This weekend Medeski, Scofield, Martin and Wood regrouped to play a pair of shows in Colorado – Friday evening at the Ogden Theatre in Denver and last night at the Boulder Theater in Boulder. Just before the brief run, John Medeski and John Scofield headed to Grateful Dead / Furthur bassist Phil Lesh’s Terrapin Crossroads venue in San Rafael, California to perform a handful of shows with Lesh, Warren Haynes and Joe Russo, so you can’t blame them for having The Dead on their minds.

On Friday MSMW debuted their version of the Grateful Dead’s Scarlet Begonias. It’s instrumental, naturally, but it’s also got that signature MSMW avant-groove sound as the quartet deconstructed the classic Dead tune in an inventive way. Thanks to taper Scott Schneider we can check it out…

MSMW also worked scattered covers of The Beatles’ Julia, Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix and Peter Tosh’s Legalize It among original material in Denver. Next up for the group is an appearance on Jam Cruise 11.

One of the more exciting runs in post-Dead history came to a close last night when Phil Lesh, John Medeski, John Scofield, Warren Haynes and Joe Russo finished a three-night stand at Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael, Calif. As they did on the first two nights, the extremely talented combo  mixed classics from the Grateful Dead songbook with assorted covers.

[Photo by Scott Gordon]

Among the quintet, Warren Haynes was the lone member known for his singing so he handled vocals for most of the run with Phil chiming in from time to time. Last night saw the group deliver covers of Dear Mr. Fantasy, Amazing Grace, Blue Sky, Sunshine Of Your Love, Hallelujah, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Turn On Your Lovelight and Not Fade Away.

Our pal JRapp captured some audio from yesterday’s festivities. Check out the quintet’s gorgeous take on Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah followed by a transcendent, 35-minute Dark Star > While My Guitar Gently Weeps > Dark Star segment that shows the power of this band…

READ ON

The Grate Room at Terrapin Crossroads has been re-opened after a renovation and following Thursday night’s opening performance featuring a variation on Furthur, the real fun began last night. Lesh put together one of the most talented bands in the history of his “Friends” projects for three nights running from yesterday until Sunday. Joining Phil for the three performances to kick off December at the San Rafael, Calif. venue are Furthur band mate Joe Russo on drums, MMW keyboardist John Medeski, ABB / Gov’t Mule guitarist Warren Haynes and jazz guitarist John Scofield.

[Photo by @tweeprise]

For yesterday’s first show, the dream ensemble mixed classics from the Grateful Dead song book with a handful of classic rock covers such as In Memory of Elizabeth Reed by the Allman Brothers Band and The Beatles’ She Said, She Said. Last night’s performance was webcast on a Pay-Per-View basis leading to speculation that the next two nights will be broadcast as well.

Watch a video of Shakedown Street that has popped up on YouTube…

Listen to Eyes > Liz Reed > Eyes and Scarlet > Fire from Set Two…

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We’ll never forget the day in the late ’90s when it was revealed that avant-groovers Medeski, Martin and Wood were heading into the studio with jazz guitar legend John Scofield. This was a collaboration straight out of the dreams of many fans. The resulting album, A Go Go, stands among the best work by both artists. The project was too good to keep to just one album and tour, so thankfully the trio and Sco have teamed up plenty of times since that first album for tours and special shows.

MSMW will play a pair of shows in Colorado next month before making their Jam Cruise debut in January. Soundboard recordings of the group are fairly rare, so we were excited to see that Bear Creek organizers have shared an official recording of MSMW’s set from November 12th, 2011 at Big IV Amphitheatre for our listening pleasure. Listen as the quartet work through tunes from their two albums as well as a gorgeous cover of Lennon/McCartney’s Julia. There’s also sit ins from Roosevelt Collier of The Lee Boys and drummer Johnny Vidacovich. Check it…

Set: A Go Go, Down The Tubes > Hanuman, Little Walter Rides Again, Miles Behind, Julia,  In Case The World Changes Its Mind (w/ Roosevelt Collier), Tootie Ma Was A Big Fine Thing (w/ Johnny Vidacovich), Hottentot

HT faves Soulive kicked off their third annual residency at Brooklyn Bowl, a 10-show run dubbed Bowlive III, last night in New York City, where they welcomed guest guitarists John Scofield and Luther Dickinson (NMAS, Black Crowes) as well as Royal Family Records labelmate Nigel Hall.

