Piety Street

John Scofield | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 31, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Emarcy / Pgd
• ASIN: B001Q8IXK4
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #115,414 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

From the Artist

"I'm just shifting the balances for this one," he says. I've always wanted to record and tour a blues project. That's where I started as a guitarist and I'm feeling that music more than ever of late. I launched a personal search for musical inspiration beyond the standard 12 bar blues and found it in "old time gospel" music - the closest relative to and inspiration for the R& B that we all love. I've always treasured Gospel but never really dug deep into it. My search led to countless songs that really move me. It's really powerful stuff. Of course, it will be Gospel done my way - all the arrangements are mine. "

Product Description

It is a rare artist that can explore more than one kind of music with true fluency, virtuosity and sincerity. Guitarist John Scofield can, and he s proven it once again with Piety Street - a powerful collection of Gospel renditions.

Playing with John on this recording: Born in Kent, England in 1964, Jon Cleary is known for his salty-sweet voice, masterful piano/ organ skills. Cleary is best known as a member of Bonnie Raitt's band and his own group Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen.

Sharing a 26 December birthday with Scofield, Porter, Jr. was born in Louisiana in 1947. Few bass players in the history of modern New Orleans music are as storied as George Porter Jr. During the course of a career spanning four decades, Porter earned recognition as one of America's most iconic and elite bass players as a member of The Meters.

Born in Durban, South Africa in 1952, Ricky Fataar started playing drums at age nine. Fataar appeared in film The Rutles, All You Need is Cash, playing guitarist Stig O'Hara. Stateside by the early 70's, he joined the Beach Boys, touring and recording as their drummer. He has been Bonnie Raitt's drummer since 1979. Multi-instrumentalist, Ricky also writes music for films.

Born into a seventh generation Lousiana, singer John Boutté lives and breathes the heart and soul of New Orleans. Boutte works with a wonderful amalgam of styles -- from torchy jazz to soul and African-American gospel.

Also native to New Orleans, drummer and percussionist Shannon Powell, 43, is both a traditional jazz and modern jazz musician. Powell is widely recognized for his six years in Harry Connick Jr. s band.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing...but SEE THIS BAND LIVE!, April 12, 2009

By 

Sound/Word Enthusiast (Rhode Island, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Piety Street (Audio CD)

...how could this go wrong? The band is fierce: session ace Ricky Fataar, Meters bassman George Porter, Jr., Brit-turned-Nawlins keyboard ace Jon Cleary (who is also a fine singer), and Scofield doing his trademark twitch and twang on top.

I will say that I saw this band live in Boston, and they were riveting! There was genuine joy in the interplay, the backbeat was firm, the improvisations were loose and quirky, and the singing (by Cleary and Porter) was soulful and invigorating. It was one of the better shows I'd seen in recent memory.

That said, this album is astonishingly lifeless. Like a lot of contemporary soul stuff coming out of New Orleans these days, it feels over-produced and stifled. There is way more digital clarity then analog fun. The interplay and fun from the live show is nowhere to be heard. It just has none of the groove and swing and gritty fun that I heard in person.

I would say by all means check these guys out on the road while you can (Scofield's website has tour dates), and maybe spend your Scofield CD budget on "Quiet" or the live trio album with Steve Swallow and Bill Stewart.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great soulful album from Sco!, September 27, 2009

By 

Dennis Coonfield Jr. "JackStrawFromOmaha" (Omaha, NE) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Piety Street (Audio CD)

I'm going to make this short and sweet. After reading a lot negative reviews for this album I was a little hesitant to pick it up. But after listening to the first track I knew I was in for a great ride. This album is funky, soulful and fantastically played. If you're expecting a jazz album, prepare to be disappointed. But if you just like music and don't worry about genre, pick this up. Sco's guitar playing on here is great. Not very jazzy, more bluesy than anything. But he brings the adventurousness and harmonic knowledge gained from jazz to the table. Jon Cleary is a great singer for this style of music and George Porter is as funky as ever. If they played this in church I might actually show up.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sco goes in a soulful gospel direction., October 22, 2009

By 

Michael G. Hoelen "JazzBassLover" (Pirmasens, Germany; Merritt Island, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Piety Street (Audio CD)

I bought this album not knowing what to expect (seeing as how "This meets that" did nothing for me) and was totally floored. I read somewhere before the album came out that he was going Gospel and needed to get this when it came out. The songs on Piety Street are either upbeat or laid back, but they still groove throughout. There isn't one bad song on here. Don't pay attention to these 1 star reviews. If you like bluesy gospel, pick it up you'll love it.