Matt Schofield (GB)

About

Also known as: Matthew Ian Schofield

Matt Schofield runs an organ trio, which is already an unusual move for a blues guitarist. While most blues bands lean on the standard guitar, bass, and drums setup, Schofield built his sound around guitar, Hammond organ, and drums, a format rooted in 1950s and 1960s US soul jazz. That choice gives the Matt Schofield Trio a distinctly warm, rolling sound, blending blues with funk and jazz in a way that caught serious attention. Guitar and Bass Magazine placed him in the top ten British blues guitarists of all time, and the Penguin Book of Blues Recordings gave him a four star rating, one of only two living British artists to earn it. His studio work spans five albums, starting with Siftin' Thru Ashes in 2005, where he wrote or co wrote the bulk of the tracks. Heads, Tails and Aces picked up Album of the Year at the British Blues Awards, and Anything but Time landed at number one in Mojo's blues albums of 2011. He has also shared stages with Buddy Guy and Robben Ford, whose fluid melodic style is a frequently noted reference point for how Schofield himself plays.