NYU Steinhardt Jazz Interview Series with Dr. David Schroeder interviews legendary west coast saxophonist composer and bandleader Tom Scott. April 27, 2016
I was in High School Band with Tom. He might not remember me but he used to arrange some of the marching band music even then. Fantastic guy who was the same as he is now.
In this interview, Tom repeats some of the stuff he talked about in his previous interview with this guy. Not complaining. Still a very good and informative interview with a musician who has an amazing history.
Great musician with some very interesting stories and insights. I wish he told how he came to play on the score for Taxi Driver, which I've never heard.
It's a good story. I've heard him talk about it. He didn't play on the movie score, they needed some additional tracks for the soundtrack release and they called him to play on an additional new arrangement of the theme. It was done live off the floor. Tom said it was quite an intimidating session, full orchestra with a chair and a microphone in the middle waiting for him for him when he arrived.
Excellent interview. Re advice for people who want to play: As Tom says, you have to have passion for it. There must also be some players on your instrument(s) whom you really like. You must have a sound in your head that you want to make. Otherwise, you will get nowhere. Listen to as many recordings of good players as you can. Build up a musical vocabulary, if you are going to play solos. As with speech, a solo is made up of phrases. "Improvisation" is not just fresh ideas; it involves a lot of stock phrases. You don't have to be able to rattle through lots of 16th note runs like Cannonball Adderley if you are unable to do so. Do the best you can with what you have. Ask yourself "What can I add to what the others do, what can I add to this performance?" Tom also said that it is about communication. That is right. You might play a simple riff that the audience likes. Don't be discouraged if someone else is better than you. There will always be better players. I play the saxophone. John Coltrane was better than me (well duh!) but that did not stop me playing. Everyone is an individual. Just be the best you that you can be. Listen to ALL the instruments on your records. I am mainly a woodwind player, but I usually listen to the bass player, especially if it's Paul Chambers or Ron Carter. The bass lines give you the harmony and the time. Try to create your own bass part for any tune that you intend to play. That will help you a lot. You can benefit from all sorts of performances. Listening to Gary McFarland whistling helped me to concentrate on intonation. Really. If you ask me who are your influences on the saxophone, I will list Paul Chambers! Buy the best instrument(s) that you can afford. Part of your sound is you, but part of it is the instrument. For example, I dabble in drums and percussion. I wanted some cymbals, and I bought the best in the world: The Istanbul Agop 30th Anniversary series. I have their 14" hi hats, their 22" ride and their 18" crash. They sound fantastic and are as good as it gets. Having good equipment helps a lot.
Further thoughts Add some variety to your arsenal as you go along, and as you can afford it. If you play the alto saxophone, consider adding flute, clarinet or a soprano saxophone. Sure, there have been some great players who mainly featured one instrument (e.g. Coleman Hawkins after his earliest days) but it is nice to have other sounds. Yusef Lateef started out on the tenor saxophone, but he thought "There are lots of good tenor players. Why not be different?" and he added flute and oboe. You could also add some portable Latin percussion. I am very partial to Latin jazz and Mexican and Cuban music, and I have acquired just about every Latin percussion instrument that they make - even 4 congas and a pair of timbales. You could become a nuisance if you overdid that, but sometimes (maybe for a special selection) it can add some nice sounds.
Much like his solos and arrangements, Tom's storytelling is beautifully crafted and a pleasure to listen to.
I was in High School Band with Tom. He might not remember me but he used to arrange some of the marching band music even then. Fantastic guy who was the same as he is now.
I was at The Bottom Line when Tom recorded "Apple Juice," January 1981. Even got a few words with Tom afterwords.
Tom Scott is the guy who's sound got me into saxophone. Dirty Old Man, that sax solo is still great.
In this interview, Tom repeats some of the stuff he talked about in his previous interview with this guy. Not complaining. Still a very good and informative interview with a musician who has an amazing history.
Great George Harrison and Beatles stories around 22:42 :)
Great musician with some very interesting stories and insights. I wish he told how he came to play on the score for Taxi Driver, which I've never heard.
What a classic score that is.
It's a good story. I've heard him talk about it. He didn't play on the movie score, they needed some additional tracks for the soundtrack release and they called him to play on an additional new arrangement of the theme. It was done live off the floor. Tom said it was quite an intimidating session, full orchestra with a chair and a microphone in the middle waiting for him for him when he arrived.
Excellent interview.
Re advice for people who want to play: As Tom says, you have to have passion for it. There must also be some players on your instrument(s) whom you really like. You must have a sound in your head that you want to make. Otherwise, you will get nowhere.
Listen to as many recordings of good players as you can. Build up a musical vocabulary, if you are going to play solos. As with speech, a solo is made up of phrases. "Improvisation" is not just fresh ideas; it involves a lot of stock phrases.
You don't have to be able to rattle through lots of 16th note runs like Cannonball Adderley if you are unable to do so. Do the best you can with what you have. Ask yourself "What can I add to what the others do, what can I add to this performance?" Tom also said that it is about communication. That is right. You might play a simple riff that the audience likes.
Don't be discouraged if someone else is better than you. There will always be better players. I play the saxophone. John Coltrane was better than me (well duh!) but that did not stop me playing. Everyone is an individual. Just be the best you that you can be.
Listen to ALL the instruments on your records. I am mainly a woodwind player, but I usually listen to the bass player, especially if it's Paul Chambers or Ron Carter. The bass lines give you the harmony and the time. Try to create your own bass part for any tune that you intend to play. That will help you a lot.
You can benefit from all sorts of performances. Listening to Gary McFarland whistling helped me to concentrate on intonation. Really. If you ask me who are your influences on the saxophone, I will list Paul Chambers!
Buy the best instrument(s) that you can afford. Part of your sound is you, but part of it is the instrument. For example, I dabble in drums and percussion. I wanted some cymbals, and I bought the best in the world: The Istanbul Agop 30th Anniversary series. I have their 14" hi hats, their 22" ride and their 18" crash. They sound fantastic and are as good as it gets. Having good equipment helps a lot.
Further thoughts
Add some variety to your arsenal as you go along, and as you can afford it. If you play the alto saxophone, consider adding flute, clarinet or a soprano saxophone. Sure, there have been some great players who mainly featured one instrument (e.g. Coleman Hawkins after his earliest days) but it is nice to have other sounds. Yusef Lateef started out on the tenor saxophone, but he thought "There are lots of good tenor players. Why not be different?" and he added flute and oboe.
You could also add some portable Latin percussion. I am very partial to Latin jazz and Mexican and Cuban music, and I have acquired just about every Latin percussion instrument that they make - even 4 congas and a pair of timbales. You could become a nuisance if you overdid that, but sometimes (maybe for a special selection) it can add some nice sounds.
Pretty interesting. Thanks
u gotta listen to tom scott playing milestones with the oliver nelson big band, crazy good!!!
Can you give a subtitle every your video? Im bad in english. Thank you:)