artist/john-scofield-mn0000677991">ohn Scofield as well as artist/bill-frisell-mn0000074397">Bill Frisell, 2 of the most distinctive guitarists of the 1990s (they previously fronted Marc Johnson's band Bass Desires,) squad upward on this quartet appointment amongst bassist artist/charlie-haden-mn0000211483">Charlie Haden as well as drummer artist/joey-baron-mn0000136956">Joey Baron. While artist/scofield-mn0000677991">Scofield contributed all 10 originals, artist/frisell-mn0000074397">Frisell amongst his broad multifariousness of sounds as well as eccentric solos oft comes unopen to stealing the exhibit altogether. Five of the 10 numbers add together a three-piece brass department for color. The interplay betwixt the 2 really unlike yet complementary guitarists is notable.
Fantastic John Scofield set. This was my commencement John Scofield buy later on having had some exposure to him yesteryear agency of Jaco Pastorius' instructional bass video as well as John Patitucci's solo album Sketchbook.
Overall, I intend this is a fantastic album. John's writing is sometimes traditional, sometimes clever -- the opening track, "You Bet," is the commencement vocal I intend I would ever force every bit 'fun' -- but ever smart as well as construct clean as well as tardily to follow as well as head to.
I teach the thought that John was thinking exterior of the box on this album, owing to his having Bill Frisell (guitar), Charlie Haden (bass) as well as Joey Baron (drums) dorsum him, along amongst a pocket-size brass department on a few of the tunes. These guys each choose their ain distinctive styles to the tabular array as well as the effect is a smorgasbord of rich sonic textures as well as unabashed musical adventure.
For those familiar amongst John's function earlier or later on this disc, the music may surprise you. The commencement 3 numbers are fairly straightforward as well as are pretty much similar a shot ahead jazz, but gears chop-chop shift when nosotros accomplish "Scenes From Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Marriage." Once the caput is stated, Charlie as well as Joey boot into overdrive as well as John only goes amongst the menses as well as keeps correct upward amongst them fifty-fifty though he in all likelihood has no thought where they may live going. John wraps upward his solo as well as Bill takes the cake yesteryear beautifully playing a variation on the principal subject spell Charlie as well as Joey switch to a to a greater extent than gratuitous jazz backing.
Then Bill stomps on the gas as well as switches to his distorted audio as well as provides his ain loops inwards the background. He gets crazy amongst the subject as well as hence brings it dorsum downward a notch yesteryear providing an ethereal ambience spell John restates the head. Charlie as well as Joey hence pause off to practice some gratuitous jazz as well as hence the whole gang comes dorsum inwards to roll the melody up.
"Twang" is a blues-inflected swinger as well as "Pat Me" -- a nod to Pat Metheny -- gives Bill the hazard to showcase his acoustic skills. "Pretty Out" is musical mayhem waiting to occur as well as Bill for sure doesn't disappoint on this tune, either. This song, however, may wearable on some people as well as fifty-fifty John has a difficult fourth dimension getting the residual of the guys dorsum on the same canvas to restate the head. They lastly practice it as well as Bill's ending loop -- which fades out to terminate the rail -- is moving-picture exhibit perfect as well as is wonderfully accentuated yesteryear Charlie's unchractersically laid-back bass amongst John's overchorused chords floating to a higher house them both. The mental moving-picture exhibit I teach only from the audio of it is similar picking upward a far-away radio broadcast amongst an one-time transistor radio.
Up adjacent is "Bill Me" as well as gives Bill some room to stretch out. After that is "Same Axe." It's a brusk melody built unopen to a typically Scofield A-A-B-A riff as well as both guitarists solo simultaneously earlier restating the caput as well as ending the tune. "Unique New York" is the quietest melody of the bunch -- as well as the entirely 1 amongst a tongue-twister every bit a championship -- as well as every bit the closing vocal on the album, it's definitely inwards abrupt contrast to most of the residual of the tunes inwards this set, form of similar a sonic sorbet to cleanse the palate.
All inwards all, I intend this a classic disc. While John close seems to live overshadowed yesteryear the likes of Bill as well as Charlie at times, amongst their preponderance for running out into left field, he manages to rein them inwards when needed as well as is really pushed yesteryear their musical experimentation to endeavour some novel as well as unlike materials himself.
A must-have for either the serious Scofield fan or the serious Frisell fan.
I'm surprised that in that place are entirely a handful of reviews here. In my opinion, Scofield's CDs of the early on 90s volition someday live considered jazz classics. ("Time on My Hands", "Meant to Be", "What We Do", as well as this one.) The writing is top-notch, original, as well as quite oft brilliant. The playing is inspired, cohesive, as well as virtuosic. The line-ups are amazing. On this album, Bill Frissell is only the perfect complement to Scofield's playing -- smoothen to Sco's angular. His solo on "You Bet" is 1 of those rare pieces of improvisation that sounds genuinely composed. Charlie Haden is, well, Charlie Haden. Superb. Joey Baron, on drums, is a corking choice to mucilage together these quirky tunes as well as musicians -- he's a very, really interesting (and excellent) player. Scofield is, every bit usual, totally inwards the pocket.
The tunes hither are, to live honest, non overall my favorite of Scofield's. "You Bet" is brilliant; "Bill Me" every bit well. Sco's foray into horn arrangements is a dainty touch, but strikes me every bit experimental here, as well as overlayed rather than integral. (A flake tenuous, too, come upward to intend of it.) I intend he's at his best when he's to a greater extent than minimal inwards his arrangements.
If you're non familiar amongst Scofield's function of the early on 90s, cheque out "Time on My Hands", as well as if you lot similar that, definitely give this album a spin.
Track listing
All tracks composed yesteryear John Scofield
"You Bet"
"Grace Under Pressure"
"Honest I Do"
"Scenes From Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Marriage"
"Twang"
"Pat Me"
"Pretty Out"
"Bill Me"
"Same Axe"
"Unique New York"
Personnel
John Scofield - electrical guitar
Bill Frisell - electrical & acoustic guitars
Charlie Haden - bass
Joey Baron - drums
On 3,5,6,8,10:
Randy Brecker - flugelhorn
Jim Pugh - trombone
John Clark - French horn
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