Born in Manchester, England, in 1977, British singer/guitarist [wimpLink artistId="5251093"]Matt Schofield[/wimpLink] was not around during the British blues-rock explosion of the '60s (as in [wimpLink artistId="32879"]Cream[/wimpLink], [wimpLink artistId="10998"]Ten Years After[/wimpLink], and [wimpLink artistId="28680"]the Yardbirds[/wimpLink]). [wimpLink artistId="5251093"]Schofield[/wimpLink] isn't old enough to remember when [wimpLink artistId="124"]Eric Clapton[/wimpLink] was with [wimpLink artistId="32879"]Cream[/wimpLink], and he was only three when [wimpLink artistId="67522"]Led Zeppelin[/wimpLink] broke up in 1980. But thanks to recordings, he has been able to absorb many of the great blues, rock, soul, and jazz artists who came from previous generations -- and this excellent CD demonstrates that the recordings of [wimpLink artistId="5251093"]Schofield[/wimpLink]'s predecessors have taught him well. Ear to the Ground, like his previous release, [wimpLink albumId="241479829"]Siftin' Thru Ashes[/wimpLink], is full of healthy influences ranging from Chess Records to British blues-rock to [wimpLink artistId="15102"]Robben Ford[/wimpLink] to [wimpLink artistId="111"]Stevie Ray Vaughan[/wimpLink]. [wimpLink artistId="5251093"]Schofield[/wimpLink] is blues-oriented, but he is far from a blues purist and does not try to hide his appreciation of rock, jazz, soul, and funk. In fact, one of the great things about Ear to the Ground is the way [wimpLink artistId="5251093"]Schofield[/wimpLink] is able to draw on both the toughness of blues-rock and the sophistication of blues-jazz. [wimpLink artistId="5251093"]Schofield[/wimpLink] packs a muscular blues-rock punch on "Heart Don't Need a Compass," "Troublemaker," and "Someone," but his jazz chops assert themselves pleasingly well on "Searchin' (Give Me a Sign)" and the instrumental "Move Along." And from a jazz standpoint, the fact that [wimpLink artistId="5251093"]Schofield[/wimpLink] leads an organ trio on Ear to the Ground is a definite plus; the organ trio, after all, is a format that is synonymous with Hammond B-3 icons like [wimpLink artistId="31958"]Jimmy Smith[/wimpLink], [wimpLink artistId="64654"]Jack McDuff[/wimpLink], [wimpLink artistId="10105"]Jimmy McGriff[/wimpLink], and [wimpLink artistId="3506678"]Richard "Groove" Holmes[/wimpLink]. Those who enjoyed [wimpLink albumId="241479829"]Siftin' Thru Ashes[/wimpLink] will be glad to know that [wimpLink artistId="5251093"]Schofield[/wimpLink] is equally captivating on Ear to the Ground. ~ Alex Henderson