Jazz guitarist John Scofield opted to go down a new path with his most recent album. On "Piety Street" (2009), Scofield and the Piety Street Band blend authentic New Orleans gospel blues with the funky jazz electric guitar that is typical of Scofield's past work.
The opening track of the album, "That's Enough," is packed with the energy and instrumentation of classic gospel blues. The steady tambourine beats and piano rhythms mesh perfectly with the smooth and funky licks of Scofield's guitar. One of the most pleasant surprises in the song, and on the album as a whole, is the contribution of pianist and singer Jon Cleary.
Cleary, a successful musician in his own right, plays organ and piano in addition to singing on many tracks. He is a powerful presence on the album, and his strong and soulful voice is perfect for gospel blues. Songs like "That's Enough" show how thin the line between R&B and blues can be as the song is danceable, musically interesting and incredibly tight. If there is a hit single on the album, this is it.
The second track, "Motherless Child," is a great example of the album's stylistic diversity. When listening to this song, it may be tempting at first to compare the clean flowing guitar solos to B.B. King, but subtle differences in improvisational style put the song in its own category. Scofield isn't afraid to try out scales and rhythms that are more identifiable with jazz than gospel blues. At the end of this song, out of nowhere, the song switches from downbeat driven blues to a reggae beat; Cleary hits the organ chords on the upbeats, and Scofield breaks out a funky blues solo out front.
Scofield shows here that he doesn't need to sacrifice his own style of playing even when switching between different genres of music. He also shows that he isn't afraid to try it, even in the middle of a song.
The album includes a cover of Albert E. Brumley's Baptist folk classic "I'll Fly Away." The shuffle drum beat and clean electric rhythm-guitar break with the rest of the album's gospel feel, and the solo that opens the song is reminiscent of Jerry Garcia. Scofield, however, still refuses to completely give up the jazz feel, adding various melody lines which consist of harmonies rather than single notes. Almost every track on the album uses this technique, and it always seems to fit regardless of each track's style.
The best example of actual blues on this album appears in "The Old Ship of Zion." The song is played in a slow 6/8 rhythm with a constant crisp, closed high hat and a bright snare that keep the beat; it is impossible not to move in some way while listening to this song.
Although Scofield shows a great deal of versatility in adapting to different styles of music, the album may not suit everyone. Those looking for another experimental and creative jam album along the lines of "Überjam" (2002) or "John Scofield A Go Go" (1998) may be disappointed with "Piety Street." At the other end of the spectrum, blues fans looking for a straightforward album akin to Buddy Guy or Muddy Waters, may find the technical guitar playing out of place.
The driving force behind this project, however, was Scofield's desire to return to his roots as a guitarist while putting his own stamp on gospel blues, which is exactly what he did. Fans of many genres (jazz, funk, blues and R&B especially) and innovative music in general, will welcome Scofield's latest project as a musical treat and a great exhibition of musical creativity and talent.
