Scott was born in Morrisstown, New Jersey and studied music at Juilliard. In New York he worked with Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan, as he established himself as a clarinetist and multi-instrumentalist throughout the 1950s. But despite playing with Bill Evans and Paul Motion and remaining a constant Downbeat Poll favourite, he left the city in 1959 for extensive travels to Japan and Southeast Asia. Scott developed an interest in Buddhism and Eastern music, and his 1964 album “Music for Zen Meditation” fused jazz improvisation with traditional Japanese instrumentation. Later he moved to Italy and worked with local musicians such as pianist Franco D’Andrea. He died in Rome aged 85.
Photo: Marc Marnie/Redferns
