If a musician’s biggest asset is a distinct voice, then John Scofield is one of the most prosperous guitar players out there. Possessing one of the most distinctive guitar styles; rock, jazz, funk, blues, soul and electric seem to be his main inputs. Whatever his influences are, it’s all great and fun. Although - to keep it simple, I assume- he prefers to say his music is mostly jazz and rock.
I’ve always seen him as a master in the use of guitar harmonies and unconventional phrasing, there is an urban style in his work that generates instant converts. John Scofield’s A Go Go is a great example of this great style. He is serious when it comes to music knowledge. If you’ve heard about the Berklee College of Music, you know what I’m talking about. John is one of its most prominent graduates.
Being armed with top-notch education, he started his career working with people the calibre of Chet Baker, Charles Mingus and Miles Davis. 30 years after, things have turned around and many talented musicians would die to add a Scofield gig in their resume.
Early in his career, he followed a traditional jazz path, until he joined Miles Davis’ ensemble in 1982 (five years after his first record in 1977: John Scofield). A hard-core innovator, Miles Davis encouraged him to experiment with guitar effects and more modern styles. I’m sure just the experience of being there with Miles could transform anyone’s perspective of music.
During this period and shortly after his departure from the Miles Davis’ band in 1985, he released albums such as Electric Outlet, Still Warm, Blue Matter and Loud Jazz, which feature a 1980’s jazz fusion style. This material had a big influence on the course of electric jazz guitar for years to come.
In the 1990’s his music shifted to a more traditional, groovy style. In the early 1990’s he worked with the Blue Note record label, producing some of his most soulful material. John Scofield’s A Go Go was released in 1997 and it is an outstanding and very enjoyable album, which features the essence of the Blue Note years with a more modern twist.
Throughout the first decade of this century, he hasn’t stopped producing the highest quality guitar music. From masterpieces like Ubberjam to That’s What I Say - John Scofield Plays The Music Of Ray Charles, or This Meets That, listening to John Scofield is still full of surprises and freshness.
A very busy touring artist, he is also a professor at the Steinhardt School of Education in New York University. A legend himself, he crafted a style that has revolutionized electric jazz guitar forever.
Guitar Style
John Scofield is the perfect combination of a sophisticated academic style, great use of effects and an amazing groove.
One of the things I enjoy about his style, are his fluent guitar phrases and how his technique can get very tricky, especially when he ventures into complex arpeggios and jazz chord progressions. He doesn’t rely much on speed to express his voice; instead he plays unconventional scale patterns at mid-range tempo with the usual variations that are part of an effective phrasing.
There are two items I find particularly challenging in his playing style: string-skipping and chord voicing.
His string-skipping style consists on playing notes that are not in adjacent strings or frets. Just as an example, he would play a conventional A minor pentatonic pattern going from the 5th fret, high-E string to the 5th fret, D string and then to the 8th fret, B string. He would also play adjacent notes, but by adding this feature the phrasing sounds open-ranged and original.
Chord voicing is very distinctive in John Scofield’s style. He is a master at using chords to play phrases, rather than restricting them to stay in the background as harmonies (if you like this, I really recommend Lenny Breau). This is particularly difficult when considering the complex chords and rhythms that are part of his modern jazz compositions. As if this alone wasn’t enough, I’ve seen him improvising with it!
Also, he has a very efficient use of his left hand digitation. He keeps his left-hand fingers as close as possible to the fret board when attacking the strings. He also plays his scale and chord patterns in the most efficient way possible by choosing the right combination of strings, frets and fingers. This makes an illusion of “easy" playing, but don’t get be deceived by it! (did I mention he graduated from Berklee College of Music?)
Attempting to play John Scofield’s music and understanding all the details behind it (not just playing it by ear) is no easy task. Be prepared to have something like a black belt in music theory. Thankfully, anyone with a taste for guitar music can spend endless hours enjoying his music.
John Scofield’s sound is unmistakeable and very well crafted. For feasibility reasons, I’m aiming to include his better known toys (just image his music storage room after more than 30 years and an always evolving career)
For a long time he played the Ibanez AS200, a love affair that started in the 80’s. The AS200 is inspired in the Gibson ES335 (“Lucille", BB King’s guitar, is based on the ES-335 without the f-holes). As John became more famous and brought attention to the AS200, the natural move by Ibanez was to work on a John Scofield Signature Model. Then in 2001, the Ibanez JSM-100 was first released, a classic Brown Sunburst beauty (this is the only finish available).
