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:
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.
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.
Contents
Track listing
All songs written by Joe Henry, except where noted.
"Richard Pryor Addresses a Tearful Nation" – 6:21
"Stop" – 4:40
"Mean Flower" – 4:50
"Struck" – 5:24
"Rough and Tumble" – 4:53
"Lock and Key" – 4:46
"Nico Lost One Small Buddha" – 3:23
"Cold Enough to Cross" – 3:12
"Edgar Bergen" – 6:03
"Scar" / hidden track: "Richard Pryor Reprise" (Henry, Ornette Coleman) – 14:22
Personnel
Joe Henry – vocals, keyboards, guitars, percussion
Brad Mehldau – acoustic piano
Marc Ribot – guitars
Meshell Ndegeocello – bass
David Piltch (as David Pilch) – bass
Brian Blade – drums, percussion
Abe Laboriel Jr. – drums
Bobby Malach – reeds
Ornette Coleman – alto saxophone solo
Orchestra (tracks 1, 4 & 9)
Steven Barber – arrangements and conductor
Sandra Park – concertmaster
Bobby Malach – reeds
Elizabeth Dyson and Gene Moye – cello
Stacey Shames – harp
Robert Rinehart – viola
Sandra Park and Sharon Yamada – violin
Eric Charleston – vibraphone, percussion
Production
Joe Henry – producer
Craig Street – producer, back cover booklet photography
S. Husky Höskulds – recording, mixing
Aaron Franz – assistant engineer
Todd Parker – assistant engineer
Adam Samuels – assistant engineer
Greg Calbi – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY)
Caroline Sprinkle – production coordinator
Anabel Sinn – designs
Rosãngela Rennó – front cover photography
Henry Diltz – photo of Richard Pryor (1968)
Melanie Nissen – additional photography