With great enthusiasm, John Scofield pays tribute to the music of his longtime friend and former mentor Steve Swallow on his album. Recorded in a single afternoon in New York in March 2019, the album, as Scofield notes with a twinkle in his eye, has an "old school" feel.[5][1] Over four decades of musical development ultimately led to this collaborative project. Their first encounter took place in the 1970s: Scofield was 20 years old and a student at Berklee College of Music, while Swallow was a faculty member there. Since then, their close musical partnership has continued uninterrupted.[5]
Scofield emphasizes his enthusiasm for the selection of Swallow's compositions featured on the album—including well-known pieces such as "Hullo Bolinas," "Eiderdown," "Falling Grace," and "Radio," as well as some lesser-known works. The interplay between Scofield and Swallow is so harmonious that Scofield compares the sound to a single "big guitar." The trio is completed by Bill Stewart on drums, who has been one of Scofield's trusted collaborators since the early 1990s. Stewart contributes far more than just rhythmic work: Scofield values him as a melodic voice in the music, consistently providing a powerful groove.