Christian Scott
Encyclopedia
Christian Scott, born March 31, 1983, in New Orleans, Louisiana
, is the 2010 Edison Award winner for Best International Jazz Artist and a Grammy Award
-nominated jazz
trumpet
er, composer and producer. He has been heralded by JazzTimes
magazine as "the Architect of a new commercially viable fusion" and "Jazz's young style God".
The nephew of jazz alto saxophonist Donald Harrison
, since 2006 Scott has released four studio albums, and one live recording.
The trumpeter is noted for his use of an unvoiced tone, which he calls his "whisper technique."
After completing his high school education and graduating with honors, Scott attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. He received a scholarship and studied under the direction of Charlie Lewis, Dave Santoro, and Gary Burton. Scott majored in Professional Music with a concentration in Film Scoring. Scott completed the five year program in three years, while touring with Donald Harrison, Jr.'s quartet, his own band, and writing, producing and marketing his self-titled first recording.
Pointers from Donald Harrison and Clark Terry
along with two years of intense concentration and practice helped to develop his tone. To get the particular sound he wanted he resisted additional advice from his music teachers and books. "It came from a lot of different things. Jazz trumpeter and elder statesman Clark Terry told me about the technique Clifford Brown
used to get an airy sound when he played. I wanted my sound to be different than any other. Miles Davis
and Dizzy Gillespie
and others made their mark on their generation because their sound was unique."
). Designed by Scott, Christan Greigo and Kiel Scott the horn's attributes include a tilted bell, exchangeable lead pipe and reverse tuning system, all which helped Christian to employ his signature Whisper Technique more effectively. The horn was initially designed in this unique way from the desire of Scott to have the ability to see his audience as he played.
During those years of practice, Edwards Instruments (Getzen) was busy making Christian's CS Signature Model Trumpet that bears a likeness to Dizzy Gillespie's iconic instrument. "My bell actually curves much earlier than his [Dizzy] did, like 22 degrees. His horn had a bell that went up like 35 almost 45 degrees and his bell tilts at the valve section much earlier. Mine is a Generation X hybrid trumpet with blades and all this special matte finishing and engraving all over it that says Christian Scott and Katrina", explains Scott.
While touring, Scott has held classes at high schools throughout the United States. He recently purchased custom trumpets which he gave to budding musicians from New Orleans. On his trips back to his home town, he is often a fixture at Guardians Institute's, a non-profit founded by his grandmother, Herreast Harrison, Sankofa Saturday sessions, book giveaways and informances held at New Orleans' Recovery School District schools.
"His global fashion sense distinguishes him from his counterparts and endears him to fashionistas the world over.
"Why can't the world be filled with more men willing to take a risk in terms of what they wear, every now and then. Men just like jazz musician Christian Scott. Clearly not afraid of exploring the side of menswear that you don't normally see out in the spotlight (runway lights not included), at the launch of David Beckham's new pairing with Adidas on Wednesday, the trumpet player took apart a few looks from the Dior Homme Fall 2009 show and created a whole new look of his own."
"Every now and again there comes an artist who captures your interest from the very first prodigious note that is made. As if by osmosis, their music is absorbed into the very essence of your extra sensory perceptive personified mind. That is exactly what trumpeter Christian Scott has done on his debut release" jazzreview.com 2006
Rewind That
"Rewind That" arguably the most remarkable premiere the genre has seen in the last decade" Billboard Magazine 2006
"Every now and again there comes an artist who captures your interest from the very first prodigious note that is made. As if by osmosis, their music is absorbed into the very essence of your extra sensory perceptive personified mind. That is exactly what trumpeter Christian Scott has done on his debut release" jazzreview.com Sheldon T. Nunn March 2006
"Those interested in the future direction that jazz music is likely to take should check out Rewind That."