The JSM-100 works very well at high volumes as it rejects feedback, something mandatory considering John Scofield’s sound. But it also delivers a great full sound at low levels, which is also a must have in any jazz guitar.
If you like that rich humbucker tone, then think about Ibanez Super 58 pickups, which is what the JSM-100 is equipped with (at both bridge and neck positions).
In his own words: "The JSM100 is a perfect hybrid of a solid-body and an archtop. I love my guitar. We’ve grown up together in this business. I do the thinking, but it does the talking. We’re quite a pair."
Following his preference for a rich sound, it’s no surprise his amps are mostly a Mesa Boggie Mark I and a Vox AC-30.
The first Mesa Boogie Mark I was released in 1972, its main feature being a cascading gain circuitry. Carlos Santana is known to use these amps widely too. Famous for the high sustain they can deliver out of the 12-inch speaker, they quickly gained fans everywhere.
The Vox AC-30 is one of the best known amps from this British manufacturer. This is a 30 Watts, 2x12 tube amp combo that can give a dynamic sound ranging from a clean tone to a more classic overdrive (think Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Queen, just to name a few). Guitar technicians attribute an important part of its success to the EF86 tube preamplifier
The string gauge in his most recent works is .013-.052. But he’s always using different settings, so it’s not reliable to point out a specific one he uses the most.
His effects line-up is a bit more sophisticated than most jazz guitar players, making use of the following:
Pro Co RAT Overdrive. This is one of the most reputed overdrive pedals in the market. Known for a long sustain at high levels and a clean boost when set low. A very versatile pedal used by either heavy metal headbangers to jazz and blues players.
Boss GE-7 Equalizer Pedal. Consistent with John Scofield’s approach to guitar sound, it’s no surprise he makes use of this equalizer, which is one of the best. An EQ pedal is essential when you’re dealing with many effects in your pedal board. The reason is simple: the more effects you add to the chain, the biggest the alteration there is to the original tone. The EQ helps bringing back some control over the output. On the other hand, a blues guitar player getting the tone 100% from the amp would rarely need an EQ pedal.
Ibanez CS9 Chorus. When it comes to Chorus, analog is definitely the way to go. Analog chorus pedals deliver a warmer sound than the digital counterparts, and I like them better as they don’t convert the original signal to digital (losing data in the process). This pedal is widely present in John Scofield’s tone.
Boomerang Phrase sampler and Boss RC-20XL Loop Station. It’s not 100% clear to me when he uses one or the other as they both perform pretty much the same function. My guess is that he uses the Boomerang for live loops (as it’s easier to use) and the Boss for stored loops (as it has better memory features). Anyways, he doesn’t use these pedals very often. Only in few songs during live performances (mostly in Ubberjam type of stuff or when performing in guitar clinics)
Digitech Whammy/Wah. A pedal not used extensively by him, the Whammy changes the pitch of the notes by using the expression pedal. I’ve seen him using it in live performances for his more modern material (again, Ubberjam), but it is not part of his core sound.
Line 6 DL4 Delay. The 24-bit resolution of this digital pedal ensures there is minimal data loss. This unit emulates 15 classic delays, so it’s hard to say which one(s) he selects for his sound. Even if it’s not used extensively, a delay is a must have for any guitar player serious about effects and the Line 6 is one of the best options for that.
Line 6 FM4 Filter.I have tried this unit before, and it has a very cool line-up of funky sounds, including some synth effects. It’s not part of John Scofield’s core sound, but it adds a nice flavour to some passages. I’ve seen him using it in some of his groovy material (think Ubberjam and auto wah). He controls both the Line 6 DL4 and FM4 through an expression pedal.
Micro Synthesizer. This analog pedal is known for its good quality vintage psychedelic sounds. Also, not a part of John Scofield’s core sound but rather a resource for live performances and few songs. Since this unit doesn’t have any storage capabilities, it’s really hard to be consistent at getting the desired sound out of it. Also, it doesn’t give flexibility to use it in more than one setting during a live show.
