On those rare occasions when the stars align and you are in the right place at the right time to see the right person, it is an opportunity not to be missed. When the person is jazz guitar legend, John Scofield, and he is appearing at Ronnie Scott's, then that is the place to be. The only cloud in the night sky was that both shows were sold out.
However, as on many previous occasions, this needed to be seen as a challenge not an obstacle. Arriving early for the first performance, the number of what looked like diehard jazz fans at the door was not promising and the door staff were also pessimistic about getting a stand-by seat. Therefore it seemed sensible to withdraw and put all our efforts into the late show. On our return there was less of a queue and happily the door staff recognised us and were sympathetic to our efforts to get in. This time we were successful and were given seats at the bar, which I never mind.
I have to admit that prior to this concert I had heard little of Scofield's music. I knew he had played with Miles Davis in the early '80s and a quick bit of research revealed he had led many of his own groups and also played with everyone who was anybody during his long career. In the advance blurb on Ronnie Scott's web site Scofield said, “All in all it’s a mixed bag of tunes but we treat them equally as vehicles for improvisation - not just covering the songs. It’s challenging. You don’t rely on arrangements as much as the intuitive way we play together. You rely on good playing knowing that there’s no safety net involved. We're three musicians with a special synergy that unfolds between us. I think Trio is always some of my best playing. We hook up as a group and it brings us to satisfying places."
While this was
encouraging in the abstract, in the absence of music it was not particularly
enlightening. A commitment to improvisation can mean many things to many people.
Would it be edgy, spiky and funky a la 1980s' Miles Davis or something else?
Anyway all
questions were answered the moment he stepped on stage, looking like a very
spritely old father time, and launched into Blue
Monk. His playing was effortlessly beautiful and instantly engaging. The
special synergy he talked about with the other two musicians was immediately
apparent. And so it continued for an hour and a half of the most exceptional
improvised music. Although there were gaps between different pieces no titles
were offered, but none were needed. At times it was edgy, spiky and funky and
at other times, rocky and bluesy and even straight ahead jazzy.
Everyone was
totally taken up with the wonderful music and felt assured this was a trio
totally committed to their music and open to where it would take them. It
certainly took their listeners to a very 'satisfying place'. Fabulous! JC
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