Guitarist John Scofield sounds his most casual and relaxed on this trio session with two longtime friends, bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Bill Stewart. The material is a mix of songs from Swallow’s songbook and they all fit in nicely to the mix, making this album feel like a late night casual get together, with everyone playing to their own and each other’s strengths.
Scofield’s gentle strokes are melodic on “She Was Young” and relaxed on the blues of “Awful Coffee”, allowing Swallow ample solo space, her and through the sifting brushes on “Away”. The three bop till they drop on “In F” and are completely unpretentious in their delightfully enjoyable swing of “Radio”. Scofield, for his part, shows his classy touch with some fragrant strums as on “Hullo Bolinas” or clean blues for “Awful Coffee” and digs deep with his pick for “Falling Grace” with Stewart shuffling like a riverboat gambler or creating accents with his steely six shooter ricocheting off the rim. This is an album that shows the strengths of masters at their crafts.