Tom Scott (saxophonist)


Thomas Wright Scott is an American saxophonist, composer, and arranger. He was a member of the Blues Brothers and led the jazz fusion group L.A. Express.
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Early life, family and education

Scott was born in Los Angeles, California, US. He is the son of 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 music for Dragnet and Lassie.

Career

Tom Scott's career began as a teenager as leader of the jazz ensemble Neoteric Trio, and the band Men of Note. After that, he worked as a session musician. In 1970, Quincy Jones said of him: "Tom Scott, the saxophonist; he's 21, and out of sight! Plays any idiom you can name, and blows like crazy on half a dozen horns."
Scott wrote the theme tunes for the television shows Starsky and Hutch and The Streets of San Francisco. In 1974, with the L.A. Express, he composed the score for the adult animated movie The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat. Also, Scott arranged Barbra Streisand’s 1974 LP “ButterFly,” which went Gold. He also played the soprano saxophone solo on the number-one hit single "Listen to What the Man Said" by the band Wings. In 1976, he played the theme "I Still Can't Sleep" in Taxi Driver. He played the featured Lyricon solo on Captain & Tennille’s 1979 hit “Do That To Me One More Time,” which went #1. Scott also composed the soundtrack for 1980's Stir Crazy. In 1982, he collaborated with Johnny Mathis on "Without Us", the theme to the 1980s sitcom Family Ties and was the opening act for Olivia Newton John on her 1982 Physical North American Tour. He also played the lyricon, an electronic wind instrument on Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean", as well as lyricon and saxophone on Grateful Dead's album Terrapin Station.
Scott was a founding member of the Blues Brothers Band, despite his absence in the two films, The Blues Brothers and Blues Brothers 2000. According to Bob Woodward's account in Wired, a biography of John Belushi, Scott left the band after their 1980 tour over a salary dispute. However, he reunited with Dan Aykroyd and the Blues Brothers Band in 1988 to record a few tracks for The Great Outdoors.
Scott led the house band on two short-lived late-night talk shows: The Pat Sajak Show in 1989 and The Chevy Chase Show in 1993. From 1995 to 1998, Scott provided the main title arrangement and additional music for the television series Cybill. He was music director for the 68th Academy Awards in 1996, several Emmy Awards telecasts from 1996 to 2007, Ebony's 50th Birthday Celebration, and the People's Choice Awards telecasts.
He has dozens of solo recordings for which he collected 13 Grammy nominations. He has numerous film and television scoring credits, including composing and conducting the score for the film Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, and appeared on records by the Beach Boys, Blondie, Grateful Dead, George Harrison, Whitney Houston, Quincy Jones, Carole King, Richard Marx, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Eddie Money, Olivia Newton-John, Pink Floyd, Helen Reddy, Frank Sinatra, Steely Dan, Steppenwolf, and Rod Stewart.
He produced two albums for tenor vocalist Daniel Rodriguez. The Spirit of America has sold over 400,000 copies. Scott is also a member of the Les Deux Love Orchestra and has conducted over 30 symphony orchestras around the U.S. as music director for Rodriguez. A portion of his song "Today," from his debut album The Honeysuckle Breeze, is used as the main sample for the hip-hop classic "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" by Pete Rock & CL Smooth.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

The Honeysuckle Breeze Rural Still Life Hair to Jazz Great Scott Tom Scott in L.A. New York Connection Blow It Out Intimate Strangers Street Beat Apple Juice – liveDesire Target One Night – One Day Streamlines Flashpoint Them Changes with "The Pat Sajak Show" house band Keep This Love Alive Born Again Reed My Lips Night Creatures New Found Freedom Bebop United – liveTelling Stories with Paulette McWilliams

Soundtracks

Paint Your Wagon

As a member

The L.A. ExpressTom Scott and The L.A. Express Tom Cat Tom Scott and The L.A. Express - Bluestreak Smokin' Section
The Blues BrothersBriefcase Full of Blues – liveMade in America – liveBest of The Blues Brothers – compilationDancin' wid da Blues Brothers – compilationEverybody Needs the Blues Brothers – compilationThe Very Best of The Blues Brothers – compilation
The GRP All-Star Big BandGRP All-Star Big Band GRP All-Star Big Band Live! – live

As sideman

With Joan BaezGracias a la Vida Diamonds & Rust Blowin' Away
With Glen CampbellRhinestone Cowboy Bloodline
With The CarpentersNow and Then Passage Made In America
With Natalie ColeEverlasting Good to Be Back
With Christopher CrossAnother Page Back of My Mind
With Neil DiamondTap Root Manuscript Beautiful Noise I'm Glad You're Here with Me Tonight
With DonovanEssence to Essence Slow Down World
With Don EllisDon Ellis Orchestra 'Live' at Monterey! Live in /4 Time Pieces of Eight: Live at UCLA – rec. 1967
With Dan FogelbergPhoenix The Innocent Age Windows and Walls No Resemblance Whatsoever
With George HarrisonDark Horse Extra Texture (Read All About It) Thirty Three & 1/3 Somewhere in England
With Richard "Groove" HolmesWelcome Home Six Million Dollar Man
With Rickie Lee JonesRickie Lee Jones Pirates
With Carole KingFantasy Wrap Around Joy Thoroughbred Simple Things
With Barry ManilowIf I Should Love Again Swing Street
With Michael McDonaldIf That's What It Takes Wide Open
With Joni MitchellFor the Roses Court and Spark – rec. 1973Miles of Aisles – liveHejira
With Eddie MoneyEddie Money Life for the Taking
With Oliver NelsonLive from Los Angeles Soulful Brass with Steve Allen
With Juice NewtonQuiet Lies Dirty Looks Old Flame
With Randy NewmanBorn Again Bad Love
With Dolly PartonDolly, Dolly, Dolly Heartbreak Express Real Love Rainbow
With Minnie RipertonAdventures in Paradise Minnie Love Lives Forever
With Johnny RiversNew Lovers and Old Friends Outside Help
With Howard Roberts
  • 1968: The Magic Band – Live at Dontes – live
  • 1968: The Magic Band II
With Lalo SchifrinChe! (soundtrack) – soundtrackRock Requiem
With Boz ScaggsSilk Degrees Fade into Light
With Rod StewartBlondes Have More Fun Soulbook
With Barbra StreisandButterFly Wet The Movie Album
With Gábor SzabóLight My Fire with Bob Thiele Macho
With Steely Dan
With Tina TurnerTina Turns the Country On! Acid Queen
With Jimmy WebbWords and Music And So: On
With Paul WilliamsJust an Old Fashioned Love Song Life Goes On Here Comes Inspiration A Little Bit of Love
With jschlattA Very 1999 Christmas
With others