A principal innovator of modern jazz guitar, John Scofield has expressed himself in the vernacular of bebop, blues, jazz-funk, organ jazz, acoustic chamber jazz, electronically tinged groove music and orchestral ensembles with ease and enthusiasm.

From early on, his versatility and technical mastery won him sideman gigs with Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker and Cobham/Duke among many. Regardless of the stylistic setting, his distinct guitar sound and compositions are unmistakably Scofieldesque, always coupled with an improvisational excellence dedicated to the finest in jazz tradition.

Scofield is proud to release his 36th solo album, 'Piety Street', which will be available March 31 on Emarcy. It's a blues inflected album with an adapted gospel repertoire.

"I've always wanted to record and tour a blues project,” says Scofield. “That's where I started as a guitarist and I'm feeling that music more than ever of late. I launched a personal search for musical inspiration beyond the standard 12 bar blues and found it in "old time gospel" music - the closest relative to and inspiration for the R&B that we all love. I've always treasured Gospel but never really dug deep into it. My search led to countless songs that really move me. It's really powerful stuff. Of course, it will be Gospel done my way - all the arrangements are mine."

Joining Scofield on Piety Street are the spectacular musicians, Jon Cleary (piano, keyboards and vocals), George Porter Jr. (bass), Ricky Fataar (drums), John Bouttè (vocals) and Shannon Powell (percussion).

Track highlights include Dorothy Love Coates' “That's Enough”, the Thomas A. Dorsey classics, “Never Turn Back” and “Old Ship Of Zion”, Rev. James Cleveland's “Something's Got A Hold On Me”, and the traditional “Sometimes I feel Like A Motherless Child.”

If you would like to win your own copy advance of this CD, and you think you know all there is to know about John, then just answer this easy question: In the early days, Scofield was a member of which double-barreled named band for two years?!

Send me your answers and if you're correct you'll be in the running to win one of these new CDs! Just send us an e:mail here before May 15th with your answer and the subject title CONTEST: JOHN SCOFIELD CDs to:

exclusivemagazine@flash.net

CD Purchase Link

“I’ll Fly Away” Audio Stream