Govt Mule and John Scofield perform Billy Cobham's "Stratus" on 3-12-15 at the Orpheum Theater, Boston, MA. Brought to you by Less Than Face Productions.
Recently saw a video of Leland Sklar talking about the initial recording of this piece and how the most difficult part is just sticking to the basic groove throughout the entire piece! He mentioned that it's (relatively) easy to toss in frills on the bass line, but to keep that solid groove the whole time without break is tough as hell!
I just learned this today, partly from Leland Sklar’s video about it. Keeping the groove for a long time, yet remain8ng aware to the changes, is tricky. There’s another song, only four notes, that’s tough for the same reason. Not anything close to this but, nonetheless, Engel by Rammstein, live at Lizhinsky Stadium. By the way, is the bass player here playing the groove right?
@@rexwave4624 No, he's not. It differs on at least one note I think. Perhaps he likes it better that way and no one else cared? Or the band did not rehearse this classic, and he just tried his best out of the blue.
Yeah, it's got that trick of all sixteenth notes with the last two being the same as the first, so the actual note changes don't happen on the down beat of one. Which can be incredibly disorienting after a few minutes.
Scofield is some kind of otherworldly entity. He needs no words, he speaks fluent guitarineze, conveying heaping helpings of unspoken musical truths in a mosaic of rock blues and jazz. Waren comes in perfectly like usual slowly tugging us back to earth with his exquisitely timed soulful riffing. This is a master work, bridging a multitude of styles and techniques by two of my favorite guitarists. Thanks LTFP for posting and thanks to Scofield and the Mule.
Travis Bessonette I just sew them in Espoo Finland ( Finnish LA) a month ago. I mean Scofield jazz band. My guitarist son, who just returned fron Atlanta was not happy. I’ve been introduced with Scofield since 70’s. Cobham was here also. I got tickets. My leg broke with a 90 mph snowmobile. My son went. A total mishap.
Imagine being able to play anything you want, in any setting, on the guitar. That's John Scofield. There just are no more words for the guy. And he's been doing it for 50 years now. Mind-boggling...
Dude if you ve never heard the original or aren't familiar with Billy cobham or the mahivishnu orchestra, it makes this sound like trash and I love this video. But this version is a weak cover imo, instead of exploring stratus into a new musical atmosphere it feels more like a jam funk fusion groove but soulless. It's clear there jamming on a groove that doesn't really even care about the essence of stratus. Sometimes the less space in music the better , the wonderful thing about cobham and his drumming is he didnt waste a note even though he played so many.
The best arrangement of this song I've heard. Tommy Bolin (rest in peace) would absolutely love this. Scofield's sound reminds me a lot of Roy Buchanan.
These Musicians are all brilliant, no question. But John Scofield's solo is so outstanding. One of the best solos I ever experienced. And to perform this live, just improvising ...oh man. I play the guitar, too, and could live a thousand years practicing and learning and never could come even close. His infinite vocabular of scales and tones, fluently performed out of nowhere with bunches of world class tone, topping one another. And always recognizable Scofield style. He ist one of the Greats at his best. Could watch this forever.
Warren has to be really brave to share the stage with an absolute giant like Scofield. I can't imagine too many rock-blues guitarists doing the same and be able to survive like he did.
Scofield although probably unknown to many that follow the mainstream has always been bad ass. I’ve got an amazing album of his from the mid 70s. So versatile.
Are you NUTS ????? When a drummer allows/makes the tempo go from 85 BPM to 103 BPM, that's downright embarrassing !!!!!!!!!!!!!! How can any producer allow that to get posted on YT ?? Good drummers will deviate by 2 BPB, but 18 ????????????????????
Great upload saw John Scofield play with Billy Cobham Late Great George Duke and Alphonso Johnson in 76 Super show Great Guitarist year later saw another Super Guitarist late Great Jeff Beck with Billy Cobham Jan Hammer and Alphonso Johnson i love Jazz Fusion Prog Rock
Nice cover of this Billy Cobham classic. Tommy Bolin would approve. Of course John played this tune a few times with Billy back in the 70s. Bean town got to listen to a great night of music.
