Blues-rock and blues-jazz are two different worlds. Blues-jazz tends to appeal to [wimpLink artistId="15302"]Jimmy Witherspoon[/wimpLink] fans who also appreciate [wimpLink artistId="3506678"]Richard "Groove" Holmes[/wimpLink] and [wimpLink artistId="64654"]Jack McDuff[/wimpLink]; blues-rock tends to appeal to [wimpLink artistId="66"]Johnny Winter[/wimpLink] and [wimpLink artistId="111"]Stevie Ray Vaughan[/wimpLink] fans who also know a great [wimpLink artistId="3544300"]Jimmy Page[/wimpLink] or [wimpLink artistId="4125899"]Eddie Van Halen[/wimpLink] solo when they hear one. But there are times when blues-rock and blues-jazz come together; they have often come together for [wimpLink artistId="15102"]Robben Ford[/wimpLink], and they come together with memorable results on [wimpLink artistId="5251093"]Matt Schofield[/wimpLink]'s [wimpLink albumId="241479829"]Siftin' Thru Ashes[/wimpLink]. This 2005 release finds [wimpLink artistId="5251093"]Schofield[/wimpLink] leading an organ trio -- [wimpLink artistId="5251093"]Schofield[/wimpLink] on vocals and guitar, Jonny Henderson on organ, and [wimpLink artistId="4848981"]Evan Jenkins[/wimpLink] on drums -- and that format helps bring out the jazz element. Organ trios, of course, were a crucial part of soul-jazz in the '50s and '60s; the organ trio was a format that served [wimpLink artistId="3506678"]Holmes[/wimpLink], [wimpLink artistId="64654"]McDuff[/wimpLink], [wimpLink artistId="31958"]Jimmy Smith[/wimpLink], [wimpLink artistId="32112"]Shirley Scott[/wimpLink], and many others well. And it is a format that allows for a lot of improvisation on the instrumental "Djam." But instrumentals are the exception instead of the rule on [wimpLink albumId="241479829"]Siftin' Thru Ashes[/wimpLink]; [wimpLink artistId="5251093"]Schofield[/wimpLink] sings more often than not on this album, which offers a healthy balance of blues-rock muscle and blues-jazz sophistication. [wimpLink artistId="5251093"]Schofield[/wimpLink] is a loud, gritty, sweaty, burning dynamo of an electric guitarist, but all that toughness doesn't erase his desire to include some jazz complexity in his recipe -- and that ability to balance blues-rock and blues-jazz considerations serves him well on original material as well as an inspired cover of [wimpLink artistId="2467"]the Box Tops[/wimpLink]' '60s hit "The Letter." [wimpLink albumId="241479829"]Siftin' Thru Ashes[/wimpLink] doesn't take the jazz element quite as far as some albums by [wimpLink artistId="15102"]Robben Ford[/wimpLink] and [wimpLink artistId="3605387"]Dave Specter[/wimpLink] -- [wimpLink artistId="5251093"]Schofield[/wimpLink] doesn't include any [wimpLink artistId="184"]Thelonious Monk[/wimpLink] or [wimpLink artistId="872"]Charlie Parker[/wimpLink] tunes -- but even so, this CD is an enjoyable demonstration of what can happen when blues-rock and blues-jazz are united. ~ Alex Henderson