JOHN SCOFIELD AND HIS QUARTET KICK OFF WINTER JAZZ ROOM SERIES AT WILLIAM PATERSON UNIVERSITY Cutting-edge guitarist John Scofield brings his brand of rock- and R&B- influenced jazz to William Paterson University on Sunday, January 24 for the opening concert of the university's 1999 Winter Jazz Room Series, now in its 21st season. The concert will begin at 4 p.m. in the Shea Center for Performing Arts on the campus in Wayne. Tickets are available in advance or on the day of the performance at $15. For this special concert, Scofield will be performing music from his recent chart-topping CD "A Go Go" recorded with Billy Martin, John Medeski, and Chris Wood. The powerful sound that this group creates can be attributed to both the talents of the individual players and the group's raw energy. "We got together and from the first note the chemistry was there," says Scofield. Born in Ohio on December 26, 1951, Scofield was raised in suburban Wilton, Connecticut. He attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston from 1970 to 1973, until his quick move into the public eye with the Cobham /Duke Band. He toured and recorded with his own groups as well as a variety of band leaders. In 1982, Scofield began a high exposure three-year stint with Miles Davis, where his credits included writing compositions as well as performing as guitarist. Scofield has recorded over 24 critically acclaimed albums as a leader. These recordings, many already classics, include collaborations with contemporary favorites like Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano, and the late Eddie Harris. As a featured guest, he's shared his unique guitar sound with major talents including Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Joe Henderson, McCoy Tyner, and Jim Hall, among others. Scofield and his quartet will be the guests for "Sittin' In," an informal, hosted discussion with the artists followed by a question-and-answer session. The talk begins at 3 p.m. in room 101 of Shea Center. Admission is free to all Jazz Room ticketholders. Launched in the spring of 1978, William Paterson's Jazz Room Series has earned a reputation for presenting concerts by eminent musicians in the jazz world. The series has been awarded numerous grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and recently won a Citation of Excellence from the Council for its cultural contribution to the state. For additional information, please call William Paterson's Shea Center Box Office at 973-720-2371. ###
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