Its like a twenty car pile-up; nothing is where it’s supposed to be. But all the while, John Scofield is behind the wheel, placing every note with perfection.Last month, Scofield released “Uberjam,” an album that puts him where he is best: instrumental jazz-rock fusion. It only takes a few notes to recognize Scofield. His cruising lines cut like a saw. Scofield, or “Sco” as he is known, first came on the music scene in the 1970s after graduating from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass.Since then he has played under Miles Davis, Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock. He has also collaborated with contemporary artists such as Pat Methany and Medeski, Martin and Wood.The gods must be going crazy over this album. The cover portrays Scofield as a four-armed Eastern deity who plays the guitar. Has Scofield’s talent gone to his head?”Acidhead,” the first track on this album, warns that it might have. The swirling psychedelic sitar mix that opens the tune hints that this will be an epic of strange Eastern rhythms and instruments. But do not fear; once Scofield’s trusty tone makes an entrance the joke is over. “Uberjam” is about to get funky.For this, we can thank John Medeski of Medeski, Martin and Wood. His fat-toned B-3 organ, doubled with Scofield’s lines, makes for sliding, balanced melodies throughout the album.The combination of two people who play further out of the lines than a three-year-old with a crayon has resulted in a funkiness that may only be superceded by The Meters. Scofield and Medeski first explored the world of minimalist rhythms and vamps on 1998’s “A Go Go.” On “Uberjam,” they have perfect it. In addition to Medeski, this album includes Scofield’s new band. Avi Bortnick’s rhythm guitar and samples blend with the rest of the album, creating a unique DJ-ish feel. Scofield has even claimed that between Bortnick and himself, they can cover every aspect that a guitar “can and should do.”If there is anything that Scofield learned from playing with Miles Davis in the 1980s, it was that it only takes a few notes to catch one’s listener off guard and turn the groove inside out.The album’s best example of this is on its title track. The fast-pace groove is interjected with portions of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Blue Moon.”When critics complain about Scofield, it most often is due to a lack of variety. This album tends to cater to that complaint. Although every track on this album is awe-inspiring by itself, collectively the album lacks variety.Scofield won’t wow you on this album by laying down fast flowing lines, but he will take you on a drive to someplace you’ve never been.And you can finally go there with him on April 2, when Scofield and his band play in New Orleans at the Howlin’ Wolf.

(out of 5)