James Scholfield

is an internationally active guitarist, composer, educator, and producer whose career spans more than four decades across South Africa, Europe, and the United States. His work bridges contemporary jazz, improvisation, classical guitar traditions, recording production, and music education.

Scholfield holds a Master of Music (MMus) in Jazz Performance (Guitar) with distinction from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. His academic background also includes studies in Artistic Research in Music through KU Leuven, research methodology at the University of South Africa (UNISA), and earlier studies in jazz and classical guitar at the University of Graz (Austria) and the University of Cape Town.

An Ordentlichemitglied (member) of GEMA since 2017, Scholfield has received numerous artistic and research grants, including GVL scholarships supporting his master's studies (2019–2021), the Berlin Senate scholarships for jazz musicians, multiple Neustart Kultur grants from GEMA and Deutscher Musikrat, and the German federal scholarship program for artists.

His expertise as an educator has been recognised internationally through invitations and professorial appointments, including applications and invitations for professorships in Jazz Guitar at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz and the Anton Bruckner Private University in Linz (2023). At present he serves as lecturer in Jazz Guitar at the University of Cape Town, while also teaching in Germany at the University of Potsdam.

Throughout his career, Scholfield has studied and attended workshops with some of the most influential figures in jazz and classical music, including the Assad Brothers, Jim Hall, John Abercrombie, Bill Frisell, Mick Goodrick, Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman, Lee Konitz, Billy Hart, and Herb Ellis. His teachers have include Jack Wilkins, Dave Cliff, Bruce Cassidy, Johnny Fourie and Wayne Brasel.

From 2012 to 2018, Scholfield toured extensively as a member of the Curtis Stigers band, performing throughout Europe and the United States. His collaborations span a remarkable range of artists including Billy Hart, Hein van de Geyn (b), Peter Weniger (ts), Riccardo Del Fra (b), Natascha Roth (voc), Johan Leijonhufvud (git), George Mesterhazy (p), Yuri Honig (sax),, John Goldsby (b), Keith Copeland (dr.), Coleman Mellett (guit), Jeanie Bryson (voc) Louis Mhalanga (git), Hotep Galetha (p), Jack van Poll (p), Andrew Lilley (p), Cliff Schmitt (b), Bruce Cassidy (tp/iva), Efrain Torro (perc.), Stacy Rowles (voc/tr), Bill Petry (tr), Oli Rockberger (voc/keys), Jennifer Ferguson (voc, p) Wendy Oldfield (voc), Falling Mirror, Ian Herman (dr), Marcus Wyatt (tr), Feya Faku (tr)

As a performer, he has appeared at major international festivals and concert halls including the Montreux Jazz Festival, Edinburgh Jazz Festival, Jazz Open Stuttgart, Marciac Jazz Festival, Cape Town International Jazz Festival and the Royal Albert Hall. He has also performed in legendary jazz venues such as Blue Note New York, Ronnie Scott’s London and the Jazz Standard New York.

His recording credits include Coleman Mellett with James Taylor, Steve Gadd, Larry Goldings, Chuck Mangione, Will Lee, and Billy Hart. As a leader, his album All Stations, featuring Billy Hart and Arno Krijger, was released on Challenge Jazz in the Netherlands and presents Scholfield’s original compositions and produced by Hein van de Geyn.

As a producer and engineer, Scholfield has produced, recorded, and mixed numerous projects, including Way Out South with vocalist Natascha Roth and Goodnight Songs with Tina Schouw, the latter receiving a South African Music Award nomination. His work also extends to film music, contributing to ARD television documentaries including Die Spur des Bären and Sehnsucht Karibik.

James Scholfield continues to pursue an international career that integrates performance, composition, research, production, and pedagogy at the highest level of contemporary jazz.