There has been a John Scofield Trio at play since the late 70’s and it undisputedly remains his favorite format. The newest incarnation – Scofield on guitar, bassist Vicente Archer and drummer Bill Stewart are having fun. They sail through tightly knit sets that typify the musical diversity that has colored Scofield’s long career: time honored jazz standards, rock and blues classics, savvy original Scofield compositions and whatever assorted off-the-cuff improvisations that turn up on a whim. More than just a collection of tunes, they play music that embodies the spirit that has kept improvisational jazz vigorous and visceral since its start. Named for the Grateful Dead song that concludes Scofield’s inspired double album, Uncle John’s Band features masterful guitarist John Scofield at his most freewheeling. Scofield says, “All in all it’s a mixed bag of tunes but we treat them equally as vehicles for improvisation - not just covering the songs. 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. I think Trio is always some of my best playing. We hook up as a group and it brings us to satisfying places."

As a leading voice in American popular music, the Grammy Award-winning Nicholas Payton is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, composer, producer, arranger, essayist, and social activist who defies musical and artistic categories. All the while, he honors the tradition of what he terms “postmodern New Orleans music,” as well as the spirit of Black American Music, of which he states, “There are no fields, per se. There are lineages.” The New Orleans-born Payton has followed his calling since growing up under the tutelage of his parents — acclaimed bassist Walter Payton and Maria Payton, a pianist and vocalist. Already a prodigy before entering the first grade, he began playing trumpet at age four and started performing professionally at age 10. Before the age of 20, he was already in demand by everyone from Danny Barker and Clark Terry to Elvin Jones and Marcus Roberts. Payton released his first album, From this Moment, in 1995 on the famed Verve label. He received his first Grammy nomination in 1997 for the album Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton, and for the category of Best Instrumental Solo, which found him winning the award that year. Payton has released over 20 recordings as a leader, pushing musical boundaries and showcasing a variety of contemporary and traditional styles, while displaying his ambidextrous ability to play both the trumpet and keyboard at the same time when he’s inspired to do so. He has collaborated with numerous mentors and contemporaries alike, ranging from Common and Cassandra Wilson to Trey Anastasio, MonoNeon, and Jill Scott, to Dr. John, Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste of The Meters, Allen Toussaint, and Abbey Lincoln to name a few. His most recent albums are Quarantined with Nick and Maestro Rhythm King, both released in 2020.

Born and raised in Woodstock, NY, Vicente Archer has been hailed as one of the most sought-out bassists of his generation. At the age of twenty, while still in college in Boston, he was picked up by acclaimed artists Donald Harrison and Eric Reed to tour. Soon after that he went on to work with artists such as Terence Blanchard, Kenny Garrett, Wynton Marsalis, Stanley Jordan, Stefon Harris and many more. Vicente currently tours with Blue Note recording artists Amos Lee and Robert Glasper, as well as the Grammy Award winning artist Nicholas Payton.