GARY BURTON QUARTET / FEATURING JOHN SCOFIELD IN HOUSTON 1977 (1CDR)

Gary Burton - vibraphone
John Scofield - electric guitar
Steve Swallow - electric bass
Joe LaBarbera - drums

1. SEA JOURNEY
2. VOX HUMANA
3. RADIO
4. CHORAL
5. Vibraphone Solo
6. COME ON VIETNAM
7. AFRICAN FLOWER

This is a very rare live recording featuring the jazz vibraphone master Gary Burton. While live recordings from this period are not particularly uncommon, the lineup here is striking: it features John Scofield on guitar. With Steve Swallow—a cornerstone of the ECM label—on bass, one would typically expect Pat Metheny to be the guitarist in this configuration. Given that John Scofield is not typically associated with the ECM sound, his participation here is quite unusual. It is possible that he was filling in for Metheny due to unforeseen circumstances. It is an interesting exercise to compare tracks like "Sea Journey"—a staple in the repertoire—with the versions featuring Metheny. Please note, however, that the sound quality, while sourced from a soundboard, is somewhat problematic. Through painstaking remastering efforts, it has been brought to a listenable level, but this is not recommended for newcomers. If you are new to this music, I suggest starting with recordings of the Gary Burton Quartet that feature Pat Metheny, which offer superior sound quality. Once you have familiarized yourself with those, feel free to return to this recording featuring Scofield.