[All photos by Phrazz]

Photographer Nick “Phrazz” Fitanides and videographer MKDevo were on hand at yesterday’s performance and their work gives a taste of Night One as well as what we can expect moving forward.

Soulive w/ Luther Dickinson – Hip Hug Her

IClips.net webcast last night’s show and will webcast all 10 Bowlive III performances.

Here’s more photos from Phrazz and videos from MKDevo…

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You know it’s a good sign when the Allman Brothers Band invites a guest who sat in with them in the first set back at some point during the second. Tonight at the Beacon, where the band’s annual March Madness is in full swing, guitarist John Scofield made his first appearance with the Allmans memorable thanks to incendiary soloing in both sets.

[ABB Beacon Run on Moogis.com]

The evening’s first guest was guitarist/vocalist Susan Tedeschi who came out for Coming Home by Eric Clapton and Delaney and Bonnie as well as Bobby “Blue” Bland’s That Did It. Tedeschi is married to ABB guitarist Derek Trucks and made her 20th appearance at the Beacon with the band having first sat in with them at the venue on March 20, 2000. After Susan left the stage, Scofield emerged for a cover of Dylan’s It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry and a mind-blowing Liz Reed in which he took turns tearing it up with Trucks and longtime collaborator Warren Haynes.

Set One: Don’t Want You No More, It’s Not My Cross To Bear, Done Somebody Wrong, Blind Willie McTell, Walk On Gilded Splinters, Coming Home*, That Did It*, It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry**, In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed**

Set Two: Dreams, Come And Go Blues, Soulshine, Come On In My Kitchen. .44 Blues^, Mountain Jam** > Oteil’s Blues > Drums > Mountain Jam**
Encore: One Way Out^^

* – w/ Susan Tedeschi
** – w/ John Scofield
^ – w/ James van de Bogert, no Jaimoe
^^ – w/ Junior Mack and Susan Tedeschi, no Derek

[via AllmanBrothersBand.com Forums]

John Scofield returned during the second set for the evening’s other improvisational highlight, a lengthy Mountain Jam. Derek and Warren went to work with slides while Sco offered a tasty counterpoint with his signature tone. For the encore, Tedeschi and guitarist Junior Mack – who was sporting Duane Allman’s legendary Goldtop Les Paul – ripped it up with Warren on One Way Out. The Allman Brothers Band returns to the Beacon and Moogis.com tomorrow night.

• Allman Brothers Band @ Beacon 2011: Night One, Night Two,  Night Three, Night Four, Night Five, Night Six

Royal Family Ball @ Terminal 5, October 2

Last Saturday night saw New York City’s Terminal 5 play host to the 3rd annual Royal Family Ball presented by Royal Family Records.  With a huge sound and a stage that was bursting at the seams, fans were able to partake of a rotating set of jazz and hip-hop artists that included the members of Soulive, Lettuce, The Shady Horns, Nigel Hall, Talib Kweli and John Scofield.

Highlights included tracks from Soulive’s homage to the Beatles, Rubber Soulive, with Come Together, Something, Eleanor Rigby and I Want You (She’s So Heavy).  A surprise appearance by Warren Haynes sealed the night for most, as he traded verses with Nigel Hall and blistering guitar licks with John Scofield on Born Under a Bad Sign.

