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Question Answer
with John Scofield
His claims to fame almost endless—having played with jazz greats such as Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Charles Mingus and many more—John Scofield remains one of the most prominent jazz guitarists in the world. Known for his eclectic styling, his playing styles span "post-bop, funk edged jazz and R & B," according to his website.
Contributed photo
What were you like in college?
I was like me only young, and I was a jerk because everybody is when they're that age.
But when I was in college, I didn't go to real college. I went to music school, Berklee,
which was the only place in those days where you could go for jazz. I was definitely music-
obsessed.
John Scaffield's trio is playing the Folly Theater in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 31 at 8 p.m.
What was the craziest thing that happened to you in college?
The craziest thing that happened to me was I lost my virginity. I hate to say it: In high school, I was a loser—nothing happened. But I wasn't actually in college. I was a college student, but I wasn't at the place that I went to school when it happened. So let's just leave it at that.
What do you think of Lawrence?
Great, absolutely fantastic. I can tell you a good story about Lawrence. I played there a bunch of times. I was staying at The Eldridge and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas was staying on my floor. So I came back from Liberty Hall at midnight with my guitar on my back and he was across the hall from me and there were Secret Service guys who were basically ready to kill me. They looked at me and they said, "What the hell is this weird-looking guy with a guitar coming down the hall towards Chief Justice Clarence Thomas?" I'll never forget that.
Do you have any words of wisdom for college students? Any advice?
Yeah, I'm thinking of it as we speak. I guess, follow your dreams. It's a really important time, I think. And I was lucky enough to find something I really like to do and got into it. Now looking back it's like,"Wow, how'd I do
that?" Because if some kid came to me and said, "I want to be a jazz musician," from my perspective now I might say, "Oh, it's too difficult." But it was just as hard back then. And I think you have a shot at doing anything you want to do when you're that age because you have the energy. Just go for it, man. If you don't know what you want to do keep doing a bunch of stuff. I have a son who's a senior in college so I've been thinking about this for a while.
I read in a bio that you teach as well. Do you have any advice for other professors with what you've learned through teaching?
I have advice for jazz professors. This is the line that has a great shock value but I really like it: Jazz can be learned but it can't be taught. I think we have to remember that. That [in the] arts, you teach them the techniques you know and the stuff that made you into a musician, and then after that, it's up to god, if there is a god. It's up to the cosmos.
What are some of your favorite albums or favorite artists right now?
I love old jazz. I'm always studying that stuff I'm 57 and I keep going back and finding music that I like. Lately I've been listening to a John Coltrane record and especially this song called "One Up, One Down," which is this really weird piece of music that I've learned kind of what he's improvising on, which is this very difficult nine-note scale sequence and I'm just amazed at his talent and I love him, John Coltrane.
From a completely different place, my wife and I have been digging on this band Fountains of Wayne. Just as a songwritersinger type thing. I'm not usually into lyrics; I'm more for an instrumental
thing. But this guy is great. He writes these funny little tunes.
How do you view popular music of today? Do you view it as if there has been a shift away from a player's ability into a marketable sense or what do you make of that?
I think it was always like that. Pop music has always been popular and so you're selling stuff to the lowest common denominator. But the thing is, I like some popular music for sure, and I'm not a snob that way. I'm not a jazz snob or a music snob. I like a lot of different genres. But I think it's always been about selling stuff, you know? But there's always been great pop music, too, and sometimes it doesn't make it.
You tour about 200 days a year. What do you do in a day when you're not touring?
Today I'm helping my wife cook dinner for these friends of ours that are coming over. I'm just like the sous-chef. I read books. I try to make myself useful around here. But you know what I do, man—is I practice. I practice the guitar. When I'm on the road, I'm traveling all day and playing at night so I don't have time to work on the fine points of my art form. So
my job really is to practice. But I like to read books and watch movies and I go to the gym, so hopefully I don't atrophy into a complete nothing anytime soon.And that's about it. Nothing big.
How do you view being successful, as in reaching it?
You know what, when I was a college student I just wanted to be on the music scene. I never thought I would be nearly what I am now. And I think that helped me. Because what I wanted to do was learn about the music and learn how to play guitar and learn how the music worked and just be part of it. I never thought I would've made my own records and gotten to lead my own bands and all that. So I think that you've got to go for the prize, and the prize is, for me, is playing really well and having musicians that you play with that make a unit that really works. And all the other stuff is secondary. So with success, I've been really grateful and have been really lucky but I've got to say that the success is secondary. Of course you want to be a success. And I guess after a while if I had been a success I wouldn't of thought about it anymore. I think you've just got to work on your art if you want to be a musician.
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January 22,2009
Ross Stewart