Überjam
Überjam puts John Scofield's distinctive guitar inside a busy mix of funk, electronic sounds and heavy rhythms. The music keeps the freedom of a jazz group, but its immediate appeal comes from the groove. Samples and effects change the setting without hiding the player at the centre of it.
Avi Bortnick's rhythm guitar and samples are important to that balance. Bassist Jesse Murphy and drummer Adam Deitch provide firm foundations, leaving Scofield free to play loose, unusual lines above them. The arrangements can be detailed and restless while still holding on to a strong beat. There is thought behind the music, but also plenty of physical energy.
Acidhead establishes the approach with an Eastern-flavoured opening that leads into a muscular funk rhythm. The sounds moving around the main guitar give the track a slightly strange atmosphere. Scofield has enough space to improvise without making the groove feel like an excuse for a solo.
Jungle Fiction pushes the pace harder and gives his quicker lines a more urgent setting. Tomorrow Land moves in a softer direction, letting a clear melody replace some of that pressure. These changes matter on a record so interested in rhythm and texture. They give the listener a way through the busier sections.
Not every experiment is equally inviting, and some ideas build on familiar parts of Scofield's earlier funk work. The electronic treatment is more convincing as part of a strong band sound than as a claim to something entirely new. Still, Überjam succeeds because its musicians stay connected through all those different colours. It is playful, forceful fusion that keeps both the guitar and the groove in view.
