Tom Scott

Although Tom Scott recorded one throwaway after another in the 1980s and '90s, he's still quite capable of recording a decent album – which he proved on his 1992 straightahead date Born Again and his 1996 reunion with the L.A. Express, Bluestreak. Spontaneity and inspired blowing are the rules this time. Instead of pandering to smooth jazz radio, Scott lets loose and plays from the heart for a change. The Angelino (who's heard on tenor & soprano sax and flute) avoids smothering this very 1970s-sounding jazz/R&B/pop date with production and gives ample solo space to both himself and such Express alumni as Joe Sample (electric keyboards) and Robben Ford (electric guitar). A forgettable version of Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give It Up" never really takes off, but that's the only really disappointing song on Bluestreak – an album that was long overdue.

A shamelessly contrived effort, Keep This Love Alive is, for the most part, yet another tremendous waste of Tom Scott's talents. There are a few enjoyable moments here, including guest Dianne Schurr's sensuous vocal on "Whenever You Dream of Me" and Scott's gritty jazz-funk blowing on "Mis Thang." But on the whole, this CD is a throwaway by both jazz and pop standards. R&B/pop singer Brenda Russell is anything but memorable on the bloodless adult-contemporary song "If You're Not the One for Me," and most of the instrumentals would sound boring and lackluster even in a dentist's office. Throwing creativity to the wind, Scott leaves no doubt that his only concern is commercial radio airplay. The saxman recorded more than his share of stinkers for GRP in the 1980s and '90s, and Keep This Love Alive is at the top of the list.

Tom Scott, well he had a string of records in the 70s then coming out again in the 80s and 90s. Flashpoint is a great 80s album. Some people rate Tom Scott very low, but in my humble opinion this album is really good. It has a lot of electronic sounds that give it the 80s flare; however, this album is still a good listen to today. ~ Amazon

For New York Connection, Scott left his L.A. Express in California and ventured to the Big Apple to join forces with keyboardists Bob James and Richard Tee, guitarist Hugh McCracken, drummer Steve Gadd and others who like the saxman had decent jazz chops, but devoted much of their time to R&B/soul session work.

The single-disc Tom Scott collection Masterpieces: Best of the GRP Years brings together tracks the influential smooth jazz saxophonist recorded during his time with GRP in the '80s and '90s. These are fluid and soulful crossover recordings culled from both live and studio albums.

Tom Scott - Rural Still Life (1968) {2015 Japan Impulse! Classics 50 Series UCCI-9279}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 228 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 88 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 276 Mb | 5% repair rar | 20bit-K2
© 1968, 2015 Impulse! / Verve / Universal Music Japan | UCCI-9279 | LP AS-9171
Jazz / Jazz Funk / Crossover Jazz / Saxophone

A fantastic early album fromTom Scott – cut when he was still a teenager, and a record that combines some sonic adventurousness with hard bop leaning sounds! Scott, especially on his early albums, is one heck of a reed player, and can get as funky as the best of them. This LP includes a massive breakbeat track called "Rural Still Life #26", plus a lot of other nice ones that mix jazz, funk, and grooviness – which may have made it a hard sell at the time, but the blend of the bold and the more easygoing sounds is pretty sweet today. Scott's quartet includes Mike Lang on keyboards, Chuck Damanico on bass, and John Guerin on drums. Titles "Freak In", "Juss Messin' Around", and "With Respect To Coltrane". A great one, and don't pass it up!

Desire is an album by jazz musician Tom Scott, recorded live to two tracks on June 30 and July 1, 1982 in Hollywood. Billboard magazine called it "predictably broad-based fusion, with nods to contemporary black, pop and rock instrumental styles.

BGO's 2013 double-disc set gathers three late-'70s albums from Tom Scott: 1977's Blow It Out, 1978's Intimate Strangers, and 1979's Street Beat. This is the moment when Scott entered the mainstream, leaving behind his backing band the L.A. Express, and getting progressively pop.