Tom Scott (musician)
Encyclopedia
Tom Scott is an American
saxophonist, composer
, arranger
, conductor
and bandleader
of the west coast jazz
/jazz fusion
ensemble The L.A. Express
.
, California
. He is the son of prolific film and television composer Nathan Scott
, who had more than 850 television credits and more than 100 film credits as a composer, orchestrator and conductor, including credit for composing the theme songs for Dragnet
and Lassie
.
His best-known works are the theme songs for TV series from the 1970s and 1980s — Starsky and Hutch
(a track entitled "Gotcha!") and The Streets of San Francisco
, and his soprano sax solo and fills on the 1975 #1 hit single Listen to What the Man Said for Wings
. In 1982, Scott also collaborated with Johnny Mathis
to write & record two versions – lyrical and instrumental – of "Without Us", the theme to the 80's sitcom Family Ties
. His song "Today" is sampled in the Pete Rock & CL Smooth
1992 hit They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)
.
Tom Scott's professional career began as a teenager, as leader of a jazz ensemble Neoteric Trio, and then as a "first-call" (i.e. high-demand) session musician
. He has dozens of solo recordings for which he collected thirteen Grammy nominations (three of which he won). He also has numerous film and television scoring
credits, including composing and conducting the score for the movie Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
. He has also appeared on records by such diverse artists as George Harrison
, The Grateful Dead
, Paul McCartney
, Whitney Houston
, Barbra Streisand
, Joni Mitchell
, Blondie
, Eddie Money
, Steely Dan
, Pink Floyd
, The Blues Brothers
, Quincy Jones
, Carole King
, Olivia Newton-John
and Frank Sinatra
.
He produced two CDs for tenor
vocalist Daniel Rodriguez
formerly ‘The Singing Policeman’. The first of which, The Spirit Of America, has sold over 400,000 copies to date. Scott has also conducted over thirty symphony orchestras around the U.S. as music director for Rodriguez.
Scott is a member of the The Blues Brothers
musical ensemble, despite his absence in the 1980 motion picture
of the same name. He was also the leader of the house band
on two short-lived late night talk shows: CBS
' The Pat Sajak Show
and Fox's The Chevy Chase Show
. He is also recognized as a prominent musical director on several major awards telecasts. He was the Musical Director of the 68th Academy Awards
in 1996, several Emmy Awards telecasts from 1996 to 2007, Ebony Magazine's 50th Birthday Celebration, several People's Choice Awards
telecasts, and a variety of other shows.
Scott also records with Les Deux Love Orchestra.
With Alphonse Mouzon
With Oliver Nelson
With Bill Plummer
With Howard Roberts
With Gábor Szabó
and Bob Thiele
With Bob Thiele
Emergency
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
saxophonist, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, arranger
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
, conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
and bandleader
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
of the west coast jazz
West coast jazz
West Coast jazz refers to various styles of jazz music that developed around Los Angeles and San Francisco during the 1950s. West Coast jazz is often seen as a sub-genre of cool jazz, which featured a less frenetic, calmer style than bebop or hard bop. The music tended to be more heavily arranged,...
/jazz fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
ensemble The L.A. Express
L.A. Express
The L.A. Express was an American jazz-pop ensemble. Members of L.A. Express played on several Joni Mitchell albums, including The Hissing of Summer Lawns and Miles of Aisles ....
.
Biography
Scott was born in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He is the son of prolific film and television composer Nathan Scott
Nathan Scott (composer)
Nathan Scott was an American film score and television composer. He composed, conducted, arranged and orchestrated more than 850 separate credits in television, as well as the music for more than 100 films...
, who had more than 850 television credits and more than 100 film credits as a composer, orchestrator and conductor, including credit for composing the theme songs for Dragnet
Dragnet (series)
Dragnet is a radio and television crime drama about the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners...
and Lassie
Lassie (1954 TV series)
Lassie is an American television series that follows the adventures of a female Rough Collie named Lassie and her companions, human and animal. The show was the creation of producer Robert Maxwell and animal trainer Rudd Weatherwax and was televised from September 12, 1954, to March 24, 1973...
