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Jimmy Scott

Hardbopjazz

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Dan Gould Mentor

Dan Gould

Posted
Posted

Can someone tell me more about this artist? He's appearing at the Long Island jazz festival with Ahmad Jamal. Wondering if I should go and see him.

Some people reallly dig him. I don't.

Medical condition made him abnormally small and with a high pitched voice. Takes some getting used to; I never did. Search the web for sound clips and you'll know what I mean.

Dmitry Community Regular

Dmitry

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Little Jimmy is one of those artists who you must see live to understand what they're about. His gigs are something else.

I hope to make it on Friday.

Another crazy commute from Brooklyn. :wacko:

Bright Moments Newbie

Bright Moments

Posted
Posted

Can someone tell me more about this artist? He's appearing at the Long Island jazz festival with  Ahmad Jamal. Wondering if I should go and see him.

Some people reallly dig him. I don't.

Medical condition made him abnormally small and with a high pitched voice. Takes some getting used to; I never did. Search the web for sound clips and you'll know what I mean.

i'm with dan on this one. i bought a cd of his based upon a lot of hype and was sadly disappointed when i heard it. :(

some say blossom dearie (who i love) is an acquired taste. little jimmy is a taste i just can't seem to acquire!

so i give it a :tdown

JSngry Grand Master

JSngry

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I don't know what shape his voice is in these days, but put me in the camp that thinks he's one of the all-time greats, no questions asked.

Even if his voice is showing the signs of age (and I don't know that it is, that's just a rhetorical question), I'd think that his phrasing alone could carry the show.

I'd definitely go see him, especially if Jamal's on the bill. The giants are a rapidly thinning herd, bordering on extinction, and those two are definitely giants. Whether or not you're going to "like" him or not is kinda besides the point at this stage of the game.

Hardbopjazz Collaborator

Hardbopjazz

Posted
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Posted

I don't know what shape his voice is in these days, but put me in the camp that thinks he's one of the all-time greats, no questions asked.

Even if his voice is showing the signs of age (and I don't know that it is, that's just a rhetorical question), I'd think that his phrasing alone could carry the show.

I'd definitely go see him, especially if Jamal's on the bill. The giants are a rapidly thinning herd, bordering on extinction, and those two are definitely giants. Whether or not you're going to "like" him or not is kinda besides the point at this stage of the game.

I'll be there Friday.

ejp626 Community Regular

ejp626

Posted
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I've seen him three times, twice in Newark and more recently in Manhattan as part of a J & R Music Festival (3 years ago?). The audience was not into him at the J & R event. I suspect that may be the same for you if they are all going for Jamal. His voice was worse at the J & R gig, but it also was an outdoor venue. His phrasing is unique and interesting, though it teeters on the edge of being too mannered. But he'll probably do some signature songs, like Heaven Must be Missing an Angel and All of Me, which he generally does very well. I enjoyed seeing him perform, but I wouldn't rush out and buy all his records. One would probably be enough.

JSngry Grand Master

JSngry

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I enjoyed seeing him perform, but I wouldn't rush out and buy all his records.  One would probably be enough.

Oh no, you need at least three - FALLLING IN LOVE IS WONDERFUL, THE SOURCE (or LOST AND FOUND), and ALL THE WAY.

The lack of love for Scott on this thread so far is disheartening (but not surprising, given Scott's iconoclastic take-no-prisoners style coupled with his semi-androgynous voice). I know we've got some pretty strong Jimmy Scott fans in these parts. Where y'all be?

Edited by JSngry
carl Newbie

carl

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He doesn't do anything for me. Close your eyes and his voice is too high more my taste. Sorry. I saw him at the J&R show and no one seemed to want to listen.

Edited by carl
JohnJ Newbie

JohnJ

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I agree with Jim, to me he is one of the great jazz balladeers. His '90s releases, 'All the Way, 'Dream' and 'Holding back the Years' are all highly recommended.

king ubu Contributor

king ubu

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Some more love here for Scott! I only recently came to hear him first, when I picked up the astonishing "Falling in love.." - what a great recording! Then, I just got "Moon Glow" (Fantasy), too, and like that one pretty much. Check it out, Jim! It got lots of stars in Downbeat, and I think well-deserved ones!

ubu

mikeweil Veteran

mikeweil

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Singers always are an acquired taste - you have to like the voice in the first place. Beyond that you can appreciate what they are doing, but they won't send chills down your spine .....

I appreciate Ella and Sarah, but they don't give me the chills. Other singers do, or make me groove and swing. Or make you dream. They either touch you or they don't.

Jimmy Scott is an individual stylist that deserves every bit of the recognition he at last got in recent years.

IMHO we always should distinguish between appreciation and personal tastes.

jazzbo Grand Master

jazzbo

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I've never seen Scott perform, but I have quite a few of his albums and I'm a huge fan. The one that I reach for often is "Heaven," which is a product of a collaboration with pianist Jackie Terrason, and I listen to the Savoy box set that collects his Savoy (and one Atlantic) recordings which are wonderful to my ears---showing Scott grow through the fifties and sixties and full of great music.

Tony Pusey Newbie

Tony Pusey

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I only have Falling in Love, but I love it to bits!

Saw him on TV a couple of years back, on Jules Hollands program, and didnt like it, then recently turned on the box mid way through a film about a hotel (Chelsea?) and saw him perform Lennons Imagine (and if I never hear that song again it will be too soon!) alone in a room and he was magnificent!

ghost of miles Experienced

ghost of miles

Posted
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I have FALLING IN LOVE (based on Jim's rec), EVERYBODY'S SOMEBODY'S FOOL (a comp of his early-50s Decca recordings), and a one-CD sampler promo from the Savoy box, and I like 'em all much.

BTW Bob Porter featured Scott's 1950s recordings on "Portraits in Blue" last Saturday. Don't know if that program's archived or not, though.

P.S. Was it ever determined for certain whether or not it's Scott singing "Embraceable You" on the Parker ONE NIGHT IN BIRDLAND release?

Edited by ghost of miles
take5 Newbie

take5

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I was there. I went for Jamal, who I've never actually heard but read a lot about and enjoyed his set a lot. Excellent phrasing and original compositions.

Scott was nice. I don't like male jazz singing, but he's got his own style and I always respect that. He does, indeed, sound like a woman.

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