Nigel Hall Setlist:
Intro – Hang It Up, Wait Till I Get Home, Too Sweet, Never Know, Gimme A Sign, Baby I Do Love You, Never Gonna Let You Go

Lettuce Setlist:
Intro, Blast Off, Sam Huff, Last Suppitt, King of the Bergs, Move Somethin w/ Talib Kweli, The Blast w/ Talib Kweli, Get By w/ Talib Kweli, Break Out, Relax, The Flu w/ John Scofield, Move On Up w/ John Scofield, Makin My Way Back Home

Soulive Setlist:
Come Together, Something, Eleanor Rigby, I Want You, El Ron, What You See Is What You Get w/ John Scofield, Hottentot – w/ John Scofield, Born Under a Bad Sign w/ John Scofield, Warren Haynes, Do The 2, Too Much

Encore: James Brown Medley w/ John Scofield

[Setlists courtesy of jambands.com]

READ ON for Jeremy’s fabulous pics from the Royal Family Ball…

The Royal Family Records Team has put together one of the funkiest lineups in the history of funky lineups for the Royal Family Ball at Terminal 5 in New York City on October 2nd. Royal Family acts Soulive, Lettuce, John Scofield, Talib Kweli, Christian Scott, Big Sam, Nigel Hall, and the Shady Horns are each slated to perform at some point during the evening and the label promises “never before witnessed collaborations.”

Tickets cost an affordable $25 in advance ($30 at the door) with VIP “Rager” passes available for $75 which include a commemorative “Rager” laminate, meet & greet with the band following soundcheck, access to a VIP viewing area, a signed poster & a free digital download of the show.

We’ve got yet another editon of our Everybody Wins When We Plug Something And In Return They Offer Us Free Shit To Give Away program today as we offer you a chance to win two tickets to the Royal Family Ball. All you have to do is leave a comment underneath this post telling us which of the artists on the bill you’d like to see perform together. You can only enter once and all entries must be received by September 28 at 11:59PM EDT. We’ll pick one entry at random  and you’ll be set up with a pair of tickets for the October 2nd event. Good luck!

The stage is set for one of the summer’s best concerts this coming Saturday. Soulive, and their record label Royal Family, has assembled an incredible lineup of talent to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the band’s inception.

The Royal Family Get Down is taking place at the Pines Theatre in Look Park in Northampton Massachusetts this Saturday September 12th.

The schedule is as follows:

1:00 Gates Open
2:00 Nigel Hall
3:00 Charlie Hunter
4:15 Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
6:00 Sharon Jones & the DAP Kings
7:45 Soulive with special guest John Scofield

While VIP tickets are sold out, $40 reserved and $32.50 G/A ducats are still available as of press time. Reserved seating rows shouldn’t take up too much space at The Pines, only 13 rows to be exact. READ ON for more…

Music lovers are inherently prone to making lists. We do it all the time. Our mental instincts tell us to compare frequently. Learn which is better, rank whatever is on your mind in comparison to the last time you had a similar experience. Be the judge, it’s your opinion, after all, so it cannot be incorrect. Sports fans are of a similar ilk, albeit more obvious and statistic driven. List makers, the lot of them.

Ask a music lover to name three guitar players with real talent and you will get back as many answers as you think you will. Depending on the genre that happens to be their favorite, you may hear answers as diverse as Jimi Hendrix or Carlos Santana to B.B. King or Chuck Berry. Satriani, Clapton, Page. Trey, Muddy, Warren. First name, last name, it makes no difference. Everybody has their favorite player in each genre. So let’s narrow the playing field, shall we?

Ask the same music lover to name three jazz guitarists with the most talent still making music and you’re fishing in a much shallower pool. Pat Metheney belongs on the list, that’s a given. A very strong case could be made for Bill Frisell to be sure. Al Dimeola, Robben Ford, Les Paul, where do you start?

I’ll tell you where you start: John Scofield. Note for note, Scofield has been atop that list for decades. An imaginative composer and innovative improviser, his legacy has continued to build with each new release; 33 of them since 1977. And that’s just as the main artist. He has collaborated on more cuts than I care to count and made every one of them a better song in the process.

READ ON for AJ’s review of John Scofield at the Portland Jazz Fest…