As you can see, the core pedals in John Scofield’s sound (RAT Overdrive, Boss EQ, Ibanez Chorus) are all analog. This is very important to note since a warm, rich sound is better achieved by using analog circuitry rather than digital. John’s digital line-up (Delay, Loop Station, Phrase sampler, etc) is used occasionally when he wants to add more variety in some songs and live performances.
Album Highlights
John Scofield’s has more than 30 albums to date, without counting his contributions as a guest musician.
John Scofield’s A Go Go is a favourite in my CD collection and one of his best. Recorded with the amazing trio Medeski, Martin and Wood, this album has a top-of-the-line rhythm section. As with any album that has MMW, I can’t help but tap my feet and enjoy the groove. If you don’t know Medeski, Martin and Wood, check them out. They’re an amazing trio from New York (Keyboard, Bass and Drums) and a natural match to John Scofield’s style.
From the title track to Southern Pacific, or Chicken Dog, all the tunes in this album are so enjoyable. One of my favourite things is how he managed to balance his advanced guitar playing with compositions that flow so naturally. If you don’t have this album, I really recommend you to get it.
That’s What I Say - John Scofield Plays The Music of Ray Charles. In John Scofield’s words, one of the most challenging projects he has engaged himself in. The project started shortly after Ray Charles passing in 2004. Like any tribute, the main difficulty is to honour the essence of the artist while adding a personal style to the material. John Scofield excelled at doing this. I actually saw him live while he was promoting this album. A masterpiece of music arrangement, this is one of the most enjoyable guitar albums I have.
Ubber Jam. Besides the funny album cover, this album is a very daring project. John Scofield makes heavy use of electronic effects (see the Gear section in this article) and even house-music drum programming. Having a music genius like Scofield behind this production, they’re all done with excellent taste and effectiveness. This is a must have for modern jazz music in general, not just guitar.
This Meets That. Released in 2007, this is album has some known songs recorded in signature John Scofield arrangements. This album shows all the elements of John Scofield’s mature style. By now, he has experimented with all possible jazz standards, rhythms, harmonies and effects. The result is a sober - yet still innovative and fun- and very effective album.
Loud Jazz. This album one of the main references when it comes to jazz fusion style. An important theme here is the heavy use of synthesizer and innovative rhythm and harmonic patterns of its time. There is a very 1980’s type of sound in this album. From a music point of view, this is a brilliant work. This album is a testament to John Scofield’s influence in the evolution of modern jazz guitar.
Steady Groovin’ – The Blue Note Years. You want to hear some serious groove? Then this is the right album. A compilation of his early 1990’s works (while in Blue Note), this period is marked by a very soulful jazz style and it is a big departure from his 1980’s sound. The instruments and production are more traditional, featuring a Hammond organ, wind section arrangements, more sober (but solid) drum patterns and guitar effects. It is important to note that, thankfully, the essence of these years’ style stayed in most if his work.
Hand Jive. If you like Steady Groovin’, but can’t get enough of that soulful, groovy jazz style, this is the answer. Released in 1994 under the Blue Note label, it contains several tracks compiled in Steady Groovin’, plus few more of top quality
Liquid Fire. This album is a compilation of John’s Scofield 1980’s material with the Gramavision label. It features tracks from Electric Outlet, Still Warm, Blue Matter, Pick Hits Live, Loud Jazz and Flat Out. This is a great reference for Scofield’s early innovations and fusion jazz guitar(and for some tastes, dense style). This is a music giant’s work, but I identify my music taste closer to the 1990’s and 2000’s material.
This is a list of some fun, groovy tracks. It’s by no means complete and they’re in no particular order. There’s lots of stuff that I risked leaving out, but here it is anyways:
Videos
With Medeski, Martin and Wood – Chicken Dog. This song was released in the album A Go-Go. Important to observe is how he only uses 3 pedals: ProCo RAT Overdrive, Boss EQ and Ibanez Chorus. The amp looks like a Mesa Boogie. So, like I mentioned in the Gear section, those 3 pedals and a good amp are the foundation of his sound (plus a nice JSM-100 axe).
Chariots. Recorded at the Montreal Jazz Festival in 1992. This song was originally released in the album Meant To Be in 1991 with Blue Note. This song is included in the compilation Steady Groovin’ too. It’s part of that early 1990’s sound everyone likes about John Scofield. This video shows its good share of chord voicing improvisation and signature John Scofield technique, including string-skipping. Here it features famous saxophonist Joe Lovano.
