MP3 Scott Sawyer - Go There

Edgy, provocative groove; shades of blue.

11 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Funk Rock, JAZZ: Acid Jazz



Details:
In November 2006, guitarist Scott Sawyer recorded "Go There" with Kenny Soule (Nantucket, Dag, PKM) on drums, Oteil Burbridge (Allman Brothers, Aquarium Rescue Unite, Oteil and the Peacemakers) on electric bass, Kofi Burbridge (Derek Trucks Band, ARU) on B3 & flute and Ron Brendle (Big Octave, Frank Kimbrough) on acoustic bass. The sessions re-united Sawyer & Soule after the split of the original Go There, which enjoyed a cult following in NC but disbanded in 2004. And Kofi and Oteil were re-united for their first recording together in 8 years. "There was no prior rehearsal and we had to work very quickly...but it was BIG FUN making this record and the music reflects that!"--Scott Sawyer.

"THE BADDEST MOTHER F*****S IâVE HEARD IN 10 YEARS!" -- (Oteil Burbridge, world-renowned bass player on the "original" Go There", 8/1/04)

"Though Sawyer can swing cerebrally, solving prickly harmonic riddles like a mathematician, heâs at his best as a blue-collar improviser, combining earthy jazz and accessible blues that make the listener wanna holler." (Joe Vanderford)

"There is refinement in his ability to develop, bend and restructure a line. His compositions and extrapolative improvisation insinuate themselves into your mindâ¦"---Owen Cordle (N&O; Raleigh, NC)
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Excerpt:

Guitar Man Scott Sawyer
By Philip van Vleck

Scott Sawyer is one of North Carolinaâs guitar masters. Jazz-wise enough to back Durham-based vocalist Nnenna Freelon on several national and international tours, yet nasty enough to handle the lead guitar chores for Mel Melton & The Wicked Mojos. And, of course, between 1999 and 2004 Sawyer teamed with Kenny Soule and Bobby Patterson â late of Dag â to form Go There, a trio with a finely honed jazz fusion thing.

Sawyer is set to release a new album this month â Go There â and the feel of the tunes, while referencing both blues and jazz, is neither. The album is, indeed, a revisiting of Sawyer and Souleâs Go There band project, inspired, according to Sawyer, by Soule. In describing his new disc, Sawyer noted first that itâs an instrumental outing: âTo me itâs not a jazz record, but some people might consider it a jazz record because it has a lot of improvisation,â Sawyer allowed. âIt doesnât swing in the traditional sense, however; itâs more groove oriented. As you know, I have a blues background, and youâll definitely hear that on the album. I really donât know what to call it. Itâs somewhere in between jam band, jazz, funk, rock and blues. Iâll leave it up to the listener to decide.â

To this listener, Go There sounds like a righteous amalgam of jazz, funk, rock and blues performed by a crew of very solid players. For immediate inspiration, check the brilliant, funkified arrangement of George Harrisonâs âTax Man.â Also note the 12-minute tour-de-force âI Wish You Wouldâ and the blues âSlow Down, Freight Train.â

The crucial thing with Go There is the musicianship. Everyone is simply outstanding. In addition to Souleâs pivotal contribution on drums and ideas, Sawyer noted that: âI had two bass players: Ron Brendle played acoustic bass on three songs and Oteil Burbridge played electric bass on the rest of the tunes. Kofi Burbridge, Oteilâs brother, played Hammond B-3 on 10 of the 11 tunes, and he also played some flute.â

Many rock fans will recognize Kofi for his role with the Derek Trucks Band. His brother, Oteil, is well known to fans of The Allman Brothers Band, as well as those who follow his band Oteil & The Peacemakers. Oteil is something of a bass-playing icon. Sawyer scored a major coup in snagging him for Go There. ...(the complete article is at www.metronc.com/article/?id=1292)