.
His best-known works are the theme songs for TV series from the 1970s and 1980s — Starsky and Hutch
Starsky and Hutch
Starsky and Hutch is a 1970s American cop thriller television series that consisted of a 90-minute pilot movie and 92 episodes of 60 minutes each; created by William Blinn, produced by Spelling-Goldberg Productions, and broadcast between April 30, 1975 and May 15, 1979 on the ABC...
(a track entitled "Gotcha!") and The Streets of San Francisco
The Streets of San Francisco
The Streets of San Francisco is a 1970s television police drama filmed on location in San Francisco, California, and produced by Quinn Martin Productions, with the first season produced in association with Warner Bros...
, and his soprano sax solo and fills on the 1975 #1 hit single Listen to What the Man Said for Wings
Wings (band)
Wings were a British-American rock group formed in 1971 by Paul McCartney, Denny Laine and Linda McCartney that remained active until 1981....
. In 1982, Scott also collaborated with Johnny Mathis
Johnny Mathis
John Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
to write & record two versions – lyrical and instrumental – of "Without Us", the theme to the 80's sitcom Family Ties
Family Ties
Family Ties is an American sitcom that aired on NBC for seven seasons, from 1982 to 1989. The sitcom reflected the move in the United States from the cultural liberalism of the 1960s and 1970s to the conservatism of the 1980s. This was particularly expressed through the relationship between young...
. His song "Today" is sampled in the Pete Rock & CL Smooth
Pete Rock & CL Smooth
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth are a hip-hop duo from Mount Vernon, New York. They made their debut with their 1991 EP, All Souled Out and followed with 1992's Mecca and the Soul Brother LP.-The Golden Age :...
1992 hit They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)
They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)
"They Reminisce Over You " is a song by Pete Rock and CL Smooth, inspired by the death of their close friend Troy Dixon in 1990. The song was the lead single off their debut album, Mecca and the Soul Brother, released in 1992, and later became a staple of classic early 90s hip hop...
.
Tom Scott's professional career began as a teenager, as leader of a jazz ensemble Neoteric Trio, and then as a "first-call" (i.e. high-demand) session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
. He has dozens of solo recordings for which he collected thirteen Grammy nominations (three of which he won). He also has numerous film and television scoring
Film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
credits, including composing and conducting the score for the movie Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes is a 1972 science fiction film directed by J. Lee Thompson. It is the fourth of five films in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P. Jacobs. It explores how the apes rebelled from mankind's ill treatment following Escape from the Planet of...
. He has also appeared on records by such diverse artists as George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
, The Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
, Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
, Barbra Streisand
ButterFly (Barbra Streisand album)
ButterFly is a studio album by Barbra Streisand, recorded and released in 1974. The credited producer is Streisand's then-boyfriend Jon Peters, with arrangements by Tom Scott. The album contains contemporary material from a diverse selection of writers, as well as interpretations of standards...
, Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
, Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
, Eddie Money
Eddie Money
Eddie Money is an American rock guitarist, saxophonist and singer-songwriter who found success in the 1970s and 1980s with a string of Top 40 hits and platinum albums...
, Steely Dan
Steely Dan
Steely Dan is an American rock band; its core members are Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. The band's popularity peaked in the late 1970s, with the release of seven albums blending elements of jazz, rock, funk, R&B, and pop...
, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, The Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers are an American blues and soul revivalist band founded in 1978 by comedy actors Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as part of a musical sketch on Saturday Night Live...
, Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
, Carole King
Carole King
Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
, Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
and Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
.