"This album features Scott's interplay of music and storytelling, using the actual instruments of course but also the song titles themselves to create a package of tunes that sound like the score for a collection of short stories or miniature films." Quentin B. Huff March 2006
"Christian Scott's debut album, Rewind That, shows him to be a striking trumpeter--the breathy tone he often uses, so tenuous it can resemble a flute, stands out in an ensemble, and he shows a natural knack for phrasing, whether playing quietly or brassily." Andrew Lindemann Malone April 2006
"Rewind That is a product of everything imaginable in jazz. As a derivative of fusion, Scott has embraced hip-hop rhythms, soulful melodic grooves and harmonic nuances to bind with an improvisational standard seldom seen coming from an artist of his years. His music has a built-in simplicity about it, whereby even the most complex note structures are easily assimilated into the realm of intuitive acceptance His laid back style of play creates a sense of sanctuary in an environment where jazz is often too commercial and seldom very cerebral." jazzreview.com Sheldon T. Nunn March 2006
Anthem
"If Scott's primary aim was to capture the complexity of human emotions and the resiliency of the human spirit, the trumpeter has achieved his goal on Anthem. C. N. Harold Oct 2007
Anthem, ... is an absolute masterpiece. Consisting mostly of songs which Scott himself wrote, and performed on all the songs, this album is a gem of musical ability and talent. Anthony Jonet August 2007
Anthem is his sophomore release, and it's a doozy. Underneath a semi-static palette, you can hear the band use improvisation to create high drama using tension and release. Josh Jackson December 2007
"Anthem is a dark, sometimes despairing document that meditates on the disaster as well as charting changes in the musician's burgeoning career and personal life." BBC Paul Sullivan January 2008
Live At Newport
"Three records into his career, and every disc Christian Scott makes is better than the last one. The improvements on Live At Newport are fundamental: The ensemble is at once more cohesive and elastic, the solos more consistently inventive and the slow-motion intensity that has become Scott's trademark is invested with more emotion without any loss of control." emusic.com Britt Robson
"a talented and deft improviser and his knack for creating brooding, emotionally engaged music brings to mind a mix of '60s Miles Davis and the heady art rock of Radiohead." "part of Scott's talent is his ability to sustain such epic drama throughout a whole album and in that sense, Live at Newport crackles with an earnest, youthful energy." Matt Collar, All Music Guide
"The inevitable comparisons to trumpeter Miles Davis will be made as Scott's performance readily echoes that of his musical hero. And while those comparisons are natural, there is something decidedly fresh about his approach to the music." Todd Smith November 2008
Yesterday You Said Tomorrow
Christian's upcoming and highly anticipated release is called "Yesterday You Said Tomorrow." Recorded at Van Gelder Studios and engineered by jazz figure Rudy Van Gelder, widely viewed as the greatest recording engineer in jazz history Scott was contacted by Rudy who expressed a desire to work with him. Scott was honored and eagerly accepted the gracious invitation to work with the legend who came out of a long stint of only doing Remasters of his earlier classics for the effort.
The recording features Scott's always political point of view about the world and what he perceives as dialog points for discussion by his listeners. Such tunes as Angola La, and the 13th Amendment, KKPD, The Roe Effect, The Last Broken Heart, Jenacide and The American't. Scott explained in a recent performance that Angola and the 13th Amendment is a statement about current U.S. law that allows the legalized slavery of incarcerated persons. Never shy about expressing his socio-political take on a subject, his intent is not to change minds but to encourage open discourse about world and U.S. human rights issues that he finds relevant.
"Yesterday You Said Tomorrow", like all of his previous recordings, also includes ballads and subject matters concerning relationships and matters of the heart. As he has grown as an individual and as a musician, so has his views which are expressed through his music.
"a gym-ripped amalgam of edgy jazz, hip hop and rock rhythms, off-kilter ostinatos, intimate rhapsodies and full-on passions, all welded together by the New Orleans-born player's alternately caressing and searing horn, and by his most tightly focused band to date". Chris May January 25, 2010
2002 Real Life Stories Donald Harrison trumpet
2003 Karin Williams Karin Williams trumpet
2005 Blueprint of a Lady:Sketches of Billie Holiday
Nnenna Freelon trumpet
2006 Every Road I Walked Grace Kelly trumpet
2006 Survivor Donald Harrison trumpet
2006 What is Love Erin Boheme trumpet
2007 Return From Mecca X Clan trumpet
2007 Planet Earth Prince trumpet
2008 Blueprints of Jazz, Vol 1 Mike Clark trumpet
2008 Charlie Brown TV Themes David Benoit trumpet
2008 Global Noize Global Noize trumpet
2008 It's Christmas Ledisi producer
Tavis Smiley September 2007
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon March 2010
Jimmy Kimmel Live
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, is the 2010 Edison Award winner for Best International Jazz Artist and a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-nominated jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
er, composer and producer. He has been heralded by JazzTimes
JazzTimes
JazzTimes is a magazine that dates back to Radio Free Jazz, a publication founded in 1970 by Ira Sabin when he was operating a record store in Washington, DC. It was originally a newsletter designed to update shoppers on the latest jazz releases and provide jazz radio programmers with a means of...
magazine as "the Architect of a new commercially viable fusion" and "Jazz's young style God".
