The Phoenix Network:
 
 
 
About  |  Advertise
Adult  |  Moonsigns  |  Band Guide  |  Blogs  |  In Pictures
 
CD Reviews  |  Classical  |  Live Reviews  |  Music Features
ted-kennedy-memorial-1000

John Scofield | Piety Street

EmArcy (2009)
By JON GARELICK  |  March 30, 2009
3.0 3.0 Stars

090403_Scofield_m

On the surface, this would seem a genre exercise — a professor/doctor of jazz guitar looking into the deep book of American gospel because it's . . . "interesting." But Scofield's integrity remains intact.

He snared a top-flight rhythm section with a hefty dose of New Orleans — keyboardist John Cleary, Meters bassist George Porter Jr., and drummer Ricky Fataar — and recorded at the NOLA studio of the title. And he understands that this is vocal music, so in addition to recruiting Cleary and Crescent City veteran John Boutté for vox duties, he plays like a singer, his own solos faithful to the vocal-melodic line, even as he spits pearly ornaments and note clusters.

He plays with a throaty sound, conjuring syllabic bends and breaks, often with an extra dash of B.B. King bite in his articulation. Testifying, he drops from a high-tenor range to deep baritone on Dorothy Love Coates's "That's Enough," or opens up the wah-wah on "Something's Got a Hold on Me." Perhaps best of all is a super-slow "The Old Ship of Zion," Thomas A. Dorsey's chestnut rearranged for Cleary's oozing funereal organ, Fataar's cymbal tapping in insistent triplet eighth-notes, Porter a never-ending marvel of groove and melody, and Scofield's guitar moaning along with them.

JOHN SCOFIELD PIETY STREET BAND | Regattabar, Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St, Cambridge | April 3-4 | 617.395.7757 or www.regattabarjazz.com

Related: Medeski Scofield Martin and Wood, Three in two, DIY and more, More more >
  Topics: CD Reviews , John Scofield, John Scofield, John Scofield,  More more >
  • Share:
  • Share this entry with Facebook
  • Share this entry with Digg
  • Share this entry with Delicious
  • RSS feed
  • Email this article to a friend
  • Print this article
Comments

Best Music Poll 2009 winners
BMP_WINNERS_AD
Today's Event Picks
ARTICLES BY JON GARELICK
Share this entry with Delicious
  •   MORE THAN GUITAR  |  September 08, 2009
    "I like using songs to change the environment — to get the listener's ear to be a little skewed."
  •   LUIS BONILLA | I TALKING NOW  |  September 02, 2009
    Sometimes even the fanciest jazz virtuosity can sound routine, if for no other reason than that we've heard it all before.
  •   REVIEW: DR. JOHN AND THE NEVILLE BROTHERS AT HOUSE OF BLUES  |  September 08, 2009
    Even long-time fans probably didn't expect the generous, inspiring show Dr. John and the Neville Brothers delivered as part of a "Mardi Gras Mambo" tour stop at the House of Blues last Friday.
  •   NO TRANSLATION NECESSARY  |  August 31, 2009
    Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys — named for their home town in southwest Louisiana — play music for dancing.
  •   STREET RHYTHM  |  August 25, 2009
    In the city where Florencia Gonzalez grew up — the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo — every neighborhood has its own candombe group. These are drum outfits that might meet on a Sunday afternoon, a Wednesday night, or particular holidays, depending on neighborhood tradition.

 See all articles by: JON GARELICK

MOST POPULAR
RSS Feed of for the most popular articles
 Most Viewed   Most Emailed 



  |  Sign In  |  Register
 
thePhoenix.com:
Phoenix Media/Communications Group:
TODAY'S FEATURED ADVERTISERS
Copyright © 2009 The Phoenix Media/Communications Group