[Dixielandjazz] Tony Scott

[Jim Kashishian]

Tony Scott, with his black turtleneck, black leotards, black boots, shaved
head and dragon's tooth necklace, looked like Ming the Merciless about to
punish Flash Gordon. Instead, he punished his clarinet. There are no halfway
measures with Scott. When he blows, it's the North Wind howling." (Don
Nelsen-N.Y. Daily News)


Now, that's a blast from the past!  Approx in 1970, while blowing my nightly
gig at the Bourbon Street Jazz Club (now burned down!) in Madrid, this all
black "mystery man" came in the door. Not that he is black, but he was all
dressed in black, including a full length leather coat.  He just "looked"
like he could play! And, of course, he did. Ended up doing a month or so
with us.  We were the houseband, Tony Scott was the show, just doing a few
numbers.  

He didn't need a microphone.  I have never, ever heard such volume from a
clarinet.  Had to find him a dentist one day as his gums hurt him a lot.  He
apparently was mashing his teeth into his head!

He stayed at my house for awhile, until he found a place to live.  A man of
few words.  A mystery.  Later, I was constantly mixing him up with another
musician with the same name, so lost complete track of him.  The link
someone recently sent in shows why it would be easy to loose track of him!

Jim