Swallow Tales lead-off track streams

As discussed back on 6 April John Scofield has a new Steve Swallow-themed album coming out soon. 'Hullo Bolinas' from the album is now streaming. Reactions? Well the piece, in 3/4 time, has an engagingly laidback feel, drummer Bill Stewart …

Published: 14 Apr 2020. Updated: 3 years.

As discussed back on 6 April John Scofield has a new Steve Swallow-themed album coming out soon. 'Hullo Bolinas' from the album is now streaming.

Reactions? Well the piece, in 3/4 time, has an engagingly laidback feel, drummer Bill Stewart shuffling along while Sco delivers a very pretty treatment of the opening theme; Swallow takes a solo, softly rendered, around the 2mins 18secs mark and after about a minute Sco starts harmonising against the bass guitar. The whole ensemble play opens up then with Stewart becoming a little busier succinctly emerging more towards the close. I have added earlier versions of the composition so that you can hear how Gary Burton in a solo vibes version (on the 1972 released album Alone at Last) and Bill Evans in trio formation (from The Tokyo Concert released in 1974) approached the composition. In case you are wondering about the Bolinas in the title, it refers to a small place in Marin county, California, little more than a dozen miles north of San Francisco.

Steve Swallow, top left, John Scofield and Bill Stewart. Photo: via Saudades.

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Track of the day: 'The Comedian'

A very impressive feat of overdubbing here and more than all round saxophone playing, and that's not even mentioning the bass playing, beautifully arranged into the bargain. It is remarkable that there are only two people on Stuff I Heard: Troy …

Published: 13 Apr 2020. Updated: 3 years.

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A very impressive feat of overdubbing here and more than all round saxophone playing, and that's not even mentioning the bass playing, beautifully arranged into the bargain.

It is remarkable that there are only two people on Stuff I Heard: Troy Roberts, plus the, to be fair, completely overshadowed presence of drummer Jimmy MacBride.

Roberts is the coming man in the Brecker-Potter lineage for sure and this track alone proves it in terms of chops and artistry. My admiration for the Australian grows with every record. SG

Out on Toy Robot Music.