THIS MEETS THAT - JOHN SCOFIELD
In the company of bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Bill Stewart, John Scofield lays down some nicely contrasting pieces on this blend of seven originals and three covers. “Shoe Dog,” an ambling number with a slightly bent country feel, features a sweet give-and-take between Scofield’s twangful guitar and Swallow’s throaty bassline. “Memorette” has a completely different, purely jazz feel, augmented by the Rosenburg, Feldman, Pugh and Swana horn section. The cover songs — “House of the Rising Sun,” “Satisfaction” and “Behind Closed Doors” — are all handled with Scofield’s distinctive flair. The particularly splendid cover of Charlie Rich’s “Behind Closed Doors” is a luminous improvisation on a gentle melody — it’s one of the major highlights of this thoroughly pleasing Scofield jazz joint.