The nephew of jazz alto saxophonist Donald Harrison
Donald Harrison
Donald Harrison, Jr. is an American jazz saxophonist from New Orleans, Louisiana.-Biography:Harrison studied at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and Berklee College of Music. He played with Roy Haynes, Jack McDuff, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Terence Blanchard and Don Pullen in the...
, since 2006 Scott has released four studio albums, and one live recording.
The trumpeter is noted for his use of an unvoiced tone, which he calls his "whisper technique."
Early life
Christian Scott, and his twin brother, Kiel, were born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on March 31, 1983, to Cara Harrison and Clinton Scott III.Training
Scott first studied with his mother. Once Scott demonstrated talent, his uncle, Donald Harrison, Jr. began to teach him. By the age of fourteen, Christian auditioned for New Orleans Center of Creative Arts. He was accepted to the high school for the arts and excelled under the direction of jazz music program directors, Clyde Kerr, Jr. and Kent Jordan.After completing his high school education and graduating with honors, Scott attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. He received a scholarship and studied under the direction of Charlie Lewis, Dave Santoro, and Gary Burton. Scott majored in Professional Music with a concentration in Film Scoring. Scott completed the five year program in three years, while touring with Donald Harrison, Jr.'s quartet, his own band, and writing, producing and marketing his self-titled first recording.
Concord Music Group
During the CD release performances at a Virgin Music store for Scotts' self titled debut recording, a former distributor for Concord Records, Kenneth Shurtlift, was in attendance and later forwarded Scott's recording to executives with Concord Music Group. Scott signed with the major label in 2005 and released his second recording, "Rewind That" in 2006. Scott was prominently featured on the cover of Billboard Magazine and was named "One to Watch in 2006" by the quintessential music industry magazine. Scott's major label debut enjoyed remarkable success with its odd metered offerings of Jazz, Rock and R&B infused compositions. Critics did not know how to categorize the blend of musical influences.Whisper technique
Scott is noted for "un-voicing" his tone, emphasising breath over vibration at the mouthpiece. Scott refers to it as his "whisper technique".Pointers from Donald Harrison and Clark Terry
Clark Terry
Clark Terry is an American swing and bop trumpeter, a pioneer of the fluegelhorn in jazz, educator, NEA Jazz Masters inductee, and recipient of the 2010 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award...
along with two years of intense concentration and practice helped to develop his tone. To get the particular sound he wanted he resisted additional advice from his music teachers and books. "It came from a lot of different things. Jazz trumpeter and elder statesman Clark Terry told me about the technique Clifford Brown
Clifford Brown
Clifford Brown , aka "Brownie," was an influential and highly rated American jazz trumpeter. He died aged 25, leaving behind only four years' worth of recordings...
used to get an airy sound when he played. I wanted my sound to be different than any other. Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
and Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
and others made their mark on their generation because their sound was unique."
Katrina
Katrina is Scott's signature model Bb trumpet made specifically for him by Edwards Instruments (GetzenGetzen
The Getzen Company is a family owned manufacturer and wholesaler of brass instruments. The present product portfolio consists of Trumpets, Cornets, Flugelhorns, Trombones and a Baritone Horn. Four Generations of the Getzen family have participated in the company.-Founding:In 1939, Anthony James ...
). Designed by Scott, Christan Greigo and Kiel Scott the horn's attributes include a tilted bell, exchangeable lead pipe and reverse tuning system, all which helped Christian to employ his signature Whisper Technique more effectively. The horn was initially designed in this unique way from the desire of Scott to have the ability to see his audience as he played.
During those years of practice, Edwards Instruments (Getzen) was busy making Christian's CS Signature Model Trumpet that bears a likeness to Dizzy Gillespie's iconic instrument. "My bell actually curves much earlier than his [Dizzy] did, like 22 degrees. His horn had a bell that went up like 35 almost 45 degrees and his bell tilts at the valve section much earlier. Mine is a Generation X hybrid trumpet with blades and all this special matte finishing and engraving all over it that says Christian Scott and Katrina", explains Scott.
Community service
Christian, while touring and on his down time, to spend time with young people to hold music classes, impart music business knowledge and his life experiences. These sessions are held at non-profit organizations and schools throughout the United States. Additionally, Christian lends his considerable talents to fundraising events for various organizations.While touring, Scott has held classes at high schools throughout the United States. He recently purchased custom trumpets which he gave to budding musicians from New Orleans. On his trips back to his home town, he is often a fixture at Guardians Institute's, a non-profit founded by his grandmother, Herreast Harrison, Sankofa Saturday sessions, book giveaways and informances held at New Orleans' Recovery School District schools.
