Customer Reviews

Überjam

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

John Scofield was a former member of Miles Davis' and Billy Cobham's bands and he shares his mentors' taste for creating great jazz/funk fusion albums. Along with another ex-Miles Davis guitarist Mike Stern and Charlie Hunter they are three of the best contemporary jazz/fusion guitarists today. This disk follows in the footsteps of Scofield's major label releases such as "Groove Elation", "Hand Jive" "A Go Go" and "Bump". Like his "A Go Go" disk this disk also features groove master John Medeski on keyboards. However, with this album Scofield incorporates both sampling and rap ("I Brake 4 Monster Booty") into his arsenal. While the sampling is effective and interesting. The rap doesn't do much for me. I would have enjoyed the track just as much if it were strictly instrumental. Scofield also effectively adds an Eastern feel to the opening track "Acidhead". This attempt is highly entertaining and makes this the standout track on the disk. Think of a funkier version of Shakti with sampling. I hope he utilizes this style some more in the future. Other favorites include "Offspring", "Uberjam" which interpolates "Blue Moon" and "Snap Crackle Pop". The band play very well as a unit and the drumming of Adam Deitch is both funky and complex. It perfectly complements Scofield's jagged guitar style. Scofield is also equally adept at playing acoustically. Parts of this disk remind me of some of Jeff Beck's finer jazz/fusion moments. Fans of Medeski Martin and Wood and Soulive will enjoy this disk. All in all another fine disk from John Scofield. I can hardly wait to hear how his brand of jazz/rock/funk fusion will evolve next.

Praise Jaysuz! Sco' is staying with the groove-funk thing for a third album. He does so much with this deceptively simple form, is so inventive and unpredictable (but always musical), that it's a toss-up what's going to wear out first: your frontal lobes from analyzing the tasty, complex runs he plays, or your fingerprints from snapping along in time. And check out the flute on the second cut. Shades of Sam Most, Eric Dolphy, and Roland Kirk. Great supporting players here. It's nice to see that John Scofield, having proven to the neo-traditionalist "jazz intelligentsia" that he can play postmodern bebop (TIME ON MY HANDS,GRACE UNDER PRESSURE) has the stones to ignore the critical vapouring over the "commerciality" of his funk music and just play what challenges him and makes his loyal listeners happy. Take my word for it: don't heed what huffy traditionalists and cranky juvenile reviewers say. At John's stage of the game, anything he does is worthwhile, and UBERJAM is modern Sco' at his BillyCobhamMilesDavisBlueMatterBumpin' BEST! Buy it, marvel at his skill, and enjoy.

I first heard this disc cranking loud in a music store that caters to the studded leather 20-ish crowd who listen to Korn and make the annual pilgrimage to Ozzfest. The clientele and the employees in the store were all groovin' to the funky beat. I start bopping along to, then all of sudden I think, "Wait a minute, I recognize that guitar. That's John Scofield! What the heck are these kids doing listening to JAZZ?" Then I thought, "They don't even know it's jazz. They all think it's some kind of new heavy metal." And they're right. That's how hard it is to categorize this recording. But it doesn't matter. Uberjam kicks booty. Next thing you know, those kids will be checking out Bitch's Brew and thinking they've discovered new music. And they'll be right.

This was the first Scofield album I purchased. Apparently, I was lucky. I've heard he has some real hits and misses - well, this album is definitely a hit.

He's off the drugs, but this album complements their use perfectly. It's a sonic blend of world sounds, funk, groove, and all-out jamming. If you're a fan of Medeski, Martin, and Wood, or Richard 'Groove' Holmes, or Jimmy Smith, you're going to love this album. Scofield has all the talent of Pat Metheny, but with a little more umph.

Each track on the album complements the one after it perfectly. You can tell that Scofield isn't trying too hard - he isn't forcing the sound. The very fact that the group here isn't taking itself too seriously, (and by the way, the other players on this disc do a wonderful job of grooving around Sco's guitar), can be heard in the music, and does wonders for the overall feel of the album. This is music you can groove to for a long time, with plenty of light scratches and well-placed electronic samples that are just enough *but not too much* to add spice to the sound without washing out the real art that is taking place.

Uberjam is the perfect title for such a perfectly groovy, funky offering from the guitar great, John Scofield.

