JOHN SCOFIELD - Past Present
(Impulse Records)
John Scofield - guitar; Joe Lovano - tenor; Larry Grenadier - bass; Bill Stewart - drums.
Some real heavyweight players here on this updating of Scofield’s epochal early 90s quartet, with Larry Grenadier a highly simpatico stand-in for Dennis Irwin. The original band recorded for Blue Note, and this year’s version is on the re-boot of that other seminal label, Impulse. The intervening years have brought their share of tragedies - the song titles here commemorate Scofield’s son Evan, who passed away in 2013 - but his talent and appetite for the music remain undimmed.
Opener ‘Slinky” is classic Scofield - a mutated low-slung blues-inflected groover. Genadier contributes a rootsy, big-toned chorus, showcasing his old-school, high-action, low-sustain approach that suits this music perfectly. ‘Past Present” recalls Aaron Copland as well as Oliver `Nelson’s ‘Hoe-Down’ in it’s wide-eyed enthusiasm, and Ornettes harmolodics in the melodically abstract solos . “Hangover” belies it’s title to reveal itself as a lyrical waltz, with a soft-toned solo from Lovano. The latter shows off his hard-swinging blowing chops on “Enjoy The Future” demonstrating the perfect command over the form that’s kept him at the top of the tenor saxophone rankings for over two decades.
Bill Stewart is the perfect partner for this venture - relaxed and loose but impeccably swinging, he cooks up a real storm on “Get Proud”, the sort of laid-back but on-the-money boogaloo groove that Scofield has made his own. With Stewart underpinning proceedings, the whole album emanates an effortless sincerity; it’s the sound of players thoroughly at home in the deepest roots of the tradition, so that they summon up the freewheeling spirit of the 60s Impulse post-bop era without ever sounding corny. Scofield balances his love of altered harmony with some accessible
arrangements, and the quartet format gives everyone room to stretch out without descending into self-indulgence. The recording sounds warm and authentically ambient, making this a worthy addition to a classic catalogue.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer.
(Impulse Records)
John Scofield - guitar; Joe Lovano - tenor; Larry Grenadier - bass; Bill Stewart - drums.
Some real heavyweight players here on this updating of Scofield’s epochal early 90s quartet, with Larry Grenadier a highly simpatico stand-in for Dennis Irwin. The original band recorded for Blue Note, and this year’s version is on the re-boot of that other seminal label, Impulse. The intervening years have brought their share of tragedies - the song titles here commemorate Scofield’s son Evan, who passed away in 2013 - but his talent and appetite for the music remain undimmed.
Opener ‘Slinky” is classic Scofield - a mutated low-slung blues-inflected groover. Genadier contributes a rootsy, big-toned chorus, showcasing his old-school, high-action, low-sustain approach that suits this music perfectly. ‘Past Present” recalls Aaron Copland as well as Oliver `Nelson’s ‘Hoe-Down’ in it’s wide-eyed enthusiasm, and Ornettes harmolodics in the melodically abstract solos . “Hangover” belies it’s title to reveal itself as a lyrical waltz, with a soft-toned solo from Lovano. The latter shows off his hard-swinging blowing chops on “Enjoy The Future” demonstrating the perfect command over the form that’s kept him at the top of the tenor saxophone rankings for over two decades.
Bill Stewart is the perfect partner for this venture - relaxed and loose but impeccably swinging, he cooks up a real storm on “Get Proud”, the sort of laid-back but on-the-money boogaloo groove that Scofield has made his own. With Stewart underpinning proceedings, the whole album emanates an effortless sincerity; it’s the sound of players thoroughly at home in the deepest roots of the tradition, so that they summon up the freewheeling spirit of the 60s Impulse post-bop era without ever sounding corny. Scofield balances his love of altered harmony with some accessible
arrangements, and the quartet format gives everyone room to stretch out without descending into self-indulgence. The recording sounds warm and authentically ambient, making this a worthy addition to a classic catalogue.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer.
