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Swallow Tales

John Scofield Format: Audio CD
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 199 ratings
$19.49
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Track Listings

1 She Was Young
2 Falling Grace
3 Portsmouth Figurations
4 Awful Coffee
5 Eiderdown
6 Hullo Bolinas
7 Away
8 In F
9 Radio

Editorial Reviews

Guitarist John Scofield celebrates the music of his friend and mentor Steve Swallow in an outgoing and spirited recording, made "old school" style in just one day in New York in March 2019. "I love these songs", says Scofield of the selection of Swallow compositions explored here. The rapport between Scofield and Swallow is evident in every moment. Behind the drum kit, Bill Stewart, a close associate of Scofield's since the early 90s, is alert to all the implications of the interaction.

Product details

  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 5.67 x 0.59 inches; 0.78 ounces
  • Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ ECM
  • Original Release Date ‏ : ‎ 2020
  • Date First Available ‏ : ‎ April 6, 2020
  • Label ‏ : ‎ ECM
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B086G2R7MB
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 199 ratings

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
199 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Stuart Jefferson
5.0 out of 5 stars SWALLOW'S COMPOSITIONS AND SCOFIELD'S GUITAR--A GREAT ALBUM.
Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2020
Verified Purchase
This (53 + minutes) album is one of the better releases on the ECM label in a while as far as I'm concerned. Steve Swallow's compositions played by longtime friend John Scofield and drummer Bill Stewart in a trio setting, brings out strengths that only musicians who've played together and know each other well can accomplish. In some ways this set harks back to older ECM guitar releases, yet is still modern sounding. The playing is seemingly instinctive--so easy does this trio lay down these performances.

The lengthy (9 + minutes) "She Was Young" sets out what this trio is all about. A fine composition, its played with style and feel, and it's obvious that this group is well versed with each other's musicality. So is "Awful Coffee", another lengthy (9 + minutes) song that gives the group plenty of time to explore Swallow's music. Listen to "Away", at almost 5 minutes in length, a beautiful sounding tune with a relaxed arrangement that lasts as long as it should. This is consummate musicianship from the trio. So too is "Eiderdown" (7 + minutes), another great example of this trio's listening skills when playing together. But every tune here is a little gem.

A number of tunes go back to the days when Swallow used to play double bass in Gary Burton's band, before switching exclusively to electric bass. You might think that Swallow's sound on the electric bass would be crisper and harder sounding, but that's not the case. His earlier double bass approach is still intact, warm and organic sounding.

The sound on this album is the usual for ECM--clean and open. But there's also a warmth in this trio's playing that allows Swallow's tunes to really shine. Scofield's guitar is slightly up front in the mix but doesn't overpower the bass or Stewart's drums--this is true trio jazz with everyone on equal footing. The jewel case comes in a cardboard slipcase. The four panel foldout booklet has a short piece by Scofield on Swallow's music, a b&w photo of the trio, a track list, and recording information, all in the typical ECM minimalist style.

This is a set of tunes that reveals more each time you hear them. And in a basic group of guitar, bass, and drums, both the musicianship and the arrangements of Swallow's tunes stand out. This set belongs alongside Scofield's other fine albums he's recorded over the years. Some of these tunes have been previously recorded by jazz heavyweights like Jim Hall, Pat Metheny, Bill Evans, Steve Kuhn, and others. It's about time there was an album devoted to Swallow's compositions which I initially took notice of way back when Burton's albums were originally issued on vinyl, and collectively this trio has hit a high mark on all counts. Scofield/jazz guitar fans--get this. And remember, you're also getting Steve Swallow's compositions and musicianship.
21 people found this helpful
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S King
5.0 out of 5 stars Go Sco...!
Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2020
Verified Purchase
This was a Pandemic Purchase. Some algorithm somewhere calculated I enjoyed John Scofield, and was correct. Not quite as edgy as some of his work, but a good addition to my collection of his work
One person found this helpful
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clint
5.0 out of 5 stars The Masters just keep getting better.
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2020
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EXCELLENT!
2 people found this helpful
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Autonomeus
5.0 out of 5 stars Mellow but swinging
Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2023
I picked this up on the strength of Scofield's excellent "Uncle John's Band" (2023 -- see my review). It is roughly similar, but even more mellow. All the tunes are by Steve Swallow, who plays bass along with Sco and Bill Stewart on drums.

The quick, no-nonsense recording is from March 2019, made possible because Scofield had been playing Swallow's music for many years.

My favorite number is the intense, high-energy "Eiderdown," which stands out among the otherwise lower-key performances.

