John Scofield, Vicente Archer, Bill Stewart - Uncle John's Band (2023)

While it feels like John Scofield should have recorded either dozens of albums for ECM or none at all, Uncle John's Band is, in fact, his third set as a leader for the label. Appropriately, Scofield is in trio mode (along with drummer Bill Stewart and Vicente Archer), bringing a crystalline and improvisationally-minded approach to this unique collection. Although, as the title indicates, there are a number of classic rock tunes being worked on here—Neil Young's "Old Man," the Byrds' version of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man"—there are also a handful of standards as well as Scofield originals in the lineup.

The compositions are wildly varied but the trio's take on them is remarkably consistent, delivered with a cool, improvisational confidence that's right at home in the ECM stable. Notably, the title track doesn't come until the end of this double-disc set, as its loose and joyful vibe stands out from the gentility of much of the rest of the album, which moves at a relatively sedate pace. (Few cuts are as sleepy as the trio's take on "Somewhere, however.) Still, Scofield being Scofield, that slow burn doesn't correlate to a lack of funk. Tracks like "Mo Green" and "Back in Time" are thoroughly chilled and defined by his clear and precise guitar tone, but they're also remarkably greasy, thanks to the rhythm section. Bill Stewart's impressive drum work is both complex and refreshingly direct, especially on a cut like "TV Band" where he seamlessly switches from a funky backbeat to dense, improvisational percussion without ever letting go of the groove. Likewise, bassist Vicente Archer provides as much funky foundation as he does freeform filigree, serving as both a foil for the other players as well as the guy who seems to always get them back on track. Archer performs this task admirably throughout the record, most notably on "Old Man," during which the bulk of the song's duration finds Young's original melody sublimated and riffed on by the group until it appears they've completely lost sight of their starting point; a simple three-note figure dropped by Archer near the end easily snaps Scofield and Stewart back to Young's indelible melody. That guileless switching between memorable songs and adventurous improvisation persists throughout this strong album, making it a strong addition to both Scofield and ECM's catalog. © Jason Ferguson

Named for the Grateful Dead song that concludes this inspired double album, Uncle John's Band features masterful guitarist John Scofield at his most freewheeling. Wide ranging repertoire finds his trio with Vicente Archer and Bill Stewart tackling material from Dylan's "Mr Tambourine Man" to Neil Young's "Old Man", from Leonard Bernstein's "Somewhere" to the Miles Davis Birth of the Cool classic "Budo". And jazz standards including "Stairway to the Stars" and "Ray's Idea" rub shoulders with seven Scofield originals that are variously swing, funk and folk-inflected. The red thread through the programme is the trio's tremendous improvisational verve.

"I feel like we can go anywhere," says John Scofield of the group's multi-directional versatility.

Uncle John's Band was recorded at Clubhouse Studio in Rhinebeck, New York, in August 2022.

John Scofield: guitar
Vicente Archer: double bass
Bill Stewart: drums

Tracklist
Disc: 1
1 Mr. Tambourine Man
2 How Deep
3 TV Band
4 Back In Time
5 Budo
6 Nothing Is Forever
7 Old Man
8 The Girlfriend Chord
9 Stairway To The Stars
10 Mo Green
11 Mask
12 Somewhere
13 Ray's Idea
14 Uncle John's Band