He produced two CDs for tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
vocalist Daniel Rodriguez
Daniel Rodriguez
Daniel Rodríguez is an American operatic tenor from New York City. He became known as "The Singing Policeman" in his former work with the New York City Police Department, due to his role as one of the department's designated National Anthem singers...
formerly ‘The Singing Policeman’. The first of which, The Spirit Of America, has sold over 400,000 copies to date. Scott has also conducted over thirty symphony orchestras around the U.S. as music director for Rodriguez.
Scott is a member of the The Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers are an American blues and soul revivalist band founded in 1978 by comedy actors Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as part of a musical sketch on Saturday Night Live...
musical ensemble, despite his absence in the 1980 motion picture
The Blues Brothers (film)
The Blues Brothers is a 1980 musical comedy film directed by John Landis and starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as "Joliet" Jake and Elwood Blues, characters developed from a musical sketch on the NBC variety series Saturday Night Live. It features musical numbers by R&B and soul singers James...
of the same name. He was also the leader of the house band
House band
For the British band that existed from 1984-2001, see The House BandA house band is a group of musicians, often centrally organized by a band leader, who regularly play an establishment. It is widely used to refer both to the bands who work on entertainment programs on television or radio, and to...
on two short-lived late night talk shows: CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
' The Pat Sajak Show
The Pat Sajak Show
The Pat Sajak Show is an American late-night television talk show which aired on CBS from January 9, 1989 to April 13, 1990.-Cast:The show was hosted by Pat Sajak, best known as host of the game show Wheel of Fortune...
and Fox's The Chevy Chase Show
The Chevy Chase Show
The Chevy Chase Show was an American late night talk show hosted by actor, comedian and Saturday Night Live alumnus Chevy Chase that aired in 1993 on Fox...
. He is also recognized as a prominent musical director on several major awards telecasts. He was the Musical Director of the 68th Academy Awards
68th Academy Awards
The 68th Academy Awards were held on March 25, 1996, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. The show was hosted by Whoopi Goldberg. The ceremony was watched 44.48 million viewers, with 30.5% households watching...
in 1996, several Emmy Awards telecasts from 1996 to 2007, Ebony Magazine's 50th Birthday Celebration, several People's Choice Awards
People's Choice Awards
The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show recognizing the people and the work of popular culture. The show has been held annually since 1975 and is voted on by the general public. The People's Choice Awards air on CBS and are produced by Procter & Gamble and Survivor magnate Mark Burnett...
telecasts, and a variety of other shows.
Scott also records with Les Deux Love Orchestra.
As leader
- The Honeysuckle BreezeThe Honeysuckle BreezeThe Honeysuckle Breeze is the debut album by American jazz saxophonist Tom Scott featuring performances recorded in 1967 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:...
(Impulse!, 1967) - Rural Still LifeRural Still LifeRural Still Life is the second album by American jazz saxophonist Tom Scott featuring performances recorded in 1968 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:...
(Impulse!, 1969) - Hair to Jazz, 1970
- Paint Your Wagon, 1971
- Great Scott, 1972
- Tom Scott and The L.A. ExpressTom Scott and The L.A. ExpressTom Scott and The L.A. Express is a Jazz/Fusion album released in 1973 by Tom Scott.-Track listing:#"Bless My Soul" - 4:09#"Sneakin' in the Back" - 4:33...
, 1973 - Tom Cat (with The L.A. Express), 1974
- New York ConnectionNew York ConnectionNew York Connection is an album released by Tom Scott in 1975 on Ode SP-77033. This presentation entered the US Album charts on December 20, 1975, and stayed on the charts for 25 weeks, peaking at #42.- Track listing :# "Dirty Old Man"...
, 1975 - Blow It Out (features "Gotcha", the theme from Starsky and HutchStarsky and HutchStarsky and Hutch is a 1970s American cop thriller television series that consisted of a 90-minute pilot movie and 92 episodes of 60 minutes each; created by William Blinn, produced by Spelling-Goldberg Productions, and broadcast between April 30, 1975 and May 15, 1979 on the ABC...
