He looks like Robert Duvall. When he plays fusion he sounds like Pat Metheny. And when he plays heavy metal it sounds more like Ozzy Osbourne.
The man on stage was John Scofield, accompanied by bass player Steve Swallow and drummer Bill Stewart. Their performance Monday night in Salt Lake City during the GAM Foundation's Jazz at the Sheraton series was a refreshing blend of old and new, displaying Scofield's skills as a jazz guitarist who has no intention of playing only jazz. The evening opened with three original compositions including "Trio Blues," "Down D," and "Green Tea.
" The opening set gave ample opportunity for everyone in the spotlight, including Scofield, who didn't hesitate to finesse a long solo. Swallow showed his versatility as he kept the songs moving with a highlight in the solo of "Green Tea," which explored a range of funk, jazz and disco rhythms. Scofield led the trio through a sublime version of Cole Porter's "Everything I Love," which featured the lead guitarist in a traditional jazz motif.
Bass and drum solos received ample praise from the audience. On "The Low Road," Scofield pushed in the clutch and popped out a stunning mixture of electric metal guitar, fusion and rhythm and blues. The trio marked their return to the stage with a cover of the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction.
" "House of the Rising Sun," which followed, was easily the most fluid, rich and rhythmic interpretation of the evening. Swallow's bass was full of spunk and delivered his most comprehensible and melodic solo work of the evening. The evening's diversity proved the trio's talent but their predictable format of solo work - starting with Scofield, working quickly through Swallow and Stewart before returning to the band's leader - straddled the line between comfortable and stale.
At the request of Gordon Hanks, one of the GAM Foundation's founders, the trio delivered one encore - a blues tune showing once again that Scofield and his men know how to keep their fans guessing about what's next.
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