Tom Scott (saxophonist)

Tom Scott
Tom Scott
Origin	Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres	West coast jazz, jazz fusion
Occupation(s)	Arranger, bandleader, composer, conductor, session musician
Instrument(s)	Tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone, clarinet, flute, lyricon
Years active	1965–present
Labels	Verve Records

Tom Scott (born May 19, 1948) is an American saxophonist, composer, arranger, conductor and bandleader of the west coast jazz/jazz fusion ensemble The L.A. Express.

Biography

Scott was born in Los Angeles, California. He is the son of prolific film and television composer Nathan Scott, who counted more than 850 television credits and more than 100 film credits during his career as a composer, orchestrator and conductor.^[1]

His best-known works are the theme songs for TV series from the 1970s and 1980s — Starsky and Hutch (a track entitled "Gotcha!") and The Streets of San Francisco, and his soprano sax solo and fills on the 1975 #1 hit single Listen to What the Man Said for Wings. In 1982, Scott also collaborated with Johnny Mathis to write & record two versions – lyrical and instrumental – of "Without Us", the theme to the 80's sitcom Family Ties. His song "Today" is sampled in the Pete Rock & CL Smooth 1992 hit They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.).^[2]

Scott came from a musical family. His father, Nathan Scott, was a band leader and composer (one of his most famous works being the theme from the television series, Dragnet). Tom Scott's professional career began as a teenager, as leader of a jazz ensemble Neoteric Trio, and then as a "first-call" (i.e. high-demand) session musician. He has dozens of solo recordings for which he collected thirteen Grammy nominations (three of which he won). He also has numerous film and television scoring credits, including composing and conducting the score for the movie Conquest of the Planet of the Apes. He also has appearanced on records by such diverse artists as George Harrison, The Grateful Dead, Paul McCartney, Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand, Joni Mitchell, Blondie, Eddie Money, Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, The Blues Brothers, Quincy Jones, Carole King, Olivia Newton-John and Frank Sinatra.

He produced two CDs for tenor vocalist Daniel Rodriguez formerly ‘The Singing Policeman’. The first of which, The Spirit Of America, has sold over 400,000 copies to date. Scott has also conducted over thirty symphony orchestras around the U.S. as music director for Rodriguez.^[3]

Scott is a member of the The Blues Brothers musical ensemble, despite his absence in the 1980 motion picture of the same name. He was also the leader of the house band on two short-lived late night talk shows: CBS' The Pat Sajak Show and Fox's The Chevy Chase Show. He is also recognized as a prominent musical director on several major awards telecasts. He was the Musical Director of the 68th Academy Awards in 1996, several Emmy Awards telecasts from 1996 to 2007, Ebony Magazine's 50th Birthday Celebration, several People's Choice Awards telecasts, and a variety of other shows.

Tom Scott also records with Les Deux Love Orchestra.