Możdżer+
He is one of the three best contemporary jazz guitarists along with Pat Metheny and Bill Frisell. Enough said.
John Scofield
John Scofield was born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1951. He grew up in Connecticut, studied in Berklee College of Music in Boston and very early began to play the guitar very well. At the start of his career he accepted the invitation to work with Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker. Then for two years he was a member of the Billy Cobham-George Duke band, and in 1977 he played with Charles Mingus and Gary Burton. He began recording under his own name in 1978 and between 1982 and 1985 he toured and recorded with Miles Davis. This last episode shaped the jazz musician and composer in him, although John Scofield is in fact just as good an improviser of post-bop, fusion, contemporary jazz, jazz funk, as well as R&B. His albums – there are more than 30 – feature musicians such as Pat Metheny, Charlie Haden, Eddie Harris, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Bill Frisell, Brad Mehldau, Mavis Staples, Government Mule, Jack DeJohnette, Joe Lovano and Phil Lesh. Among numerous jazz legends he recorded with over the years are Tony Williams, Jim Hall, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, Dave Holland and Terumasa Hino. John Scofield the guitar player is renowned for his readiness to embrace new projects and challenges. Despite the variety of styles he feels comfortable in, he does have his own, easily recognizable sound. John Scofield is on tour approximately 200 days per year and when he is not he teaches music at the New York University. The FAQ section on his website features the following question: “How can I get my career started?” His answer: “[…] Play really well; play really well in environments where people hear you […]”.
johnscofield.com
During the Możdżer+ show John Scofield will be joined on stage by:
Steve Swallow
The biggest names in jazz keep inviting him to record with them. It may well be because he is one of the biggest names among contemporary jazz bass guitarists himself. Steve Swallow is a real virtuoso, who has been bringing inspiration and verve to the concerts and recordings of all the musicians he has worked with over the years, including John Scofield, Carla Bley, Gary Burton, Paul Motian and Pat Metheny. In the 1960s he joined the Stan Getz Quartet, and in the 1970s he recorded with both Getz and João Gilberto. Swallow also wrote music for Mike Gibbs, Gary Burton and Chick Corea (Arise Her Eyes, Chelsea Bells, Como En Vietnam and Hotel Hello). Together with Carla Bley he recorded many important modern jazz tracks of the 1970s and 1980s. John Scofield (with whom he has worked for the past 30 years) considers him his most important musician.
Bill Stewart
Bill Stewart, commonly associated with the New York City jazz music scene, is considered one of the most versatile percussionists of the new generation. He is an excellent instrumentalist and thus a vital member of bands accompanying the biggest stars in today’s contemporary jazz. Maceo Parker, Joe Lovano, Charlie Haden, Joe Henderson, Michael Brecker, Kevin Hays, Bill Carrothers, Chris Potter, Marc Copland, Lee Konitz, as well as James Brown and Chick Corea, are some of the musicians he has toured and recorded with. In 1995 the New York Times ranked his own debut album Snide Remarks among 10 best records of that year, however, Bill Stewart is better known for working with two guitarists: Metheny and Scofield. He is considered the co-author of the biggest successes of the former’s trio.
Photo: Josef Astor