Just amazing, just a great band that can do anything, Matt Abts is one of the most amazing drummers, anything they throw at him he kills it, wish they bottled that.
Always great to see an Epiphone Jack Casady bass in action. It mustn't be easy to maintain that riff for such a long jam. I'm not even gonna touch on the solos, as they speak for themselves
I actually have to shed this tune for an upcoming gig, and this was a real eye opener compared to some of the other live versions I've heard. It's direct and less cluttered somehow. Thanks, this was a big help.
Watch out for a version with Billy Cobham, George Duke and Stefan Rademacher on Bass. Unfortuneately i miss out on the name of the also outstanding guitarist of the aforementioned version. I think he was australian or from new zealand. This Version is so spot on you wont believe it. I like the version here with sco and warren also a lot. I love the keyboardists/organpayers work and feel. He has got "it"... Heres the link brother: th-cam.com/video/v13P7e2EsRQ/w-d-xo.html
This is so inspiring, thank you for posting! Great collaboration, pleasant surprise. Not surprised to see John Scofield crushing it! Man, studying his 2 VHS tape set on quartal harmony, this was a really cool bluesier harmonic side, and the Carltonesque hammer on alone was worth the price of admission! WH, so soulful, and carried the ABB during changing times. 😊
@@PatriotSteve even Metheny is more predicable than Sco. The only other guys who improvise so fluent and varying are Gambale and Rosenwinkel. I'm sure there are others, but wow, I dare anyone to find better than those three still living. Maybe Scott Henderson?
Opening sounds a lot like "Birds of Fire" by the MVO. If you were there you're a precious goddess, a lucky bastard, a legend. A moment of space-time sanctified by your divine presence. That wasn't just fanatstic, that was transcendental. Thanks for sharing You legend. Peace. NFA.
WOW is right, the original recording was Cobham, Jan Hammer, Tommy Bolin and Sklar, THE BEST OF THE BEST ............to even try this, thanks for sharing, Tommy so missed the boat by going with James Gang and Purple but I guess those gigs paid more than fusion. His potential was never realized.
This tune, STRATUS, originally released on Billy Cobham's Spectrum LP, was offered up to Cobham by Tommy Bolin, as were all the other compositions which Tommy wrote save two or three that Cobham penned, all are credited to Cobham as 'payment' for Cobham giving Bolin the exposure or opportunity to play on that session that Tommy was looking for at that time.
SCOFIELD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had to remember to keep breathing while i was listening to him solo....holy shit....no words!
Sco - better than the finest of wines.....after 30 years of listening he gets better and better.....
And how are we to explain Christone Ingram ? Its almost scary to wonder at just what hights the Kingfish will arrive in thirty years. Geeze !!
Recently saw a video of Leland Sklar talking about the initial recording of this piece and how the most difficult part is just sticking to the basic groove throughout the entire piece! He mentioned that it's (relatively) easy to toss in frills on the bass line, but to keep that solid groove the whole time without break is tough as hell!
I just learned this today, partly from Leland Sklar’s video about it. Keeping the groove for a long time, yet remain8ng aware to the changes, is tricky. There’s another song, only four notes, that’s tough for the same reason. Not anything close to this but, nonetheless, Engel by Rammstein, live at Lizhinsky Stadium. By the way, is the bass player here playing the groove right?
@@rexwave4624 No, he's not. It differs on at least one note I think. Perhaps he likes it better that way and no one else cared? Or the band did not rehearse this classic, and he just tried his best out of the blue.
You can basically dub Rockn Hourse over this song
@@kaibartling7085 can dub rockn horse over the song basically the same song
Yeah, it's got that trick of all sixteenth notes with the last two being the same as the first, so the actual note changes don't happen on the down beat of one. Which can be incredibly disorienting after a few minutes.
Schofield takes his solo higher and higher,, hats off to the bassman..keepin' that groove.
