Customer Reviews

Live

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This was the first recording of Scofield I heard in the late 1970s, and it changed the way I've thought of jazz harmony ever since. I enjoy what Sco is playing now, but his earlier straight-ahead playing was more melodically adventuresome and lyrical. On this record, he has a first call New York 70s rhythm section, Richie Beirach, George Mraz and Joe LaBarbera. Beirach and Mraz were incredible together--where are they now? Listen to the piano solo on "Leaving," one of the most powerful I've ever heard recorded.

I grew up playing jazz in the 1970s, and this record reminds me of what Debussy once said of Wagner, "a beautiful sunset that many mistook for the dawn." In the early 80s, jazz bifurcated into the retros under Wynton and the funks under Miles and we didn't hear much innovative straight ahead for about a decade. This record shows where the music could have gone.

This is actually a review of the LP, I can't seem to lay my hands on a CD copy of this so far. This is in my top two favorite Scofield albums along with Rough House. Side I has two Sco originals , the second has a tune by the pianist in the quartet, "Leaving," which is a study in interplay. The highlight of the album for me though, is the "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise" close: this is a very recorded standard, and I have several versions of it in my vinyl and CDs, but this is my favorite! I would buy this album just for that cut.