Dred Scott Rides Alone | The Vinyl Anachronist
Even though Dred Scott’s name invokes that Midwestern motif, he recorded Rides Alone in Northern California and was inspired by the time he spent at UCross Foundation in Wyoming (which might qualify as Midwestern in its flatter parts). This is smooth and mellow jazz–but not smooth jazz–that has a relaxed and gentle feel that stretches out to the solos but is still very much based in traditional genres. There’s plenty of space to spread out in these songs, and that geography on the stage serves the illusion of three separate musicians who feed off each other.
If you think about that, you’ll realize that’s probably difficult to do. You’re interacting, in other words, with something that hasn’t happened yet. You’re anticipating. That requires a rigid arrangement, but you simply cannot hear that planning in these tracks. I’m not sure how common this is in the world of jazz, and I certainly can’t think of a trio recording where three men aren’t playing. Dred Scott, however, is not a gimmick. He wouldn’t have this approach if he couldn’t pull it off. He’s not fooling you–he’s simple keeping Rides Alone as simple of a vision as possible, and that’s a genuine treat to hear.