Audio CD review:
John Scofield - Groove Elation

John Scofield - Groove Elation

Band: John Scofield Title: Groove Elation Rating: Release Date: 24 October, 1995 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Lazy 2: Peculiar 3: Let the Cat Out 4: Kool 5: Old Soul 6: Groove Elation 7: Carlos 8: Soft Shoe 9: Let it Shine 10: Bigtop

Customer Reviews Cheezy cover, smokin' music If you like jazz, you may or may not like this. If you're reading this, you are either a jazz head or a scofield fan. Jazz is like Christianity: there are so many denominations that just saying "Jazz" doesn't really mean anything. That said, this is more like A-Go-Go and Bump than Scofield's more "pure" jazz recordings. It is, however, less abstract and Avante Garde than either of those. Confused yet? Well, lets just say its groovy, jazzy, interesting music, perfectly composed and perfectly played. This is, however, about THE worst album cover I've ever seen. . . . come on Sco', where is your dignity man?!?!? (:. Groovy He's one of those players that makes you want to slam your fingers in a door and run your guitars through a wood chipper. John Scofield is a phenomenal player. A tendency for guitar players is to let their guitars "talk" too much, but not Scofield. His phrasing only contains the right number of notes and they are never rushed. He's also not afraid of letting his guitar be silent either, letting his pauses build tension in the music as rhythm keeps moving forward. Don't be mistaken that this is a guitar album, because it is not. This album might have Scofield's name on it, but it is definitely a group effort. Larry Goldings adds to the magic with counterpoint on the organ and piano, the walking bass of Dennis Irwin, and drummer Idris Muhammad drums the way jazz should be played. All of the songs on this album are keepers, and were written by Scofield. Each song is inherently different, and provides a great listening experience. From his soft tones in "Soft Shoe" to the opening groove in "Lazy", Scofield writes and plays beautifully. Scofield also brings horns into the mix with songs like "Bigtop", "Lazy", and "Kool". This is a fun album to listen to as the band interacts as one. Each member builds off of the other. Even though the soloist stands out, you can still hear each individual member as if they were playing alone. Very rarely do you hear such talent mix so well that one is not playing on top of another. If you're into jazz, admire great musicians, and like music that has something to say, look no further. Excellent - one of his best This album simply does not have a low point or weak track. Scofield's has put together a fantastic group of musicians and tunes for this rhythmic workout. Most tracks feature a nice, accessible funky groove, hence the title. Sco does slow it down for a few tunes to feature his acoustic guitar, with pleasing results. The horns and organ contribute heavily on several tunes, although there is still room for Sco to stretch out with some great solos on most tracks. The lone complaint I would have is that the bass is not quite loud enough in the mix. On a funky set like this, I would have liked to hear the bass a bit more prominently. This album should rank as one of Sco's finest, a fine complement to "a go go" and "bump" which are also highly recommended. For the keen ear, listen carefully for motifs and beats (tracks 4 and 10) that Sco explores again later on his next two funk albums. . You can see a complete list of all John Scofield discography, or go back to the John Scofield tabs