Uncle John's Band

Description

Named after the Grateful Dead song that closes this inspired double album, Uncle John's Band features the great guitarist John Scofield in a particularly creative moment of his career. Choosing to tackle a decidedly eclectic repertoire, Scofield at the head of his trio composed of Vicente Archer on double bass and Bill Stewart on drums revisits here songs by Bob Dylan ("Mr Tambourine Man") or Neil Young ("Old Man"), but also "Somewhere" by Leonard Bernstein and the great classic by Miles Davis "Budo" from the legendary Birth of the Cool sessions. Other jazz standards like "Stairway to the Stars" and "Ray's Idea" complete the program alongside seven original pieces by Scofield spanning a wide variety of styles and moods ranging from swing to funk to folk. The common thread of the album: the formidable verve of the trio in terms of improvisation. "I feel like we can go in any direction at any moment," explains John Scofield about the exceptional plasticity and versatility of his group. Uncle John's Band was recorded at the Clubhouse Studio in Rhinebeck, New York, in August 2022.