John Scofield’s Piety Street Band opened the 2009 London Jazz Festival (13 – 22 November) at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. I first came across Scofield as the guitarist with Miles Davis for 3 years in the ‘80″s on three Miles’ albums “Decoy”, “You’re Under Arrest” and “Star People”. Prior to that he played with artists including Chet Baker, Charlie Mingus, Billy Cobham, Bill Frisell and Joe Henderson. Scofield’s solo albums were a kind of jazz funk I didn’t really enjoy. One day, I was waiting for an A&R meeting at Polydor in NYC with the Australian jazz pianist and composer Paul Grabowsky when Scofield walked by. Sadly we didn’t have the courage to say hello…but we did pick up a promo copy of his latest album.
I became interested in Scofield as a solo artist at The Barbican in 2003. My friend came rushing down the steep stairs almost late for the concert. I don’t think she enjoyed it as much as I thought at the time. I was lifted by Scofield’s live music and wanted more. But he’s never really delivered for me since. I’ve heard him live and on record in various groups including with Joe Lavano, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Trio Beyond and Madeski, Martin and Wood?
This time Scofield turned up as the Piety Street Band, the street in New Orleans where he recorded his new album “Piety Street” on Emarcy Records. Englishman Jon Cleary is on keyboards, guitar and vocals. Cleary has lived in New Orleans since the age of 14 – and does it show! Legendary Meters bassist George Porter Jnr and drummer and vocalist John Boutt. From Cleary’s first note I was transported back to New Orleans at the Jazz Festival and other places hearing the strains of Prof Longhair, Allen Toussaint, Fats Domino, Dave Bartholomew, Dr John, Jerry Lee, Sonny Landreth and funeral marching bands. Rockin’, rollin’, tumblin’, R&B soaked mojo sounds and Zydeco. Next to rockabilly, sheer bliss. And when Cleary sang and played electric organ I knew I was there. The band’s mood was so relaxed as they played gospel (memories of Elvis), a secular song about sex, a Protestant 19th Century hymn and Hank William’s “The Angel of Death”. A mixture of music I’ve never heard before from one band. Scofield wanted to make a blues album but settled on old time gospel instead.
But did Scofield fit into his new group? Not really. He’s undoubtedly one of the world’s greatest jazz guitarists. But his style and technique is so different from the free wheelin’ New Orleans musicians who smiled as they played while he grimaced. It took until the last couple of songs before Scofield relaxed and become part of the session. Even then when Cleary picked up his guitar for the last song I knew Scofield was redundant in this group notwithstanding his stunning jazz solos.
There was added joy afterwards in the foyer when I heard someone calling out “Dad, dad!” It was Jon Cleary as he ran up and hugged his grey bearded father and excitedly went off with him while John Scofield signed copies of his new album. I tried to buy one but unbelievably the foyer shop had sold out by the time the audience emerged from the concert. How could they miss out on such an opportunity with CD sales collapsing…words failed me. So I bought Bill Frisell’s new album “Disfarmer” on Nonesuch Records and look forward to his concert with Mike Gibbs and the BBC Symphony Orchestra at The Barbican, my favourite jazz venue.
Bill Frisell’s concert will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 at 2pm on Tuesday 24th November 2009.
