Piety Street - CD

It is a rare artist that can explore more than one kind of music with true fluency, virtuosity and sincerity. Guitarist John Scofield can, and he s proven it once again with Piety Street - a powerful collection of Gospel renditions.

Playing with John on this recording: Born in Kent, England in 1964, Jon Cleary is known for his salty-sweet voice, masterful piano/ organ skills. Cleary is best known as a member of Bonnie Raitt's band and his own group Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen.

Sharing a 26 December birthday with Scofield, Porter, Jr. was born in Louisiana in 1947. Few bass players in the history of modern New Orleans music are as storied as George Porter Jr. During the course of a career spanning four decades, Porter earned recognition as one of America's most iconic and elite bass players as a member of The Meters.

Born in Durban, South Africa in 1952, Ricky Fataar started playing drums at age nine. Fataar appeared in film The Rutles, All You Need is Cash, playing guitarist Stig O'Hara. Stateside by the early 70's, he joined the Beach Boys, touring and recording as their drummer. He has been Bonnie Raitt's drummer since 1979. Multi-instrumentalist, Ricky also writes music for films.

Born into a seventh generation Lousiana, singer John Boutté lives and breathes the heart and soul of New Orleans. Boutte works with a wonderful amalgam of styles -- from torchy jazz to soul and African-American gospel.

Also native to New Orleans, drummer and percussionist Shannon Powell, 43, is both a traditional jazz and modern jazz musician. Powell is widely recognized for his six years in Harry Connick Jr. s band.

'I'm just shifting the balances for this one,' he says. I've always wanted to record and tour a blues project. That's where I started as a guitarist and I'm feeling that music more than ever of late. I launched a personal search for musical inspiration beyond the standard 12 bar blues and found it in 'old time gospel' music - the closest relative to and inspiration for the R& B that we all love. I've always treasured Gospel but never really dug deep into it. My search led to countless songs that really move me. It's really powerful stuff. Of course, it will be Gospel done my way - all the arrangements are mine. '