Scar (Joe Henry album)

Scar is the eighth studio album by Joe Henry, released in May 2001 on Mammoth Records. Co-produced by Craig Street, it marked another shift in direction for Henry's music, and a foray into the genres of jazz and soul music. The opening track is a homage to comedian Richard Pryor (whom the album is also dedicated to), and according to Henry's essay "The Ghost in the Song," he was "called by a vision" to collaborate with free jazz artist Ornette Coleman. Henry wrote:

Scar
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 15, 2001
RecordedSeptember 7–10, 2000
StudioSound Factory, Hollywood, California
GenreAlternative rock
Length57:59
LabelMammoth
ProducerCraig Street, Joe Henry
Joe Henry chronology
Fuse
(1999)
Scar
(2001)
Tiny Voices
(2003)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Alternative Press8/10[2]
The Guardian[3]
Los Angeles Times[4]
Pitchfork4.0/10[5]
Q[6]
Rolling Stone[7]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[8]
Spin8/10[9]
Uncut[10]

I had a dream. A "vision," I'm tempted to say. And the vision had a voice, and the voice spoke a word: Ornette. It didn't need to speak the other word, for I knew. I needed Ornette Coleman's musical voice to complete the song with which I was at that precise moment struggling.

Henry eventually convinced Coleman to record a solo for the track "Richard Pryor Addresses a Tearful Nation," and also contributed a reprise at the very end of the album as a hidden track. Henry discusses his interactions with Coleman at length as the last part of a 2016 interview.[11]

Another track of note is "Stop", a tango written by Henry. His wife, Melanie, sent an early demo of the track to her sister Madonna, who re-used the lyrics for "Don't Tell Me". Henry often quips during live gigs that "I recorded my version as a tango, and she recorded hers as a hit".

Lizz Wright recorded a jazzy take on "Stop" which she included in her 2005 release Dreaming Wide Awake, also an album produced by Craig Street and recorded by S. Husky Höskulds.

Track listing

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All songs written by Joe Henry, except where noted.

  1. "Richard Pryor Addresses a Tearful Nation" – 6:21
  2. "Stop" – 4:40
  3. "Mean Flower" – 4:50
  4. "Struck" – 5:24
  5. "Rough and Tumble" – 4:53
  6. "Lock and Key" – 4:46
  7. "Nico Lost One Small Buddha" – 3:23
  8. "Cold Enough to Cross" – 3:12
  9. "Edgar Bergen" – 6:03
  10. "Scar" / hidden track: "Richard Pryor Reprise" (Henry, Ornette Coleman) – 14:22

Personnel

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  • Joe Henry – vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion
  • Marc Ribot – guitar
  • Bobby Malach – reeds
  • David Piltch (as David Pilch) – bass
  • Brian Blade – drums, percussion
  • Ornette Coleman – alto saxophone solo
  • Brad Mehldau – piano
  • Meshell Ndegeocello – bass
  • Abe Laboriel Jr. – drums
  • "Orchestra" on tracks 1, 4 and 9:
    • Bobby Malach – reeds
    • Sandra Park – violin, concertmaster
    • Sharon Yamada – violin
    • Robert Rinehart – viola
    • Elizabeth Dyson, Gene Moye – cello
    • Stacey Shames – harp
    • Eric Charleston – vibes, percussion
    • Orchestra arranged and conducted by Steven Barber

References

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  1. ^ Jurek, Thom. "Scar – Joe Henry". AllMusic. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  2. ^ "Joe Henry: Scar". Alternative Press (156): 71. July 2001.
  3. ^ Aizlewood, John (September 14, 2001). "Joe Henry: Scar (Mammoth/Edel)". The Guardian. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  4. ^ Appleford, Steve (May 13, 2001). "Joe Henry, 'Scar,' Mammoth". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 25, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  5. ^ Juzwiak, Richard M. (May 29, 2001). "Joe Henry: Scar". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on October 21, 2002. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  6. ^ "Joe Henry: Scar". Q (182): 122. October 2001.
  7. ^ Abowitz, Richard (May 24, 2001). "Joe Henry: Scar". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 9, 2008. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  8. ^ Sarig, Roni (2004). "Joe Henry". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 376–77. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  9. ^ Weisbard, Eric (June 2001). "Joe Henry: Scar / Mark Eitzel: The Invisible Man". Spin. 17 (6): 145–46. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  10. ^ "Joe Henry: Scar". Uncut (49): 110. November 2001.
  11. ^ [1], Steve Dawson, Music Makers and Soul Shakers Podcast, Episode 16 - Joe Henry (Part 2).