John Scofield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Scofield
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Scofield at the Moers Festival in 2021
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| Background information | |
| Born | December 26, 1951 Dayton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, jazz fusion, acid jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1970s–present |
| Labels | Enja, Gramavision, Blue Note, Verve, EmArcy ECM |
| Associated acts | Miles Davis, Billy Cobham, Pat Metheny, Steve Swallow, Marc Johnson, Joe Henderson, Joe Lovano, Medeski Martin & Wood, Trio Beyond |
John Scofield (born December 26, 1951) is an American guitarist and composer. He is often called "Sco" by his fans. His music mixes different styles like jazz, jazz fusion, funk, blues, soul, and rock.
John first became well-known when he played with the famous musician Miles Davis. He has also played and recorded with many other top jazz artists. These include saxophonists like Joe Lovano and keyboard players like Herbie Hancock. He has also worked with other guitarists like Pat Metheny. Outside of jazz, he has played with artists like John Mayer and Medeski Martin & Wood.
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John Scofield's Life Story
John Scofield was born in Dayton, Ohio. His family later moved to Wilton, Connecticut. This is where he first became interested in music. He studied at the Berklee College of Music.
After college, John recorded music with jazz legends Chet Baker and Gerry Mulligan. He then joined the Billy Cobham/George Duke Band. He played, recorded, and toured with them for two years. In 1976, he also recorded with Charles Mingus.
In 1976, John signed with Enja. He released his first album, John Scofield, in 1977. He formed a trio with his mentor Steve Swallow and Adam Nussbaum. This group, later with Bill Stewart on drums, became very important in his career.
In 1982, John joined Miles Davis's band. He stayed with them for three and a half years. He wrote songs and played guitar on three of Davis's albums. These albums were Star People, Decoy, and You're Under Arrest. After leaving Miles Davis, he released his own albums, Electric Outlet (1984) and Still Warm (1985).
He then started his "Blue Matter Band." This band included Dennis Chambers on drums and Gary Grainger on bass. They released albums like Blue Matter and Loud Jazz. John also played in a group called Bass Desires. This group recorded two albums, Bass Desires (1986) and Second Sight (1987).
In the early 1990s, Scofield formed a quartet with Joe Lovano. They recorded several albums for Blue Note. Time on My Hands (1990) showed off his guitar playing and writing style. He also worked with Bill Frisell on the album Grace Under Pressure (1992). Later, he collaborated with Pat Metheny on I Can See Your House from Here.
Towards the end of his time with Blue Note, John returned to a more funk and soul jazz sound. He formed a group with organist Larry Goldings. They toured a lot and released albums like Hand Jive and Groove Elation. In 1997, he recorded the album A Go Go with the avant-garde jazz trio Medeski, Martin & Wood.
John also started working with British composer Mark-Anthony Turnage. He played as a soloist on Turnage's Blood on the Floor. They also created Scorched, which featured Turnage's orchestral versions of Scofield's songs.
Scofield released Überjam in 2002 and Up All Night in 2003. On these albums, he explored drum and bass music. In 2004, EnRoute: John Scofield Trio LIVE was released. It was recorded live in New York City. The next year, he released That's What I Say: John Scofield Plays the Music of Ray Charles. This led to performances with Mavis Staples.
In 2006, he released Out Louder, his second album with Medeski, Martin & Wood. This group, known as MSMW, toured all over the world. John also recorded music inspired by gospel on his 2009 album Piety Street.
In 2007, EmArcy released This Meets That. This album was recorded with Steve Swallow and Bill Stewart. In 2011, EmArcy released A Moment's Peace. John Scofield has also been a teacher in the Jazz Department at New York University. A movie about him, Inside Scofield, was released in 2022.
John Scofield's Guitars
John Scofield's first electric guitar was a Hagstrom. His main guitar, which he uses a lot, is an Ibanez AS200 from 1982. He supports Ibanez guitars, and the company even has a line of guitars named after him.
Awards and Honors
John Scofield has received many awards and honors for his music:
- 1997: He received an honorary doctorate degree in Music from Berklee.
- 1998: He won the Miles Davis Award at the Montreal International Jazz Festival.
- 2002: He was nominated for a Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz Album for Überjam.
- 2004: He received Grammy nominations for Best Contemporary Jazz Album (Scorched) and Best Jazz Instrumental Solo.
- 2006: He was nominated for a Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album with Trio Beyond.
- 2010: He was nominated for a Grammy for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album for 54 with the Metropole Orkest.
- 2010: He received the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French Ministry of Culture.
- 2016: He won a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album for Past Present. He was also nominated for Best Improvised Jazz Solo.
- 2017: He won a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album for Country for Old Men.
- 2017: He won a Grammy Award for Best Improvised Jazz Solo for "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry".
Images for kids
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John Scofield in 2017
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See also
In Spanish: John Scofield para niños
