Bobby Scott

The Compositions of Bobby Scott

FRESH SOUND FSR-CD 468

Ronnie Woellmer (tp) Eddie Bert (tb) Hal McKusick (as) Al Epstein (bs) Milt Hinton (b) Osie Johnson (d) Bobby Scott (arr, dir), New York City November 1954 : Betty /Moon Tan/ Aunt Sarah/Cerebellum/Dot

Conte Candoli (tp) Frank Rosolino (tb) Charlie Mariano (as) Bill Holman (ts) Jimmy Giuffre (bs) Max Bennett (b) Stan Levey (d) Bobby Scott (p, arr, dir) Hollywood January 1955 : The Count/The Tablecloth Stomp/A Parable/Kwan Youen/The Wig/ Count Bill/Wigwam

John Murtaugh (ts) Marty Flax (bs) Bobby Scott (p, arr) Whitey Mitchell (b) Howie Mann (d), New York City ) October 1956 : Sally's Pound Cake/Every Woman/Woodville / Myrt / Box Car Blues/The Good Ship Linda/The Old Man/Theme III

Once again, Fresh Sound has reissued music from half a century ago which has been all but forgotten. This CD is comprised of two 10-inch Bethlehem LPs and one originally on ABC Paramount, all produced back in the day by Creed Taylor.

In the mid-fifties, Bobby Scott received quite a bit of attention as something of a Wunderkind, a surprisingly mature pianist and arranger at the tender age of seventeen. By the time the first of these sessions was recorded, he was working regularly with the Gene Krupa Trio and had already recorded trio LPs under his own name for Savoy and Bethlehem.

These were Scott's first recordings with larger groups and are primarily showcases for his talents as an arranger and composer. The mood overall is 1950s cool with the exception of Box Car Blues from the third session, a funky blues with something of a Night Train feel. Sidemen are some of the best known musicians of the time with the exception of Ronnie Woellmer, who plays in an understated Chet Baker style, and John Murtaugh, whose tenor follows the obligatory Pres influence so pervasive during that period

In later years, Scott was closely associated with Quincy Jones. He became more active in the pop music field than in jazz and had some successes as a composer (A Taste of Honey), arranger and producer. He died in November 1990.

Doug Norwood