John Scofield

I wish I could say I grew up listening to Jazz and could cite every drummer who ever played with Miles Davis, but it would be a lie. Truth is, it’s taken me time to come to understand and enjoy Jazz. Listening to Jazz is like eating Sushi, you have to know what to order and you have to adjust your pallet to a more subtle, more sophisticated spectrum. I always respected the players and the rich history – it just didn’t really tickle me.

Within the last 5-10 years though, I have begun to acquire a deeper taste for it. My real schooling began when I moved to New York City in 2001. Somehow it seemed blasphemous to live in New York and not connect with Jazz. I had started with the obvious choices years before – Coltrane, Miles Davis, Monk. And from there spread out to lesser known (though not lesser talented) players like Wes Montgomery and Bill Evans.

At some point – I think largely through the other members of Assembly of Dust – I got turned on to living legends like Brad Mehldau, Peter Bernstein, and John Scofield. What I later found out from talking with him is that John really was a product of the 80’s. While most “cats” were teasing their hair and trying to squeeze into spandex, John Scofield was breaking down musical walls with guys like Bill Frisell, Pat Metheny, and yes, Miles Davis! Recently, a week or two after John did the session for Some Assembly Required, we had brunch in a little diner in his hometown. We chatted amiably about music and family. He talked a lot about playing avant-garde Jazz with Miles Davis – mainly because I was fascinated with both the musical exploration, and more to the point, the eccentricities of Miles Davis as a person.

What I took away from the conversation was Scofield’s dedication to his art – his singular drive to create and the depth of his musical journey. Obviously it takes talent and creativity, but it also takes a unique vision and personal will. I guess what I’m saying is it takes an immense amount of courage to pursue an artistic vision for four decades. There is a group on Facebook called “John Scofield is full of soul.” If you scroll through the members you will see people from all over the globe. Israel, Africa, France, Brazil. So while John Scofield may not be a household name in burger heaven USA – he is certainly a mainstay where quality, authenticity, and raw talent are prized. Most of us drink Gallo wine and Budweiser – for John it’s 100 year-old Burgundy. PS: John, if you’re reading this – forgive the age reference.

I think the stars were aligned. At around the same time I started sipping from the aged casks of Jazz, John Scofield took a drink from the “Jamband” well. Probably in the same kind of organic way that I had drifted into Jazz, he drifted into Jamband land. The point of commonality between the Jazz world and the so called Jamband world, is the emphasis and value placed on musicianship and improvisation. For John I think it was like finding a whole other pocket of people who understood what he was going for. Amongst the sea of “wookies” and nitrogen huffers, there are some pretty amazing bands that are probably closer to Jazz ensembles than rock bands. The epitome of this creed is Medeski Martin and Wood. I’m not sure how John Scofield and MMW found one another, but I know that the results changed the playing field for Jambands and probably for Jazz purists alike.

A Go Go and its sister record Out Louder are two brilliant albums. The production is flawless and warm. The playing is inventive and yet accessible. I say to any Jazz purist, if you want to understand the intent and potential of “Jamband” music, buy this record. And conversely to any cracked out Jamband kid – if you need a toehold onto the long road of Jazz, listen to these records.