Scofield is some kind of otherworldly entity. He needs no words, he speaks fluent guitarineze, conveying heaping helpings of unspoken musical truths in a mosaic of rock blues and jazz. Waren comes in perfectly like usual slowly tugging us back to earth with his exquisitely timed soulful riffing. This is a master work, bridging a multitude of styles and techniques by two of my favorite guitarists. Thanks LTFP for posting and thanks to Scofield and the Mule.
His face is on the definition of jazz in the dictionary
A very fine summation also...:)
Travis Bessonette I just sew them in Espoo Finland ( Finnish LA) a month ago.
I mean Scofield jazz band. My guitarist son, who just returned fron Atlanta was not happy. I’ve been introduced with Scofield since 70’s.
Cobham was here also. I got tickets. My leg broke with a 90 mph snowmobile. My son went. A total mishap.
Our pleasure Travis!
two years old comment but awesome words on this master!!!
Holy Cow ….I NEVER thought I’d see Gov’t Mule doing jazz fusion….and it was GREAT!
They've pretty much done it at times from the get go.
Imagine being able to play anything you want, in any setting, on the guitar. That's John Scofield. There just are no more words for the guy. And he's been doing it for 50 years now. Mind-boggling...
…and boring as a mf.
Killer no filler 🔥🔥🔥
Within 15 seconds of this I thought "oh crap this is gonna be good "
Susan Reed That’s so true, man I heard the groove and thought the very same thing.
Scofield is a demigod ... but the original version (Billy Cobham/Tommy Bolin/Jan Hammer/Leland Sklar, 1973) is otherworldly. Don´t miss it
Dude if you ve never heard the original or aren't familiar with Billy cobham or the mahivishnu orchestra, it makes this sound like trash and I love this video.
But this version is a weak cover imo, instead of exploring stratus into a new musical atmosphere it feels more like a jam funk fusion groove but soulless.
It's clear there jamming on a groove that doesn't really even care about the essence of stratus.
Sometimes the less space in music the better , the wonderful thing about cobham and his drumming is he didnt waste a note even though he played so many.
Bass player keeping it all together!!!!!! These guys are the best of the best. 😳
Totally driving the song with an Epiphone Jack Casady ax.
scofield is shredding!! out of his mind
The best arrangement of this song I've heard. Tommy Bolin (rest in peace) would absolutely love this. Scofield's sound reminds me a lot of Roy Buchanan.
Umm.. you need to hear the Jeff Beck at Ronnie Scott's performance of this song. MIndblowing. th-cam.com/video/VK14So3O5_k/w-d-xo.html
@@marKism69 Thank You; I've heard it.
Great version, Tommy Bolin on guitar with Billy Cobham is the BOMB!
And Jan Hammer, too!!
can we all just appreciate how good that cheap epiphone Jack Cassidy bass sounds?
This is awesome, need to dig out my old Cobham wax!
Warren is the very best I've ever seen or ever will in my lifetime! His playing and this band along with guests never fail to amaze me
These Musicians are all brilliant, no question. But John Scofield's solo is so outstanding. One of the best solos I ever experienced. And to perform this live, just improvising ...oh man. I play the guitar, too, and could live a thousand years practicing and learning and never could come even close. His infinite vocabular of scales and tones, fluently performed out of nowhere with bunches of world class tone, topping one another. And always recognizable Scofield style. He ist one of the Greats at his best. Could watch this forever.
so well said
@@PatriotSteve not enough good to do so well than Tommy Bolin original recording.
Man Sco was on fire!!
Warren has to be really brave to share the stage with an absolute giant like Scofield. I can't imagine too many rock-blues guitarists doing the same and be able to survive like he did.
The " licks " library in John's head is mindboggling!
17 minutes of pure joy ! And compliments for the one who made this video. Beautiful camera-work !
Thanks Erik! We appreciate it!
Wow was that 17 mins i never realised
Likely one of the top 0.000001 % of Music, Videos, and Performances ever made.
