Matt Schofield (born August 21, 1977 in Manchester, England) is an English blues guitarist and singer. His band, The Matt Schofield Trio, play their own material, which is a blend of blues, funk, and jazz, along with covers of blues classics such as Albert Collins' "Lights Are On, But Nobody's Home".
Schofield's guitar playing is often likened to Robben Ford in reference to his melodic and fluid style, and jazzy lines. However, Schofield was also influenced by B.B. King, Freddie King, Albert King, Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Albert Collins, Jimi Hendrix, Billy Gibbons, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimmie Vaughan.
Schofield has four studio albums and three live albums. The first of the live discs, The Trio, Live was recorded at the Bishop's Blues club at The Half Moon, Bishop's Stortford in 2004 and, funded and released by Richard Pavitt on his Nugene record label, gave the band their first breakthrough. The first studio album, Siftin' Thru Ashes was released in 2005. This album showcased Schofield as a songwriter, writing or co-writing eight out of eleven of the tracks. AllMusic called Schofield's approach "an enjoyable demonstration of what can happen when blues-rock and blues-jazz are united". The second live album, Live At The Jazz Cafe! was recorded at the London Jazz Cafe in April 2005, and was made available as a web only release. Schofield is one of only two living British artists to be given a four star (excellent) rating in the Penguin Book of Blues Recordings.
The release of The Trio, Live prompted Schofield to be featured in a Guitarist magazine article, listing the nine notable up and coming blues guitarists, Schofield being the only non-American. Of the album they said "britblues meets jazz via N'Orleans - all played with the kind of sizzling guitar that just does not often surface in Fairford, Gloucestershire". In 2007, Guitar & Bass Magazine picked Schofield as one of the "Top 10 British Blues Guitarists of All Time". In August 2009, Schofield released Heads, Tails, & Aces, his third studio effort. The next year (2010) the band collected the Album of the Year award at the British Blues Awards for this album.Schofield won the British Blues Guitarist and Jonny Henderson won the British Keyboard Player award, and they both won these awards in 2011, too.
In 2011, the trio released their fourth album Anything but Time, with Kevin Haynes on drums and John Porter as producer. Guitarinstructor.com, a part of the Hal Leonard organization, has this album as No 5 in their top 10 albums of 2011, while Mojo magazine picked it as No 1 of Blues albums in 2011.
In 2012 Schofield made available a third live album Ten From The Road, consisting of material performed live in November 2011 by Schofield with Henderson & Hayes.
The Matt Schofield Band:
Schofield performs with an organ trio (guitar, organ, and drums). Organ trios are mostly associated with the 1950s and 1960s U.S. soul jazz groups led by organists such as Jimmy Smith. Blues bands more commonly use trios of guitar, bass and drums, quartets (guitar, keyboards, bass, and drums) or quintets (guitar, rhythm guitar, keyboards, bass, and drums). In Schofield's organ trio, organist Jonny Henderson plays a Hammond organ, performing basslines using his left hand, and playing chords and lead lines with his right hand. The trio's drummer is Evan Jenkins. Jeff Walker played bass on the final track of Siftin' Thru' Ashes. In 2009, as of the recording of Heads, Tails & Aces, The Matt Schofield Trio became The Matt Schofield Band, a four-piece, featuring Jeff 'The Funk' Walker on bass, and also replacing Evan Jenkins with Alain Baudry. At a concert at the Swindon Arts Centre on 22 October 2009, the band reverted to a trio. In June 2010, Kevin Hayes, replaced Evan Jenkins in the band. The 2012 Europe Tour, the trio was back with its original formation, with Matt Schofield, Evan Jenkins and Jonny Henderson.
