In 1976 Scofield signed with Enja, which released his first album, John Scofield, in 1977. He recorded with pianist Hal Galper on Rough House in 1978 and then on Galper's album Ivory Forest (1980), where he played a solo rendition of "Monk's Mood" by Thelonious Monk.[6] In 1979 he formed a trio with his mentor Steve Swallow and Adam Nussbaum which, with drummer Bill Stewart replacing Nussbaum, became the signature group of Scofield's career.[7]
Also during that time he began to work with British composer Mark-Anthony Turnage. He appeared as a soloist on Turnage's Blood on the Floor: Elegy for Andy. They collaborated on Scorched, an album of Turnage's orchestrations of Scofield's compositions, largely from the Blue Matter period. John Patitucci and Peter Erskine performed at the live premiere of Scorched at the Alte Oper in Frankfurt in September 2002 with the Radio-Symphony-Orchestra Frankfurt and the hr-Bigband. The performance was recorded and released by Deutsche Grammophon.[11]
On September 26, 2006 he released Out Louder, his second collaboration with Medeski, Martin & Wood.[12] The group, known collectively as MSMW, toured worldwide in 2006 and 2007. Scofield performed in a duo with John Medeski named The Johns and in a trio with Medeski and drummer Adam Deitch (Deitch is also a producer). He recorded music inspired by gospel on the 2009 album Piety Street with Jon Cleary and George Porter Jr.
On September 18, 2007, EmArcy released This Meets That, an album recorded with Steve Swallow, Bill Stewart, and a horn trio. In 2011 EmArcy released A Moment's Peace, recorded with pianist Larry Goldings, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Brian Blade. Scofield's 2010 album 54 had its origin in the 1990s when Vince Mendoza asked him to play on Mendoza's first album. As director of the Metropole Orchestra, Mendoza collaborated with Scofield on arrangements of Scofield's compositions that were performed by the orchestra.
Scofield has been an adjunct faculty member in the Jazz Department in the Steinhardt School of Education at New York University.[13]Inside Scofield, a film by Joerg Steineck, a feature-length documentary about Scofield, was released in 2022.[14][15]
Guitars
Scofield's first electric guitar was a Hagstrom; his "workhorse" is an Ibanez AS200 from 1982.[16] He endorses Ibanez and the company has a line of semi-hollow guitars named for him.[17]Steve Vai uses one on the road, for one of the songs from Inviolate.[18]
Scofield plays acoustic guitar on some tracks and adds more sound effects, opens further up to (slightly) younger musicians like Tony Scherr, Kenny Wollesen and Mark De Gli Antoni introducing electronica
Medeski Martin & Wood is an American jazz fusion band formed in 1991, consisting of John Medeski on keyboards, Billy Martin on drums, and Chris Wood on bass. The band is influenced by musical traditions including funk and hip hop and is known for an unconventional style sometimes described as "avant-groove".
Steve Swallow is an American jazz bassist and composer, known for his collaborations with Jimmy Giuffre, Gary Burton, and Carla Bley. He was one of the first jazz double bassists to switch entirely to electric bass guitar.
Joshua Redman is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He is the son of jazz saxophonist Dewey Redman (1931–2006).
Joseph Salvatore Lovano is an American jazz saxophonist, alto clarinetist, flautist, and drummer. He has earned a Grammy Award and several mentions on Down Beat magazine's critics' and readers' polls. His wife, with whom he records and performs, is singer Judi Silvano. Lovano was a longtime member of drummer Paul Motian‘s trio with guitarist Bill Frisell.
Marc Alan Johnson is an American jazz bass player, composer and band leader. Johnson was born in Nebraska and grew up in Texas. He is married to the Brazilian jazz pianist and singer Eliane Elias.
John Patitucci is an American jazz bassist and composer.
Thomas William Ellis Smith is a Scottish jazz saxophonist, composer, and educator.
John Laird Abercrombie was an American jazz guitarist. His work explored jazz fusion, free jazz, and avant-garde jazz. Abercrombie studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. He was known for his understated style and his work with organ trios.
Steve Hass is an American drummer based in Los Angeles. Originally from Island Park, New York, born to Greek immigrant parents from Athens. He is notable for his technical skill, time feel, and his musical versatility, having played with many artists from a wide variety of genres.
EnRoute: John Scofield Trio LIVE is an album by the John Scofield Trio featuring bass guitarist Steve Swallow and drummer Bill Stewart that was recorded at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City in December 2003.
Quiet is an album by jazz guitarist John Scofield. As with his 1992 album Grace Under Pressure, Scofield chose to integrate a horn section into his compositions. The album also features bass guitarist Steve Swallow, and drummer Bill Stewart. Quiet is unique in Scofield's discography as he plays only acoustic guitar. Veteran saxophonist Wayne Shorter appears on several tracks. Scofield returned to this album's format of a trio with orchestration on This Meets That in 2007.
Steady Groovin': The Blue Note Groove Sides is a compilation album by jazz musician John Scofield. The album consists of recordings Scofield made as a Blue Note artist, and were recorded from November 1989 until June 1995.
Meant to Be is a studio album by jazz guitarist John Scofield. It was the second of his albums to feature saxophonist Joe Lovano, and the first to be released as “The John Scofield Quartet” and to feature drummer Bill Stewart- who would go on to record and tour with Scofield for many years. The bassist is Marc Johnson, with whom Scofield had toured and recorded in Johnson's Bass Desires group.
Bar Talk is an album by jazz guitarist John Scofield. It was recorded in August 1980 at Celebration Studios in New York City and produced by Mark Bingham and John Scofield. It was the first release featuring Scofield’s trio with bass guitarist Steve Swallow and drummer Adam Nussbaum.
Shinola is a live album by American jazz guitarist John Scofield, recorded in 1981 and released in 1982 by Enja Records. It was the second recording of Scofield's trio with bass guitarist Steve Swallow and drummer Adam Nussbaum. In 2009 the album was reissued on compact disc in a 24-bit remastered edition with new artwork.
Out Like a Light is a live album by jazz guitarist John Scofield, recorded in 1981 and released in 1983 on Enja Records. It is the last of three albums to feature his trio with bass guitarist Steve Swallow and drummer Adam Nussbaum.
A jazz trio is a group of three jazz musicians, often a piano trio comprising a pianist, a double bass player and a drummer. Jazz trios are commonly named after their leader, such as the Bill Evans Trio.
This Meets That is a studio album by jazz musician John Scofield. Featuring longtime collaborators Steve Swallow on bass guitar and drummer Bill Stewart, along with a four piece horn section. Fellow guitarist Bill Frisell appears on one track.
Country for Old Men is an album by American jazz guitarist John Scofield. It earned Scofield a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album. It features longtime Scofield collaborators Larry Goldings on piano & organ, bass guitarist Steve Swallow and drummer Bill Stewart. Impulse! released the album on September 23, 2016.
Swallow Tales is a studio album by jazz guitarist John Scofield recorded in March 2019 and released on ECM June the following year. The trio features rhythm section Steve Swallow and Bill Stewart. Swallow Tales refers to the trio's bassist, who composed the nine tracks, re-arranged for the recording.
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