Glad you enjoyed Mark!
I have this on album,Billy C is man
Holy crap, I've heard of John Scofield for years, but I'm sad I never saw him actually play until just now.
He's a monster of jazz/fusion. Delightful when he appears in other places.
John Scofield speaks another language. Amazing!
Scofield although probably unknown to many that follow the mainstream has always been bad ass. I’ve got an amazing album of his from the mid 70s. So versatile.
Yes, he was playing fusion w/ Billy Cobham & the amazing George Duke.
Ha ha, Scofield is the mainstream...all due respect to Warren Haynes, up there with he best of them as well 👍
The drummer should be mentioned for the job he did propelling this along . Fucking Bravo !
He has serious chops. Any drummer willing to take on anything Billy played is a task and he delivered.
Are you NUTS ????? When a drummer allows/makes the tempo go from 85 BPM to 103 BPM, that's downright embarrassing !!!!!!!!!!!!!! How can any producer allow that to get posted on YT ?? Good drummers will deviate by 2 BPB, but 18 ????????????????????
Warren Haynes nailed it. Great solo.
Scofield just rips it into pieces!!! 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙏🙏🙏
Great band & both guitarists are highly influential ! ...
This is truly one of my favorite recordings of all time. I love scofield-mule more than anything
The Sco Mule is having a good time!
Sco will never die : better and better everytime... Thanks a lot for share !
Great upload saw John Scofield play with Billy Cobham Late Great George Duke and Alphonso Johnson in 76 Super show Great Guitarist year later saw another Super Guitarist late Great Jeff Beck with Billy Cobham Jan Hammer and Alphonso Johnson i love Jazz Fusion Prog Rock
Great band,saw them at RIT!!!
Il a joué aussi avec Miles Davis ce Maître a tous les grands talents de la fusion ☮️
GODDDDDDDAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMNN! What an ensemble effort, here! Billy would be some proud.
Oh wow, this is magnificent
17:21😳 even Leland didn’t play it for that long damn
John is a giant.
🤩. Fantastic !
Sco's solo is memorable...
Godddddaaaaammmmnnnnn! That was a jam!
I keep coming back, over & over!
That's awesome!
John was a original member of The George Duke Billy Cobham Band '75-'77, Checkout the Live Europe Lp
That's the best rendition of Stratus I've ever heard!😂
It's up there for sho. Badass.
Great stuff! Thanks again!
Matt !!!! Thanks man !!! Solid grooving as usual !!!! 🤘
I grow up with Spectrum and its so cool to see these guys honoring it. Billy and Leland, and Tommy❤
Thanks for posting this. It's just incredible!
Glad you enjoyed it Dave!
My fav is still the original w. Tommy Bolan guitar Billy Cobham and Lee Sklar.
Nice cover of this Billy Cobham classic. Tommy Bolin would approve. Of course John played this tune a few times with Billy back in the 70s. Bean town got to listen to a great night of music.
Chairman Meow Boston baked beans dude
Outstanding performance. Thx for posting.
Just amazing, just a great band that can do anything, Matt Abts is one of the most amazing drummers, anything they throw at him he kills it, wish they bottled that.
Pff Scofield… always tasteful and incredible
Scofield sure does put his whole self into it!
Always great to see an Epiphone Jack Casady bass in action. It mustn't be easy to maintain that riff for such a long jam. I'm not even gonna touch on the solos, as they speak for themselves
Just lock in with Matt, put your head down and go.....
But he changed the bassline from Skylar’s, why??!!
@@ChromaticHarp Why not?
simply awesome!
Excellent ! Thanks for the upload !
it's a cool journey.I like solo's like these .The drummer was awesome too.
Man, this is GOOD! TY LTFP
Very cool version of this jewel of fusion!
Just cranked this to the f’n heavens and feel great about it
Amazing piece of great music!!!! Number 1!!!!!!
I actually have to shed this tune for an upcoming gig, and this was a real eye opener compared to some of the other live versions I've heard. It's direct and less cluttered somehow. Thanks, this was a big help.