I always get a big smile when old school jazz heads disregard an artist's foray into new and "hip" territory. Blah, blah, listen to some Joe Pass, blah, blah. I can only imagine what was said about Miles during his career. Great musicians are constantly evolving....and Scofield sprouted legs on this album.

Very few records have had as profound an effect on me as this one has. Uberjam knocked me back so hard on first listen that it has taken me about a month and many repeated listenings to get enough perspective to write about it. Even now, I am struggling to find words to describe it.

I've been a fan of Scofield's, more or less, for about 10 years now. Some of his records I liked a lot, some a little, but I've always admired his offbeat improvisational style. Having grown up listening to rock and roll (I still do), I find his rockier and funkier recordings most enjoyable, especially "A Go Go" and "Bump". In my opinion, Scofield needs a deep groove to really shine. And with the Uberjam band, man, has he found it.

I won't list and describe the band members - other reviewers have done that well here - but suffice it to say that they are amazing. They lay down a groove so deep and wide that you can get lost in it. And Scofield rides that groove with the gleeful abandon that is only possible with complete mastery of an instrument. His playing here goes far beyond anything else he has done, in its boldness, fluidity, and sheer power. It is so naturally appealing (to me, anyway) that I cannot get enough of it. It's actually become a problem for me - I've been trying to hide the disc from myself lately, and I have to force myself to listen to anything else! <...That having been said, I doubt that this record will have the same effect on everyone. My experience probably has to do with the all the music I have listened to, my personal tastes, and my appreciation for Sco's style, among other things. But you owe it to yourself to give it a spin. A record like this one doesn't come around very often.

Imagine if Scofield, Medeski, Denson, Bortnick and Hess combined on one album. Can you imagine the funky groove? then throw in some electronice type sampling and freaking guitar playing and you can move to this album all day. To hear how Scofield has funked up his tastes for this album (though Bump and his work with MMW hinted at this)is inspiring. I consider this something so new and futuristic that if it was released in 50 years people would still be amazed at the hip and deep grooves. Special note: check out Avi Bortnicks rhythm guitar, its so snappy and funky it makes me cry! Enjoy something so special.

This cd is a blast. I've played it work and people walk into my office, non-jazz fans mind you, and they are instantly drawn into the sound. The melodies and back-beats are quite infectious.

Having just seen JSB at the Park West on 3/8/02, the person having the most fun (time of his life?) is Sco himself. Probably what's most thrlling for Sco is the way his sound has drawn in (droves) such a young crowd. ...

The JSB is Sco's most talented traveling ensemble ever and the band you hear on the record is basically the same group he's touring with. I've seen Sco half a dozen times and for me this band completely blew me away.

- Avi Borkman's rhythm guitar playing literally stands a pace above anything else I've heard. Charlie Hunter says he's the greatest rhythm player in the world - listen to Snap Crackle Pop to find out why; and his weird, funky samplings provide a quirkiness to take you outside that analytic mode of I gotta understand everything. One of the greatest thrills is seeing Sco play rhythm with another guitarist (e.g., I Brake 4 Monster Booty).

- Adam Dyche on drums is forceful and funky. This is the heart and soul of the sound that has taken Sco's music to a whole new level.

- Jesse Murphy bass hips and hops and gives the sounds wonderful bounce. He also brings in a dub sound on certain songs that takes the sound into a completely new dimension.

The music on Uberjam will appeal to a greater span of audience than anything Sco has done before. People who aren't jazz fans, even rock fans, will love this music. It bops, grooves, moves, and will hopefully put a smile on your face and tap in your toes as it did for me.

I have something around 15 Scofield CDs. Uberjam is among the top 3. Sco and a young, groovy, innovative band found the right chemistry for a fresh new sound. Jazz and pop shake hands on a fun CD full of great musical energy. Definitely a must have.

This is the grooviest "Scofield" record until now. Though it isn't as jazzy as "Take five"or "Groove Elation", it is instead much more groovy, dynamic and live. This record is packed to the last byte with great musical understanding and rythm between bass, drums and rythm guitar.
The "youngsters" Scofield has summited on this record are driving the groove to a place where Scofield never has been before. That you can hear. He should stay with theese guy's, and prosper (with all Scofield fans) for future records...
The sound, dynamics and perspective on the recording is at normal "Scofield-standard" which means very high! 5-stars!