I don't remember Joe ever doing required classes, but one of the best classes I had at GIT was Diorio's class on play heads of tunes. All we played was heads no solos, you knew what tune to play but Joe would have you changing how you played it on the spot. And it was just Joe you played for it was Joe Porcaro and Bob Magnusson. Having to play for and then be criticized by those three was scary and great.

**MarkRhodes** · 12-27-2015, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by docbop

Sco it cool and definally has the NOLA mojo in his playing.

O yeah! I have the Ray Charles tribute he did with lots of NOLA folk.

**Melodic Dreamer** · 12-27-2015, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by MarkRhodes

John's sure got a great feel to much of his playing. Curiously, I didn't care for his work with Miles (and I love Miles). I like John best when he's bluesy / funky / groovy. But you know, I don't think of him as a jazz guitarist in the way I think of, say, Charlie or Wes or Barney or Herb Ellis or Kenny Burrell. I don't think he's in their orbit. (Not that I'm in his!)

John isn't as much a traditional Jazz guitarist like the other guitarist you mentioned were. I don't think that makes him out of their orbit, just a different head space concerning influences and sonic taste. Charlie and Wes played off of the influences of their time just like Sco.

**MarkRhodes** · 12-27-2015, 09:03 PM

Originally Posted by Melodic Dreamer

John isn't as much a traditional Jazz guitarist like the other guitarist you mentioned were. I don't think that makes him out of their orbit, just a different head space concerning influences and sonic taste. Charlie and Wes played off of the influences of their time just like Sco.

I get that. And I'm not dissing him. I have several of his records. But I just don't think of him as great in the same way as I do the others I mentioned. Perhaps I should, perhaps it's a blind spot, but I just don't. He's like a singer with a limited range but a strong emotional appeal----I can really appreciate that (I love Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan, for example), but to me, it ain't in the same league as Ella, a truly great singer. (YMMV, of course.)