Fashion
Scott's cavalier style of dress has garnered him recognition in magazines such as L'UOMO VOGUE, VOGUE ITALIA, THE SOURCE & KING MAGAZINE. Christian is known to sport Comme Des Garçons drop crotch jeans, Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair, harem style pants, Dior short ties, Dior Homme, and his signature Rayban sunglasses, pearl earrings and ascots."His global fashion sense distinguishes him from his counterparts and endears him to fashionistas the world over.
"Why can't the world be filled with more men willing to take a risk in terms of what they wear, every now and then. Men just like jazz musician Christian Scott. Clearly not afraid of exploring the side of menswear that you don't normally see out in the spotlight (runway lights not included), at the launch of David Beckham's new pairing with Adidas on Wednesday, the trumpet player took apart a few looks from the Dior Homme Fall 2009 show and created a whole new look of his own."
Discography as a leader
Christian Scott"Every now and again there comes an artist who captures your interest from the very first prodigious note that is made. As if by osmosis, their music is absorbed into the very essence of your extra sensory perceptive personified mind. That is exactly what trumpeter Christian Scott has done on his debut release" jazzreview.com 2006
Rewind That
"Rewind That" arguably the most remarkable premiere the genre has seen in the last decade" Billboard Magazine 2006
"Every now and again there comes an artist who captures your interest from the very first prodigious note that is made. As if by osmosis, their music is absorbed into the very essence of your extra sensory perceptive personified mind. That is exactly what trumpeter Christian Scott has done on his debut release" jazzreview.com Sheldon T. Nunn March 2006
"Those interested in the future direction that jazz music is likely to take should check out Rewind That."
"This album features Scott's interplay of music and storytelling, using the actual instruments of course but also the song titles themselves to create a package of tunes that sound like the score for a collection of short stories or miniature films." Quentin B. Huff March 2006
"Christian Scott's debut album, Rewind That, shows him to be a striking trumpeter--the breathy tone he often uses, so tenuous it can resemble a flute, stands out in an ensemble, and he shows a natural knack for phrasing, whether playing quietly or brassily." Andrew Lindemann Malone April 2006
"Rewind That is a product of everything imaginable in jazz. As a derivative of fusion, Scott has embraced hip-hop rhythms, soulful melodic grooves and harmonic nuances to bind with an improvisational standard seldom seen coming from an artist of his years. His music has a built-in simplicity about it, whereby even the most complex note structures are easily assimilated into the realm of intuitive acceptance His laid back style of play creates a sense of sanctuary in an environment where jazz is often too commercial and seldom very cerebral." jazzreview.com Sheldon T. Nunn March 2006
Anthem
"If Scott's primary aim was to capture the complexity of human emotions and the resiliency of the human spirit, the trumpeter has achieved his goal on Anthem. C. N. Harold Oct 2007
Anthem, ... is an absolute masterpiece. Consisting mostly of songs which Scott himself wrote, and performed on all the songs, this album is a gem of musical ability and talent. Anthony Jonet August 2007
Anthem is his sophomore release, and it's a doozy. Underneath a semi-static palette, you can hear the band use improvisation to create high drama using tension and release. Josh Jackson December 2007
"Anthem is a dark, sometimes despairing document that meditates on the disaster as well as charting changes in the musician's burgeoning career and personal life." BBC Paul Sullivan January 2008
Live At Newport
"Three records into his career, and every disc Christian Scott makes is better than the last one. The improvements on Live At Newport are fundamental: The ensemble is at once more cohesive and elastic, the solos more consistently inventive and the slow-motion intensity that has become Scott's trademark is invested with more emotion without any loss of control." emusic.com Britt Robson
"a talented and deft improviser and his knack for creating brooding, emotionally engaged music brings to mind a mix of '60s Miles Davis and the heady art rock of Radiohead." "part of Scott's talent is his ability to sustain such epic drama throughout a whole album and in that sense, Live at Newport crackles with an earnest, youthful energy." Matt Collar, All Music Guide
"The inevitable comparisons to trumpeter Miles Davis will be made as Scott's performance readily echoes that of his musical hero. And while those comparisons are natural, there is something decidedly fresh about his approach to the music." Todd Smith November 2008
Yesterday You Said Tomorrow
Christian's upcoming and highly anticipated release is called "Yesterday You Said Tomorrow." Recorded at Van Gelder Studios and engineered by jazz figure Rudy Van Gelder, widely viewed as the greatest recording engineer in jazz history Scott was contacted by Rudy who expressed a desire to work with him. Scott was honored and eagerly accepted the gracious invitation to work with the legend who came out of a long stint of only doing Remasters of his earlier classics for the effort.
