John Scofield on Gibson

[Oscar67]

The tone thing is interesting. Cleanliness isn’t next to godliness. Jim Hall’s tone on Undercurrent is pretty lo-fi and somewhat distorted. Kenny Burrell’s legendary tone is right on the edge. Nobody complains ;-) There are tons of ‘real jazz’ albums where all instruments except the guitar are pretty much acoustic.

To me, fusion signifies an electric band. I come from a rock background so perhaps I should like it - but I don’t. Can’t stand it. The organic, acoustic nature of jazz appeals to me, some folks show up, tune up and off they go. Fusion? Meh. Impressive playing but I find it unlistenable. Fusion and avant-garde are like nails on a blackboard to me.

Whenever I hear Sco I realize that I’m out of my depth. I sense brilliance there but he doesn’t hold my attention. I’m not ready yet.

[James W]

I always find it funny when people say fusion is electric.

Did people like Charlie Christian and Wes Montgomery just play acoustic guitar or something?

[Django Johnson]

I am sure John Scofield using a Squier Telecaster through a Peavy Rage amplifier plays jazz better than me.

[Hep To The Jive]

I always find it funny when people say fusion is electric.

Did people like Charlie Christian and Wes Montgomery just play acoustic guitar or something?

That's strange indeed. The early signs of fusion to me are electric bass (especially with more than 4 strings), and keyboards (especially two or more tiers). Electric guitar is just normal for jazz since I don't remember when lol

[James W]

That's strange indeed. The early signs of fusion to me are electric bass (especially with more than 4 strings), and keyboards (especially two or more tiers). Electric guitar is just normal for jazz since I don't remember when lol

Indeed. But fusion really is about the style, not necessarily using electric instruments per se. The Hammond organ is another electric instrument that isn't necessarily fusion...

[grahambop]

Also the fusion guys like Larry Coryell went through a phase in the 70s (as I recall) where it was fashionable to play those Ovation acoustic guitars a lot. So they were maybe less electric than the more ‘traditional’ jazz guitarists.

[Christian Miller]

Fusion to me implies a certain aesthetic. I'd tend to separate things off like the Chris Potter Underground as being more like electric jazz, and Weather Report being very much fusion.

Like grahambop I feel like there's a fair amount of acoustic fusion music too. Al Di Meola did a lot, there's a whole genre of straight eighty instrumental music that's eclectic and jazz rooted but definitely not acoustic jazz. Really popular in continental Europe.

[James W]

Fusion to me implies a certain aesthetic. I'd tend to separate things off like the Chris Potter Underground as being more like electric jazz, and Weather Report being very much fusion.

Like grahambop I feel like there's a fair amount of acoustic fusion music too. Al Di Meola did a lot, there's a whole genre of straight eighty instrumental music that's eclectic and jazz rooted but definitely not acoustic jazz. Really popular in continental Europe.

How do you distinguish between electric jazz and fusion? Just curious. Because from what I've heard of the Chris Potter Underground, they use rock rhythms too.

Of course, these sorts of distinctions are very fluid in subgenres of jazz - especially discussing 'fusion' an umbrella term that includes lots of different kinds of music, rather than having specific attributes.

[Bob_Ross]

Also the fusion guys like Larry Coryell went through a phase in the 70s (as I recall) where it was fashionable to play those Ovation acoustic guitars a lot. So they were maybe less electric than the more ‘traditional’ jazz guitarists.

Thread Drift: That reminds me of the one time I saw Larry Coryell perform live. It was the summer of 1977 in Boston, he was playing either Paul's Mall or The Jazz Workshop, one of those side-by-side clubs on Boylston Street... anyway, Larry did an entire solo set on one of those Ovation acoustic guitars. But then for his encore, he came out with a Gibson Les Paul Junior plugged into a Mu-tron Octave Divider and some tiny Fender combo amp, and played this totally raunchy grunged-out blues number...with vocals!!!

I also recall he was clearly very drunk. But he could play...

==========

Back on topic: Last night Youtube's "You Might Like..." algorithm took me to this 1976 performance of the Cobham-Duke Band at Montreax, featuring a young John Scofield.

Looks like he's playing a Gibson Les Paul Junior with an added DiMarzio humbucker in the neck position?

[Eric Rowland]

burnin'

cool

[Doctor Jeff]

Thread Drift: That reminds me of the one time I saw Larry Coryell perform live. It was the summer of 1977 in Boston, he was playing either Paul's Mall or The Jazz Workshop, one of those side-by-side clubs on Boylston Street... anyway, Larry did an entire solo set on one of those Ovation acoustic guitars. But then for his encore, he came out with a Gibson Les Paul Junior plugged into a Mu-tron Octave Divider and some tiny Fender combo amp, and played this totally raunchy grunged-out blues number...with vocals!!!

I also recall he was clearly very drunk. But he could play...

==========

Back on topic: Last night Youtube's "You Might Like..." algorithm took me to this 1976 performance of the Cobham-Duke Band at Montreax, featuring a young John Scofield.

Looks like he's playing a Gibson Les Paul Junior with an added DiMarzio humbucker in the neck position?

A pic from that session came up on my Facebook feed today. I have to say, I wasn't aware of Scofield playing with them. Alphonse looks like a teen, doesn't he? (Edit: he was born in '51--looks like a 16-year-old there...)

I guess John got his funky from the best.

[Doctor Jeff]

burnin'

cool

Hi Eric!

Are you still in the lovely city of Chattanooga? Miss it everyday. Well, not so much in the middle of summer. But otherwise...

[Eric Rowland]

Hey man! yeah still in Chatt ... hope you are well.

[Eric Rowland]

Excellent film ....

[kris]

Excellent film ....

Great!
Thanks