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. ~ Thom Jurek