Over the last four decades, trio format is John Scofield’s favorite mode of expression. The John Scofield Trio brings together Scofield on guitar, Vicente Archer on bass, and Bill Stewart on drums. The music is intricate, personal, and complex, highlighting a repertoire of Scofield compositions and jazz standards along with material ranging from Bob Dylan to Miles Davis. The three weave their sound through tight jazz standards and savvy original compositions, playing music that embodies the spirit that has kept jazz vigorous and visceral from the start. “I love to make real jazz-improvising statements in live situations with two of my favorite musicians,” Scofield says. “It’s challenging. You don’t rely on arrangements as much as the intuitive way we play together. You rely on good playing knowing that there’s no safety net involved. We’re three musicians with a special synergy that unfolds between us. It’s impossible to judge your own work completely, but I think the Trio format is always some of my best playing. We hook up as a group and it brings us to satisfying places.”