), 1977 - Intimate Strangers (partially live), 1978
- Street Beat, 1979
- Apple Juice (live), 1981
- DesireDesire (Tom Scott album)Desire is an album by jazz musician Tom Scott.-Track listing:All tracks composed by Tom Scott; except where indicated#"Desire"#"Sure Enough" #"The Only One"#"Stride" #"Johnny B...
, 1982 - Target, 1983
- One Night - One Day, 1985
- Streamlines, 1987
- Flashpoint, 1988
- Them Changes (with The Pat Sajak ShowThe Pat Sajak ShowThe Pat Sajak Show is an American late-night television talk show which aired on CBS from January 9, 1989 to April 13, 1990.-Cast:The show was hosted by Pat Sajak, best known as host of the game show Wheel of Fortune...
house band), 1990 - Keep This Love Alive, 1991
- Born Again, 1992
- Reed My Lips, 1994
- Night Creatures, 1995
- Bluestreak (with The L.A. Express), 1997
- Smokin' Section (with The L.A. Express), 1999
- New Found Freedom, 2002
- Bebop United (live), 2006
- Cannon Reloaded, 2008
As sideman
With Don EllisDon Ellis
Don Ellis was an American jazz trumpeter, drummer, composer and bandleader. He is best known for his extensive musical experimentation, particularly in the area of unusual time signatures...
- Live at Monterey (1967)
- Live in 3 2/3 4 Time (1967)
- Pieces of 8 (rec'd 1967, released 2006)
With Alphonse Mouzon
Alphonse Mouzon
Alphonse Mouzon is a well-known jazz-fusion drummer and percussionist, and the Chairman/CEO of Tenacious Records. He also composes, arranges and produces, as well as acts...
- The Man IncognitoThe Man IncognitoThe Man Incognito is the fourth album by American jazz drummer Alphonse Mouzon recorded in 1975 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:...
(1975)
With Oliver Nelson
Oliver Nelson
Oliver Edward Nelson was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, arranger and composer.-Early life and career:...
- Live from Los AngelesLive from Los AngelesLive from Los Angeles is an album by American jazz composer/arranger Oliver Nelson featuring performances recorded in 1967 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:...
(Impulse!, 1967) - Soulful BrassSoulful BrassSoulful Brass is an album by American jazz composer/arranger Oliver Nelson and pianist/entertainer Steve Allen featuring performances recorded in 1968 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:...
with Steve AllenSteve AllenSteve Allen may refer to:*Steve Allen , American musician, comedian, and writer*Steve Allen , presenter on the London-based talk radio station LBC 97.3...
(Impulse!, 1968)
With Bill Plummer
- Cosmic Brotherhood (1968)
With Howard Roberts
- The Magic Band - Live at Dontes (1968, released 1998)
- The Magic Band - Vol 2 (1968, released 1998)
With Gábor Szabó
Gábor Szabó
Gábor Szabó was a Hungarian jazz guitarist, famous for mixing jazz, pop-rock and his native Hungarian music.-Biography:...
and Bob Thiele
Bob Thiele
Bob Thiele was an American record producer who worked on countless classic jazz albums and record labels.-Biography:...
- Light My FireLight My Fire (Gábor Szabó album)Light My Fire is an album by Hungarian jazz guitarist Gábor Szabó and American record producer Bob Thiele featuring performances recorded in 1967 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:...
(Impulse!, 1967)
With Bob Thiele
Bob Thiele
Bob Thiele was an American record producer who worked on countless classic jazz albums and record labels.-Biography:...
Emergency
- Head Start (Flying Dutchman RecordsFlying Dutchman RecordsFlying Dutchman Records was a jazz record label which was owned by veteran music industry executive, producer and songwriter Bob Thiele. Initially distributed by Atlantic Records, it was later distributed by RCA Records which took over the label in 1976...
, 1969)