John Schofield is one of the most recognizable living jazz guitarists.
The three-time Grammy winner is known for his unique guitar tone, slightly distorted and informed by bebop. He can rock out, he can jam, and he can play a beautiful standard like "Stella by Starlight."
During a visit to the KNKX studios with pianist Michael Eckroth in 2011, Scofield said the secret to his sound isn't the guitar or the gear; it's in his fingers. He started out copying his heroes, but eventually got stuck in his sound.
"Here's the deal: we all have our own sound, just like we all have our own voice. And when your friend calls you up on the telephone, you know it's him right away," said Scofield.
Scofield said learning the language of jazz is equal parts playing and hanging out with the right people.
Scofield came up with vibraphone great Gary Burton and later with Miles Davis at the height of his popularity in the 1980s. Scofield watched heads of state and royalty around the world vie to meet the jazz legend.
"Rock stars were not as cool as Miles. People wanted to hang out with him. He and you know I'm talking about you know Brezhnev wanted to hang out with Miles, and and you know he really was the coolest guy in the world. It was this kind of cultural zenith," Scofield said.
Scofield was thrilled to learn from a musician at the very center of jazz evolution for over four decades. And, despite the chauffeurs and valets of a mega-celebrity, Miles Davis was happiest around his bandmates.
"We hung out all the time, and we were the people he wanted to talk to because he was into music and into jazz, and he was a fountain of jazz history, who had lived it. You know, he played with Charlie Parker when he was 19 or 20," he said.
Scofield learned plenty playing with Davis, like how to create a musical mood. During his visit to KNKX, Scofield was supporting his first album of ballads, A Moment's Piece.
He said the wisdom and maturity that aging has brought him has helped his ballad playing.
"And maybe it's that my nervous system was finally old and screwed up enough to get through ballads without getting bored," he said.
Putting aside his reputation as a lightning-fast guitar shredder, Scofield's not slowing down, just taking his time and enjoying the challenge.
"The challenge is really capturing a mood, which can be done, you know, and it's elusive sometimes. I feel like I'm a hot jazz player, and all of us work on playing hot, that's one of the things, but ballads—it's a wonderful thing."
Finding the beauty in a few notes or digging into a deep groove, Scofield has a sound that's all his own.
Songs heard in this episode:
- "Stella by Starlight"
- "Simply Put"
- "My Foolish Heart"
