McCoy Tyner (piano) and John Scoffield (guitar). From the album Things Ain’t What They Used to Be (1989).
John Scoffield is a modern blues and jazz guitarist and American composer. He made his first performances with vibraphonist Gary Burton. He then played with saxophonist Gerry Mulligan and trumpeter Chet Baker, and drummer Billy Cobham invited him to join his group.
After recording his first album he joined the band of trumpeter Miles Davis, who brought out best in his skills. In this way Scoffield developed his style differentiated by his original blues phrasing. This mixture of funk and jazz characterized his bands of the 1980s. Over time he has perfected his playing style and has produced a number of albums with favorable reviews.
Tyner and Scoffield are coming right in at a fast pace. They blend perfectly. It’s rare to see two musicians playing together. Scoffield begins his solo based on the main melody, but then moves away from it and develops his own speech. Then it’s Tyner’s turn, who at first also sticks to the theme, but his phrasing is more intense, he hits the keys hard following the song’s guidelines in his own way. And in the end Scoffield comes back by re-exposing the theme.
© EmArcy Records