[Dixielandjazz] More on Tony Scott + Short Obit

[Steve Barbone]

Below is the first obit I've seen on Tony Scott. It is from ejazz news. As
Kash said he was LOUD when he wanted to be. (Yes, he could play louder than
Davern or Helm.) He was also soft and syrupy when he wanted to be. And like
Shaw, he played the full octave range above high C on the clarinet.

I first met him in 1949 when he was experimenting with all kinds of sounds
and music on the clarinet. Awesome. He played with EVERY legend there was in
jazz during his lifetime. He also was a Juilliard Graduate and studied music
with the legendary Stephan Wolpe.

A unique man, a world traveler, a genius, a virtuoso, he did what he wanted
to do, played music his way, with musicians all over the world, and stayed
young and free throughout his lifetime. He turned down countless offers that
would have made him rich in his desire to keep his freedom.

His web site, lovingly done by his wife Cinzia, explains it all. Take some
time and surf it.  

http://www.tonyscott.it/

Here's a story he loved to tell about Dick Hyman and Art Tatum:

"Dick Hyman was playing with me at Cafe Society in 1949 with Art Tatum
listening. Dick came on and played like Teddy Wilson, and Art leaned back in
his chair and clapped his hands, 'Yeah, Dick.' Hyman then played like Earl
Hines...'Yeah, Dick.' said Tatum. He played like Errol Garner. "Yeah Dick',
said Tatum" Then I said, 'Play like Art', but Dick Hyman shook his head, he
said 'Tony, there are five things I know how he fingers. I can't play them.
There are 50 things he plays that I don't even know how he fingers them."

Yes, Mike, he did work with Duke Ellington's Band. Briefly during 1953.
Charlie Mingus was giving him trouble. Scott told him where to go with the
words "Look Mingus, I'm Sicilian. My skin is darker than yours because I
have more African blood that you do." He and Duke worshipped each other but
Scott left the band because of trouble with Mingus and a few others.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone


Tony Scott 

The clarinetist Tony Scott died on March 28th in Rome, Italy, at the age of
86. He had started playing the clarinet at the age of 12 and with 14 had
founded his first quartet. While studying music he participated in jam
sessions at Minton's Playhouse in the early 40s and soon was one of the few
clarinetists actively participating in the bebop movement. Scott had his own
sound which was neither classical oriented nor reflected the New Orleans
clarinet tradition but, if anything, was influenced by the sound ideal of
the tenor saxophonist Ben Webster. With Webster he had played in 1943; later
he worked with musicians such as Buddy Rich, Tommy Dorsey, Claude Thornhill,
but also with Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holiday for whom he
wrote arrangements as well. In the early 60s he traveled through Asia and
became interested in Indonesian and Indian music. In the late 60s he settled
in Rome where he performed from time to time, recorded some albums and now
died. Obituary: Musical News, Ejazz news.