Up All Night

John Scofield

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 20, 2003)
• Original Release Date: May 20, 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Verve
• ASIN: B000088SS3
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #100,106 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Already a part of two great jazz records in 2003--by Roy Haynes and the group ScoLoHoFo--guitarist John Scofield is back to his genre-bending self with 11 tracks of adventurous grooves that should attract contemporary jazz fans as well as lovers of jam bands, instrumental hip-hop, and dance music. Although the quartet collaborated on nearly half the tunes, Up All Night is more structured than Uberjam, the Scofield band's 2002 effort. It's less a jam session, more a rhythmic showcase for the group and the special dirty effects, memorable riffs, and long darting lines of the leader. The head-bopping, finger-snapping quotient is high on many numbers, especially the first two tracks and "Four on the Floor." "Thikhahali," his tribute to Fela Kuti's Afrobeat style, is priceless. There are go-go riffs on "Philopiety," industrial beats on "Freakin' Disco" and "Every Night Is Ladies Night" and through it all a musician at the very top of his game. --Mark Ruffin

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast becomming one of my favorites, May 27, 2003

By	Jan P. Dennis "Longboard jazzer" (Monument, CO USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

John Scofield is one of few players equally at home in the worlds of straight-ahead acoustic jazz and electro-jazz-funk. I prefer him in the former setting (e.g., Works for Me, Scolohofo), but I'm coming to appreciate his work in the latter almost as much (e.g., Uberjam, Up All Night).

This strikes me as Sco's most successful electro-funk outing to date. To my ears there's more of interest going on here: check the subtle interplay on "Creeper," and the deep groove of "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get." Avi Bortnick has become an even more amazing rhythm guitarist in the intervening year and a half since Uberjam. Sounding distinctly like one of the all-time greatest rhythm guitarists, Steve Erquiaga, on "Thikhathali," my favorite cut, which comes across something like a faux-Egyptian-Caribbean-surf number (Dick Dale meets Andy Narell via some weird Middle-East connection?), Bortnick stamps this number with a hip musical sensibility that's absolute perfection.

Several of the numbers feature a killer horn section. Most notable of these is "Four on the Floor," an impossibly bubbly-funky number with a slow burn perfectly suited to the punchy horn approach.

Of special note is the dreamy ballad, "Like the Moon," with Bortnick again contributing some very effective guitar support, this time lots of long tones and bent strings. While the entire number is very atmospheric, there's a killer middle section that redefines the term ethereal, leading into a way cool outro.

The more I listen to this, the more I think Up All Night's a breakthrough for Sco. Whereas his previous electro-funk outings sometimes seemed heavy-handed and half-baked to these ears, everything here's smart, hip, and creative.

A continuation of some of the nattiest jazz releases ever in the first half of any single year.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Give it a day or two, June 13, 2003

By	Jeffrey Hubbard (Murray, UT United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Having loved Scofield and his music forever, I tend to count on him to deliver with each outing. But, to be honest, when I first listened to this here platter, I was somewhat let down. Initially, I would have whole-heartedly concurred with those that opine that melody has taken a back seat to texture and groove this time out.

And you know what? It has. What I've found, though, is that it helps to treat this album as an entirely different creature than "Still Warm," "A Go Go," or even "uberjam." There's much more in terms of dub and psychedelic elements to the new record, and if you give the album time to grow on you, the amazing array of trippy sounds will become their own reward.

And, since that might not be enough for some of you, know that the playing is just as stellar as ever. Scofield's soloing, though heavily effected, is still ridiculously inventive, especially on the great band performance that is "Creeper." Plus, Scofield has never released a more stylistically diverse record - there's even a drop dead Fela Kuti/Sunny Ade tribute here. Hell, I'll admit that the album takes a little time to sink in, but once you submit to its charms, "Up All Night" more than repays the effort.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The John Scofield Band is better than ever!, May 25, 2003

By A Customer

I have been a long-term fan of John Scofield. I think his transition into the more funk-sample-delic music raised a few eyebrows, but I dont know anyone who cant hear the musical genius in all of his works. This latest endeavor, UP ALL NIGHT has been in my CD changer since it came out! The rich layering of different sounds and grooves keeps each song sounding new each time I hear it. Avi Bortnick and Adam Deitch could be two of the most rythmic players on the scene there today, and I love the new element that Andy hess brings into the mix...John has an amazing band that he obviously feels connected to because so much of this record was written as a team and improvised in the studio -- The freshness of all the music is beyond apparent! I loved überjam, and I loved A Go Go, but I think that this latest record might be my favorite of his groove-based albums so far -- Scofield is getting really comfortable in this style and his masterful techniques and visions are shining brighter than ever!