(verified purchase from Dussmann in Berlin)
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Manuel Grosso Galvan
5.0 out of 5 stars A SOULFUL ALBUM. GREAT
Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2020
JOHN SCOTFIEL PLAYS STEVE SWALLOW'S SONGBOCK.
In this Swallow Tales, John Scotfield simply and wonderfully goes over the repertoire of Steve Swallow's most beautiful songs with the bass teacher Swallow and Bill Stewart on drums. The result can not be other than magnificent. A delight to hear how John Scotfield reels note by note the compositions of his mentor Swallow. As each note is placed in its place, without haste without any burden. The album is recorded in a single session, something logical when it comes to material well known by the three musicians. Scotfield has reached full maturity, and Swallow is noted and equally noted that he greatly enjoys the material for the compound. Stewart is the perfect connection between these two teachers. A perfect album to enjoy it calmly without rushing, in each audition it wins surprisingly. Excellent this new contribution from ECM to the best jazz
6 people found this helpful
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David Keymer
5.0 out of 5 stars FLOWING, GRACEFUL AND INTELLIGENT --FITS LIKE AN OLD SHOE BUT IS STILL NEW AND FRESH
Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2020
Verified Purchase
Comments Guitarist John Scofield on his decision to record an album of songs by bass guitarist Steve Swallow: “I’ve known most of these songs for forty plus years. … We made this recording in one afternoon with little forethought. All in all, a very ‘old school’ way to do things.” What happened forty some years ago? Scofield, then a student, enrolled at the Berklee School of Jazz just when Gary Burton and Steve Swallow joined the faculty. Burton didn’t write much. Swallow did, and his tunes were the lingua franca for a new generation of college-educated, instrument-savvy musicians. Swallow’s seventy-nine now, Scofield, sixty-eight, Stewart the baby at fifty-three. All are known for their attention to melody and to musical texture. So they sat down and played an afternoon or evening of what were for Scofield and Swallow familiar tunes and for Stewart ones he could quickly absorb. The result is an album of effortless, flowing, high quality music played by three masters of their instruments who are –obviously!—comfortable playing with each other, listening, picking up cures, nudging the music along. This is a lovely album.

[I only recognized two of the nine tunes on this album, “Falling Grace,” which was played by Chick Corea and Burton on their lovely duet album, Crystal Silence (1973) and “Portsmouth Figurations,” from Burton’s 1967 Duster, with Burton, guitarist Larry Coryell, Swallow (still playing stand up bass back then) and master drummer Roy Haynes. As well as Burton (solo and quartet), pianist Bill Evans recorded “Hullo Bolinas” on his 1973 Tokyo album. Swallow’s Real Book of jazz compositions was a hot item in Boston in the early ‘70s.]
8 people found this helpful
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Michael V.
5.0 out of 5 stars Cruising jazz
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2021
Verified Purchase
By what I mean, it's not fast, slow, or particularly moody - tempos and content kinda cruise along.
Swallow is a great player and a competent writer; Stewart an excellent drummer.
Because this is approached composition first, my fave jazz guitarist Sco never really burns, but fits right in to the project.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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monsterjazzlicks
5.0 out of 5 stars Compositional Excellence!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 30, 2022
Verified Purchase
Hi folks,

Everything Swallow touches turns to gold. This trio, and the featured material, is superb. I was actually only going to purchase the Amazon mp3 download of a single 99p track "In F", but ended up buying the whole album after sampling some of the other tracks. Personally, I would have preferred to have Adam Nussbaum on drums, so as to reunite the 1980s classic line-up. However, Bill Stewart does a sterling job throughout.

While this CD may be a little expensive the quality of the packaging, and recording, is first class.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Paul David Seaman (UK)
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Luca Mazzocchi
5.0 out of 5 stars Eccellente, tutti al loro meglio.
Reviewed in Italy on September 7, 2021
Verified Purchase
Prendete un pomeriggio di primavera del 2019, a New York, e lasciate che tre giganti del jazz, si divertano a improvvisare su pezzi di Steve Swallow, l'ottuagenario bassista elettrico che è uno dei tre che formano questo trio d'eccellenza. Sono quasi tre generazioni che s'incontrano, fra Swallow, il più anziano, Scofield che comunque i suoi 70 anni li ha raggiunti e Bill Stewart, batteria, che è il più giovane essendo nato a fine anni sessanta. Ma poco importa l'età, perché i tre si conoscono da molti anni, hanno già suonato insieme in vari progetti, ma mai in questa versione in trio. Se pensiamo che tutto questo ben di Dio, cinquanta minuti sublimi, è stato poi registrato in un pomeriggio, viene davvero da non crederci. Domina la chitarra di Scofield, raramente così lirica, così precisa e puntigliosa, che si libera nell'alveo creato da quella ritmica, improvvisando come solo lui sa fare, specialmente nello stupendo brano d'apertura "She Was Young", dove in oltre nove minuti passa in rassegna un po' tutti gli stili. I due compari swingano tantissimo e preparano, da par loro, il terreno a Scofield. Che altro dire, nove brani più o meno lunghi, che formano un'unico flusso musicale, ricchissimo di spunti, fra ballate e brani più mossi, fra momenti lirici e momenti più complessi, i tre ci restituiscono l'essenza del jazz elettrico, quello che va dagli anni settanta in poi. Marchio ECM, quindi qualità audio altissima, oltre alla solita cura per il packaging. Scofield non sbaglia più nulla: un musicista enorme.
One person found this helpful
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john h robertson
4.0 out of 5 stars Tough stuff
Reviewed in Canada on July 24, 2020
Verified Purchase
If your not deep into jazz, probably not for you
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A. ARIEL G. GALINDO
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best
Reviewed in Mexico on June 15, 2020
Verified Purchase
Excelente JSco
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ronoffbeat
5.0 out of 5 stars John Swallow .Bill Scofield u.Steve Stewart oder einfach genialer Sound
Reviewed in Germany on June 24, 2020
Verified Purchase
A must buy! John Scofields combo generiert zusammen einen Sound ,der noch lange für Aufregung sorgen wird..Ein Meisterwerk.Bravo!
One person found this helpful
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