The recording features Scott's always political point of view about the world and what he perceives as dialog points for discussion by his listeners. Such tunes as Angola La, and the 13th Amendment, KKPD, The Roe Effect, The Last Broken Heart, Jenacide and The American't. Scott explained in a recent performance that Angola and the 13th Amendment is a statement about current U.S. law that allows the legalized slavery of incarcerated persons. Never shy about expressing his socio-political take on a subject, his intent is not to change minds but to encourage open discourse about world and U.S. human rights issues that he finds relevant.
"Yesterday You Said Tomorrow", like all of his previous recordings, also includes ballads and subject matters concerning relationships and matters of the heart. As he has grown as an individual and as a musician, so has his views which are expressed through his music.
"a gym-ripped amalgam of edgy jazz, hip hop and rock rhythms, off-kilter ostinatos, intimate rhapsodies and full-on passions, all welded together by the New Orleans-born player's alternately caressing and searing horn, and by his most tightly focused band to date". Chris May January 25, 2010
- 2002 Christian Scott' Impromp2 Records
- 2006 Rewind That – Concord Records
- 2007 Anthem - Concord Records
- 2008 Live at Newport - Concord Records
- 2010 Yesterday You Said Tomorrow - Concord Records
- 2011 "Ninety Miles" - Concord Picante w/ Stefon Harris and David Sanchez
Additional discography
1999 Paradise Found Donald Harrison trumpet/composer2002 Real Life Stories Donald Harrison trumpet
2003 Karin Williams Karin Williams trumpet
2005 Blueprint of a Lady:Sketches of Billie Holiday
Nnenna Freelon trumpet
2006 Every Road I Walked Grace Kelly trumpet
2006 Survivor Donald Harrison trumpet
2006 What is Love Erin Boheme trumpet
2007 Return From Mecca X Clan trumpet
2007 Planet Earth Prince trumpet
2008 Blueprints of Jazz, Vol 1 Mike Clark trumpet
2008 Charlie Brown TV Themes David Benoit trumpet
2008 Global Noize Global Noize trumpet
2008 It's Christmas Ledisi producer
Filmography
- LeatherheadsLeatherheadsLeatherheads is a 2008 American sports comedy film from Universal Pictures directed by and starring George Clooney. The film also stars Renée Zellweger, Jonathan Pryce and John Krasinski and focuses on the early years of professional American football....
- Rachel Getting MarriedRachel Getting MarriedRachel Getting Married is a 2008 drama film directed by Jonathan Demme, and starring Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt, Bill Irwin and Debra Winger. The film was released in the U.S. to select theaters on October 3, 2008. The film opened the 65th Venice International Film Festival. The film also...
- The Roe Effect
- Keeper of the FlameKeeper of the FlameKeeper of the Flame may refer to:* Keeper of the Flame , a 1942 film directed by George Cukor and starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn* Keeper of the Flame , a 1989 album by Golden Earring...
Television
Tavis Smiley June 2006Tavis Smiley September 2007
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon March 2010
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Current
- Christian Scott - trumpet, cornet, flugel horn, soprano trombone
- Matt Stevens - guitar
- Jamire Williams - drums
- Lawrence Fields- piano
- Kristopher Funn - bass
Previous
- Thomas PridgenThomas PridgenThomas Armon Pridgen is an American drummer, best known for his role as the drummer of The Mars Volta from October 31, 2006 until October 23, 2009, and currently the drummer for his own project The Memorials as well as hard rock supergroup Giraffe Tongue Orchestra.-Biography:Pridgen won the Guitar...
- drums - Andrew Marsh - drums
- Marcus Gilmore - drums
- James Williams - drums
- Aaron Parks - piano
- Zaccai Curtis - piano
- Milton Fletcher - piano
- Courtney Bryan - piano
- Luques Curtis - bass
- Esperanza Spalding - bass
- Walter Smith III - sax
- Louis Fouche IIII - sax
- Devin Phillips - sax
- David Daruska - guitar
- Roman Pilon - guitar
- Ben Garrison - guitar
External links
- ChristianScott.net
- Christian Scott interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' February 2010
- Christian Scott, Nancy Wilson Among Jazz Grammy Contenders
- Christian Scott at Glenwood Summer of Jazz
- Four reviews for Rewind That at All About JazzAll About JazzAll About Jazz is a leading jazz music website for enthusiasts and industry professionals based in Philadelphia in the United States.Founded by Michael Ricci in 1995, the Web-Site is maintained by a volunteer staff of writers, editors, and musicians, and provides coverage of all genres of jazz from...
- Christian Scott, "Yesterday You Said Tomorrow" by BillboardBillboard (magazine)Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...