Get ready to mix it up with a little bit of jazz, rock and soul. As a part of the Innovators Series at The State Theatre, the John Scofield Trio is performing tonight.

"The Innovators Series is a loosely based conglomeration of all artists playing in the area. We thought it was a good way to group them together and a way to get the audience in. Plus, they are a bit radical and innovative," Joe Apfelbaum, programming manager for The State Theatre, said.

With his influence growing from the '90s to today, John Scofield has become one of the top jazz guitarists, Apfelbaum said.

Scofield is an expert jazz improviser, and his music generally falls between post-bop, fusion and soul jazz. Because of his mix of genres he has created a large and diverse fan-base.

"Scofield is one of the big names in jazz guitar. He's played with big names like Miles Davis. He's one of the 'who's who' in jazz giants," Apfelbaum said.

Scofield has worked with and inspired many aspiring artists including Soul Coughing, Deep Banana Blackout, and Medeski, Martin & Wood.

"When I heard Medeski, Martin & Wood's record Shack Man, I knew I had to play with them. They played those swampy grooves and had a free jazz attitude," Scofield said.

"These guys are serious conceptualists and are able to take the music to beautiful and strange places."

Scofield took up the guitar at age 11, inspired by both rock and blues players. A local teacher introduced him to jazz musicians Wes Montgomery, Jim Hall and Pat Martino, which sparked a lifelong love of jazz.

He moved into the public eye with a wide variety of bandleaders and musicians including Charles Mingus, Joe Henderson and Gary Burton. Scofield's compositions and unique guitar work appear on three of Miles Davis' albums also.

"Now I'm able to take that ['60s R&B] and mix it with jazz all over again. I'm having more fun playing now than I ever have, and I feel like I can finally really learn to play the guitar. Now, after having the chance to play with many of my musical idols, I'm getting inspiration from younger musicians. I'm as excited about writing and playing music as I ever have been," Scofield said.

Apfelbaum said that he is "cautiously optimistic" about ticket sales.

"We are optimistic, but we really can't tell what sales will be like," he said.