"Shoe Dog" is a tune of the country-folk variety that features a precise, characteristic high register bass solo by Swallow. Stewart later adds his own solo, a slow, lazy but real funky one.
"Memorette" is a 6/4-timed, gently urbane piece that provides a chance for Scofield to swing softly but convincingly. "Trio Blues" as just what the title says it is: a blues jam performed by trio (plus horns, of course). Stewart provides some short and sweet fills.
"Pretty Out" sounded familiar to me when I first heard it, and that's because this free-jazz exercise first appeared on Grace Under Pressure from 1992. It's a great tune with a nicely written theme, but in this shorter version, the horns really don't fit in and there's barely time to stretch out. But a welcome change of pace follows with a lively rendering of "Satisfaction."
Recent releases by John Scofield seem to fall into either the "jam band" Sco' or the "arty" Sco'. By now you know this CD falls squarely into the latter category. But anyone who appreciates both the artistry and technique of the man should embrace this record, regardless of what genre you can assign to it. As with a much of his work, good luck trying to neatly pigeonhole it. And that's the beauty of This Meets That: it's dictated more by moods and format, not categories. The commitment to quality makes it all work well.
Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
nice review. i haven't heard this yet but your descriptions are making me think that this is gonna sound a little like What We Do. loved that one.
2 - Pico
Thanks, Mark. What We Do is the only Scofield from that era I hadn't played the crap out of, but to me this new one recalls Grace Under Pressure, Groove Elation and Quiet more than the others. It's almost sounds like a hybrid of the three with a little more of Grace than the other two.
3 - Katrina
Fantastic review. I can't wait to hear this...everything Scofield touches is gold. Recently, I've been wearing out that Ray Charles tribute album, but Uberjam will probably be my favorite forever.
4 - Connie Phillips
Congrats! This article has been forwarded to the Advance.net websites and Boston.com.
5 - Michael Anderson
Really nice review - I saw this on iTunes last night and was surprised ... guess I wasn't paying attention ... sounds wonderful. Love Sco and Swallow!
6 - Pico
Thanks much, Mr. Anderson. I am grateful that no one has given me grief over the fact that I failed to mention the name of the Charlie Rich song that Scofield covered so well...it's "Behind Closed Doors"