John Scofield_a Go Go

Guitarist Pete McCann is sometimes compared to both John Scofield and Pat Metheny, and you'll hear more than a shade of the latter in his buttery tone and lush use of reverb on several of this album's tracks. But on McCann's sophomore effort there's also quite a bit of Bill Frisell in his approach to melody – listen to the slow-footed "Knew Blues" and the ringing open chords and skewed phrasing on "You Remind Me of Someone." On "Ornery," a brilliant tribute to free jazz pioneer Ornette Coleman, McCann pays homage not just to Coleman's notorious disregard for the chord progression during solos, but also to the man's amazing ability to write delightful, sometimes downright hooky melodies. McCann also chooses his few covers well, delivering a thoughtful rendition of Cole Porter's "I Love You" and a slightly Latin-tinged interpretation of the Steve Swallow composition "Falling Grace."

This three-album collection explores the jazz icon's broad range of interests: "Stan Meets Chet" (1958) is a wholly instrumental collaboration with Stan Getz; "Baby Breeze" (1965) features Chet's vocals and flugelhorn backed by a large ensemble; and "You Can't Go Home Again" (1977) is a fusion classic featuring Michael Brecker, John Scofield, Paul Desmond and some unforgettable performances by drummer Tony Williams.