Matt Schofield - Anything But Time (2011) **RE-UP**

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Matt Schofield - Anything But Time (2011) **RE-UP**

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Widely regarded as one of the finest guitarists of his generation - and the best British-born blues guitarist since the iconic heroes of the ’60s - Matt Schofield released his new album, Anything But Time, June 14 on Nugene Records. Recorded at The Music Shed in New Orleans, it is the award-winning guitarist and singer-songwriter’s fourth studio release. Anything But Time was made with veteran producer John Porter - another Brit celebrated for his way with capturing the authentic sound of American blues music.

“I grew up listening to records that John produced - B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, dozens of others,” says Schofield, who was born in Manchester, U.K. “We hit it off immediately, all our reference points were the same. I knew I was in good hands, and it was so relaxing this time out to not produce, to just write songs, play guitar, and sing. And, we loved being in New Orleans, where John recently moved. I think it influenced the music - maybe not obviously, but in terms of vibe, enthusiasm, and spirit.”

Schofield was recently honored as Guitarist of the Year in the 2010 British Blues Awards, and his previous studio release, Heads Tails & Aces, was voted Album of the Year (fans from around the world vote on the Awards, and Schofield drew as many nods from the U.S. as from the U.K.). On 2011’s Anything But Time, Schofield’s virtuosity shines. A soulful fusion of contemporary and classic blues, blues-rock, funk and Schofield’s distinctive swinging grooves, the album features his “organ power trio” combo - Schofield on vocals and guitar; longtime band-mate Jonny Henderson on Hammond organ and lefthand bass; and on drums, new recruit Kevin Hayes, formerly with Robert Cray for 18 years. New Orleans-based keyboardist John Cleary is a guest on three tracks, adding funky Big Easy flavor with piano and clavinet.

Of the album’s ten songs, eight are originals by Schofield and writing partner Dorothy Whittick. The title track, Anything But Time is, he says, “a nod to Booker T & the MG’s,” and Dreaming Of You is “perhaps the first time I’ve revealed my full appreciation for the Hendrix school of rhythm guitar.” Where Do I Have To Stand finds Schofield exploring a signature slow blues groove, and Don’t Know What I Do - the album’s only straight blues burner - is one of three cut live in the studio with Cleary. Steve Winwood’s At Times We Do Forget marks the first time Schofield has covered a contemporary piece, and Wrapped Up In Love - a classic from Albert King’s Stax era - has been on his “to do” list since he first heard it as a teenager. “We’ve covered B.B. King and Freddie King previously,” says Schofield, “so this completes the three Kings for us. It was cut live, in one take. I really tried to filter my playing through Albert King’s influence while keeping it my own.”

That same fluid mix of classic and contemporary fuels Schofield’s live shows, and the trio is set to embark on a nationwide tour of the United States this spring and summer. The itinerary kicks off May 30 in Cleveland, OH, with a final date at the King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, AR on October 8. Schofield loves to play live, and it comes across powerfully - Blues Revue, USA has written, “His solos are Santana - like in their command.” Of a recent show in Manchester, the U.K.’s CityLife wrote, “Make no mistake, of all the crop of new bluesmen, Schofield is the most expressive, the most musically eloquent, the one those grizzled hordes should be watching in gobsmacked wonder.”

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Matt Schofield - Anything But Time (2011) **RE-UP**

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Matt Schofield is a British guitarist playing Rhythm & Blues, and doing it so well that commentators on both sides of the Atlantic are ranking him among the best in the world.

In Schofield, the UK has produced the best blues guitarist from any country in decades. ~ LA Daily News, USA
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

In his relatively short career Schofield's prowess as a blues guitarist has taken his band to twelve countries; seen him playing with iconic guitarists like 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.

Born in Manchester UK in 1977, Matt was immersed in the blues from a young age thanks to his Dad's record collection. A professional guitarist from age 18 Schofield left it relatively late to start his own recording career, choosing first to learn his trade as a sideman, initially with bandleader and harp player Lee Sankey. He then spent four years with British Blues Diva and David Bowie prodigy Dana Gillespie, touring the UK, Europe and as far a field as India.

Seven years into life as a pro, he formed his own band - a trio - with Hammond organist, Jonny Henderson and drummer, Evan Jenkins (now with BBC Jazz Award winner, Neil Cowley). The trio was unconventional in having no bass player, bass duties being handled on the Hammond organ, a format favoured over the years by American bluesmen such as Albert King and Jimmie Vaughan.

The result was The Trio, Live, an eight-track taster of things to come. For what was a low budget, off-the-cuff and all-covers recording it elicited high praise along with airplay on both sides of the Atlantic and a BBC Radio 2 live session.

With his two subsequent releases (05's Siftin' Thru Ashes and 07's Ear To The Ground) Schofield consolidated his sound, delivering a powerful mix of Blues and New Orleans funk unlike anything else on the block. It was hard to pigeon-hole a band that could mine a deep blues trench one minute, effortlessly pull off a Meters anthem the next and then just as successfully revitalise the sixties Box Tops song, The Letter.

Fast forward to May, 2009 and Schofield's third studio recording Heads, Tails & Aces. This time Schofield has a bass player and a new drummer, and an album with a greater focus on blues. Gone are the interspersed instrumental funk tracks that characterised previous albums and led some commentators to label Schofield as much jazz, as blues. In their place is an entirely song-based album, with nine of the eleven tracks written or co-written by Schofield.

As well as producing his own albums, Matt has produced and played on three highly acclaimed albums by Ian Siegal, 2005's Meat & Potatoes, 2007's Swagger and the 2009 release, Broadside.

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Matt Schofield - Anything But Time (2011) **RE-UP**

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Matt Schofield - Anything But Time (2011) **RE-UP**

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Matt Schofield - Anything But Time (2011) **RE-UP**

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