Discography:
This list (which may have dates, numbers, etc.) may be better in a sortable table format. Please help improve this list or discuss it on the talk page. (November 2012)
- 2004: The Trio, Live (NUG601)
- Uncle JuniorEveryday I Have The BluesBloody MurderTreat Me LowdownCissy StrutTravellin' SouthSittin' On Top Of The WorldHippology
- 2005: Live at the Jazz Café (NUG503)
- All You NeedUncle JuniorLights Are On, But Nobody's HomeTravellin' SouthCissy StrutOn My WayIt's Your Thing
- 2005: Siftin' Thru' Ashes (NUG501)
- All You NeedSiftin' Thru AshesDjamLights Are On, But Nobody's HomeThe LetterBack At Square OnePeople SayHow I TryOn My WayMiddle GroundHard Lines
- 2007: Ear To The Ground
- Pack it UpTroublemakerEar to the GroundHeart Don't Need a CompassOnce in a WhileRoom at the BackSomeoneSearchin'Move AlongCookie JarWhen it all Comes Down
- 2009: Heads, Tails & Aces
- What I Wanna HearLive WireWar We WageBetting ManLay It DownCan't Put You DownWoman Across the RiverNothing LeftI Told YaStranger BluesNot Raining Now
- 2011: Anything But Time
- Anything But TimeSee Me ThroughAt Times We Do ForgetShipwreckedDreaming of YouWrapped Up in LoveWhere Do I Have to StandOne Look (and I'm Hooked)Don't Know What I'd DoShare Our Smile Again
- 2012: Ten From The Road
- Ear To The GroundDon't Know What I'd DoLive WireWhere Do I Have To StandAnything But TimeDreaming Of YouShipwreckedSee Me ThroughSiftin' Thru AshesNot Raining Now
The Matt Schofield Band
The Matt Schofield Band at “Rams Head On Stage” in Annapolis, MD
- Other albums featuring Matt Schofield
- Swagger - Ian Siegal - produced by Schofield
- Meat And Potatoes - Ian Siegal - co-produced by Schofield
- My Day Is Just Beginning - The Lee Sankey Group
- She's Not Alone - The Lee Sankey Group
- Two Timing Lover Boy - Dino Baptiste
- A Different Picture - Earl Green
- Driving Savage Groove - Harmonica Posse
- Staying Power - Dana Gillespie
- Experienced - Dana Gillespie
- Songs Of Love - Dana Gillespie
- Back To Blues - Dana Gillespie
-
British Blues Awards Guitarist of the Year 2010, 2011 & 2012
(Putting him in the British Blues Awards Hall of Fame)
Mojo Magazine Blues Album of the Year 2011
British Blues Awards Album of the Year 2010
"In Schofield, the UK has produced the best blues guitarist from any country in decades." LA DAILY NEWS, USA
"Another level altogether." MOJO
"The best of his generation's European players. His feel for the music is incredible." VINTAGE GUITAR, USA
"Top ten British Blues guitarists of all time." GUITAR AND BASS
"The UK’s most exciting blues guitar player." GUITARIST
British guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer Matt Schofield is widely regarded as one of the most distinctive and innovative guitarists to have emerged on the world scene for several generations. He is rated in the top ten British blues guitarists of all time (Guitar & Bass Magazine) putting him in the company of such iconic names as Eric Clapton and Peter Green. In his relatively short solo career Schofield’s prowess as a blues guitarist has taken his band to twelve countries; seen him playing with iconic guitarists like Buddy Guy and Robben Ford; and brought him high praise in the Penguin Book of Blues Recordings as one of only two living British artists in recording history to gain a maximum four-star rating. ****
I am very happy to have covered Matt Schofield and his band, I really enjoy his music and admire his guitar playing skills. Now next on my “Hot List” is a true Blues-Rocker who began his career on the Jersey coast scene of the late 1960s and early 1970s. That is Walter Trout who in 1981 became the guitarist for Canned Heat. This led to an invitation to play in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers where he shared the stage with fellow guitarist Coco Montoya. He then left the Bluesbreakers in 1989 and formed the 'Walter Trout Band' which developed a successful following in Europe. I hope you follow along and learn more about Walter trout in my next blues article. Until then . . .
MUSICIAN by Night
GOD Save “The Blues”
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