Swallow Tales (John Scofield album)
Swallow Tales is a studio album by American jazz musician John Scofield recorded together with Bill Stewart and Steve Swallow.[8] The album was released by ECM Records on 12 June 2020.[9] The trio plays nine compositions previously written by Steve Swallow.
| Swallow Tales | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 20 June 2020 | |||
| Recorded | March 2019 | |||
| Studio | The James L. Dolan Recording Studio at NYU Steinhardt | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 53:16 | |||
| Label | ECM 2679 | |||
| Producer | Manfred Eicher | |||
| John Scofield chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| All About Jazz | |
| AllMusic | |
| The Arts Desk | |
| Jazz Journal | |
| Jazz Trail | B+[5] |
| RTE.ie | |
| The Times | |
Reception
Chris Pearson in his review for The Times wrote, "This set, taped in half a day by a trio led by the American guitarist John Scofield, centres on that legacy to set the record straight."[7] A review by RTE.ie stated, "In sum, a collection of sensitive, knowing interpretations of the Swallow classics which you should let play continuously until the inevitable result - you will need its sound in your life for a while, weaving in and out of your rooms."[6] Matt Collar of AllMusic added, "The album arrives on the heels of several other Scofield small group sessions, including 2017's Hudson and 2018's Combo 66... It's a sound whose earthy lilt sometimes has the feel of a three-member vocal group, rather than an instrumental trio."[2] Will Layman of PopMatters commented, "The jazz guitar trio is a classic format, and John Scofield, Steve Swallow, and Bill Stewart are as well-equipped as many musicians could be to venerate it and renew it a bit. That is the accomplishment of Swallow Tales."[10] Michael Ullman in his review for The Arts Fuse noted, "This is an intelligent, inventively performed, be-boppish tribute to a composer I now know better than ever."[11]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Steve Swallow.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "She Was Young" | 9:33 |
| 2. | "Falling Grace" | 5:27 |
| 3. | "Portsmouth Figurations" | 3:31 |
| 4. | "Awful Coffee" | 9:28 |
| 5. | "Eiderdown" | 7:13 |
| 6. | "Hullo Bolinas" | 4:15 |
| 7. | "Away" | 4:54 |
| 8. | "In F" | 4:34 |
| 9. | "Radio" | 4:21 |
| Total length: | 53:16 | |
Personnel
- John Scofield – guitar
- Steve Swallow – bass
- Bill Stewart – drums
Charts
| Chart (2020) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[12] | 96 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[13] | 56 |
References
- Patterson, Ian (June 16, 2020). "John Scofield: Swallow Tales album review @ All About Jazz". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- Collar, Matt (2020). "Swallow Tales - John Scofield | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
- Scotney, Sebastian (6 June 2020). "Album: John Scofield, Steve Swallow, Bill Stewart - Swallow Tales". The Arts Desk. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- Gilbert, Mark (22 June 2020). "John Scofield: Swallow Tales". Jazz Journal. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- "John Scofield - Swallow Tales". JazzTrail | NY Jazz Scene | Album Reviews | Jazz Photography. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
- "Album review: John Scofield Swallow Tales". RTE.ie. 14 June 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
- Pearson, Chris (May 29, 2020). "John Scofield: Swallow Tales — mercurial pieces don't soften the great jazz-rocker". The Times. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
- "ECM Records". SWALLOW TALES by JOHN SCOFIELD, STEVE SWALLOW, BILL STEWART. ECM Records. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
- "John Scofield: Swallow Tales — an irresistible polyrhythmic pulse". Financial Times. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
- Layman, Will (23 June 2020). "John Scofield Renews the Jazz Guitar Trio on 'Swallow Tales'". PopMatters. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- Ullman, Michael (27 May 2020). "Jazz CD Review: John Scofield's "Swallow Tales" — Steve Swallow's Quirky Romanticism". The Arts Fuse. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – John Scofield / Bill Stewart / Steve Swallow – Swallow Tales" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- "Swisscharts.com – John Scofield / Bill Stewart / Steve Swallow – Swallow Tales". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
