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The last time we saw veteran jazz guitarist hero John Scofield was with the Medeski, Scofiled, Martin & Wood quartet on the excellent Out Louder album but this album with his old mate, Vince Mendoza (the first time they worked together was 20 years ago) is far bigger in terms of band members and scope.

To be honest, I was a little hesitant on this one as reports of he appearance at last years’ London Jazz Festival was that he was “doing a bit of a Jimi Hendrix” (at the time, I was interviewing Carlos Niño (he of Build An Ark - see interview HERE and the Love (Part 1) review HERE and new is that Part 2 will soon be with us). Anyway, back to Scofield, the crowd apparently loved it and reports of 54 claimed that he was on the best form for ages.

And by coincidence, the opener called ‘Carlos’ (probably not Carlos Niño) is a special blend of Bob James (respect to The Simonsound and Jonny Trunk), Dave Grusin and Lee Ritenour in the big band setting of The Metropole Orchestra. Now we know what Vince Mendoza & The Metropole Orchestra can do (on the album El Viento) and that he’s worked with another guitar virtuoso, Nguyên Lê before (who happens to be another Hendrix fan, see Nguyên Lê Signature Edition 1 but this album starts super cool with lush cinematic arrangements where neither Scofield or the band dominate; a true meeting of their musical minds.

Perhaps the first two tracks are a bit too smooth, but ‘Polo Towers’ and ‘Peculiar’ (with Madeski swing) hit out like a funky Lalo Schifrin waiting for a drug bust/car chase/bank heist or some other 70s style action. Perhaps it’s the power of Jonny Trunk, but these tracks are work the price of the album alone.

‘Honest I Do’ is a departure into string and brass romantics with Scofield doing gentle jazz lines as it ebbs and wanes and is a lot different to the bluesy stroll of ‘Twang’ (a bit more MSM&W with Orkest with bit of horn solo in the middle and a duel vs. Scofield at the end). ‘Say We Did’ is proper dinner jazz and the album ends on a bit of a chill-out jam that’s gives Scofiled and the band a cool outro.

After all that lot, can you imagine 54 in concert? That would be so powerful! And as an album, don’t get me wrong, 54 is too good for a soundtrack, even though it’s got that feel to it (as you might guess) but you couldn’t tie it down to a decade (‘Imaginary Time’); perhaps that’s the point, its decade is now but there’s no films to match it.

Blimey, that is a Jonny Trunk-ism but we need more big bands with electric guitar leads - now I never thought I’d be saying that.

Reviewed: The Metropole Orkest feat. John Scofield and Vince Mendoza - 54 (Emarcy) Cat. No. 0602527144504 Release date: June 2010
Tracklisting:
1. Carlos (9:00)
2 Jung Parade (7:38)
3 Polo Towers (6:53)
4 Honest I Do (4:25)
5 Twang (9:24)
6 Imaginary Time (6:21)
7 Peculiar (7:40)
8 Say We Did (8:30)
9 Out Of The City (5:34)

Links:
www.johnscofield.com
www.metropoleorkest.nl
www.vincemendoza.net
www.myspace.com/vincemendozalive
www.emarcy.com