Watch out for a version with Billy Cobham, George Duke and Stefan Rademacher on Bass. Unfortuneately i miss out on the name of the also outstanding guitarist of the aforementioned version.
I think he was australian or from new zealand.
This Version is so spot on you wont believe it.
I like the version here with sco and warren also a lot. I love the keyboardists/organpayers work and feel. He has got "it"...
Heres the link brother:
th-cam.com/video/v13P7e2EsRQ/w-d-xo.html
great jam. thanks for your great jam
Compliments to the Bass player!
A little Duke Ellington quote by Warren, 'It Don't Mean a Thing If It ain't Got That Swing'
what an awesome jam.
This is so inspiring, thank you for posting! Great collaboration, pleasant surprise. Not surprised to see John Scofield crushing it! Man, studying his 2 VHS tape set on quartal harmony, this was a really cool bluesier harmonic side, and the Carltonesque hammer on alone was worth the price of admission! WH, so soulful, and carried the ABB during changing times. 😊
Glad you dig it Richard!
No one forget that Scofield is playing that on 12 gauge strings
Very nice indeed. Lots of juicy bits!
God I miss live music. Summer of '22 is gonna be lit.
I love watching Aslan and his Dad playing nicely together.
This has Mahavishnu vibes all over it. Love it.
check out the original Billy Cobham track with Tommy Bolin and Leland Sklar.... take a little trip out
Damn that was good!
great to show this to ever...
Scofield is the best guitarist in the multiverse!
Hahahahaa
ben voyons !
Sco`s "Groove chops" kills!
All together brilliant
Sco is the best guitarist in the multiverse because he doesn't show off his chops . Plays the groove
Facial expressions say everything. The man is a master of the instrument
Love that Billy Cobham tune!!
he is never predictable. Warren is great but you can predict what’s coming next. Not so with Sco.
@@PatriotSteve even Metheny is more predicable than Sco. The only other guys who improvise so fluent and varying are Gambale and Rosenwinkel. I'm sure there are others, but wow, I dare anyone to find better than those three still living. Maybe Scott Henderson?
@@DabsDad I might put Jeff Beck up there
Brilliant - stunning!
what a treat would make tommy bolin smile down from heaven
Opening sounds a lot like "Birds of Fire" by the MVO. If you were there you're a precious goddess, a lucky bastard, a legend. A moment of space-time sanctified by your divine presence.
That wasn't just fanatstic, that was transcendental. Thanks for sharing You legend. Peace.
NFA.
Glad we could help you relive the moment Stefan!
@@LessThanFaceProductions1 I wasn't there, wish I had been. Om.
I love John's playing. What a treasure.
Scofield is killing it.
I was there
Saw this at the Mother Church in Nashville, incredible.
Matt Abts, man what a drummer..
True dat.
My favorite!
Bloody amazing solo
Friggin Awesome!!!
Love It Love It Love It!
MUSIC LIVED WITH BANDS LIKE THIS.
Fantastic!
John Scofield, the best '
guitar faces' ever.
Schofield is a freakin genius!
Wow! They are achieving stratus!
Whoa! freakin awesome
Just brilliant.
WOW is right, the original recording was Cobham, Jan Hammer, Tommy Bolin and Sklar, THE BEST OF THE BEST ............to even try this, thanks for sharing, Tommy so missed the boat by going with James Gang and Purple but I guess those gigs paid more than fusion. His potential was never realized.
God dam the bands on fire, whoo!
This tune, STRATUS, originally released on Billy Cobham's Spectrum LP, was offered up to Cobham by Tommy Bolin, as were all the other compositions which Tommy wrote save two or three that Cobham penned, all are credited to Cobham as 'payment' for Cobham giving Bolin the exposure or opportunity to play on that session that Tommy was looking for at that time.
Been Listen to B.C since the 7des
I've come back to this - it's so awesome. What a moment for Sco at 8:17 !
that's such a simple lick too. Pure fun on his face.