Gary Marks and John Scofield

In 1973, Gary Marks met guitarist John Scofield in Boston while assembling the band for his debut album. Marks had already recruited pianist Michael Cochrane and asked him who the best guitar player in Boston was; Cochrane said Scofield. Marks later asked Scofield who the best vibes player was in Boston. Scofield said, "David Samuels." And the core of the Gathering band was formed.

Marks and Scofield bonded quickly, and Scofield joined the sessions that became Gathering, recorded at Ultra-Sonic Recording Studios in New York in 1973, released in 1974, and distributed by the small but prestigious JCOA, co-founded by Carla Bley and Michael Mantler. According to All About Jazz, it was Scofield's first recording as a sideman.

Scofield also played on Thoughts of Why (1978), Marks's third album, which was recorded after Marks relocated to California, bringing together a new circle of West Coast jazz musicians.

From Boston Practice Rooms to Miles Davis

Scofield went on to record and perform with Miles Davis, Billy Cobham, Gary Burton, Charles Mingus, Herbie Hancock, and Pat Metheny, becoming one of the most influential jazz guitarists of his generation. That later career is exactly why Gathering's decades-old studio sessions keep showing up in retrospective coverage of Marks's catalog, with John Scofield foremost among the names attached to it.

Reviews That Mention Scofield's Playing

"He (Marks) allows plenty of space for vibes solos from David Samuels, guitar solos from John Scofield, and piano solos from Michael Cochrane — all of which serve as a backdrop for Gary's beautifully written songs and stretched-out vocals."
— Dusty Groove, Inc., 2007, reviewing Gathering

Reissues

Gathering was reissued on vinyl in 2007 (Kindred Spirits, Europe), 2012 (Stella Records, Japan), 2016 (P-Vine Records, Japan), and 2025 (Lantern Heights Records). Lantern Heights Records went on to release Marks's album Crossroads, which was selected by Record Store Day UK/Europe in 2026 for an exclusive release.