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{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
{{Infobox musical artist
|name = James Scott
| name = James Scott
|image = James scott new edited.jpg
| image = James_Scott_(composer)_c._1904.jpg
|caption = James Scott circa 1904
| caption = Scott, {{c.}} 1904
|image_size =250px
| image_size =
|background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
|birth_name = James Sylvester Scott
| birth_name = James Sylvester Scott
|alias = The Little Professor<ref name="piano society">{{cite web| title=James Scott (1885 - 1938)| url=http://www.pianosociety.com/cms/source_selector.php?section=1393| publisher=Piano Society| accessdate=September 28, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141026074259/http://www.pianosociety.com/cms/source_selector.php?section=1393| archive-date=October 26, 2014| url-status=dead| df=mdy-all}}</ref>
| alias = The Little Professor<ref name="piano society">{{cite web|title=James Scott (1885 - 1938)| url=http://www.pianosociety.com/cms/source_selector.php?section=1393|publisher=Piano Society|access-date=September 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141026074259/http://www.pianosociety.com/cms/source_selector.php?section=1393|archive-date=October 26, 2014|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
|birth_date = February 12, 1885
| birth_date = February 12, 1885
|birth_place = [[Neosho, Missouri|Neosho]], [[Missouri]]
| birth_place = [[Neosho, Missouri|Neosho]], [[Missouri]], United States
|death_date = August 30, 1938 (aged 53)
| death_date = August 30, 1938 (aged 53)
|death_place = {{nowrap|[[Kansas City, Kansas|Kansas City]], [[Kansas]], U.S.}}
| death_place = {{nowrap|[[Kansas City, Kansas|Kansas City]], [[Kansas]], United States}}
|origin =
| origin =
|instrument = Piano, organ
| instrument = Piano, organ
|genre = [[Ragtime]], [[March (music)|march]], [[waltz]]
| genre = {{hlist|[[Ragtime]]|[[March (music)|march]]|[[waltz]]}}
|occupation = Composer, pianist, music teacher, band leader, arranger
| occupation = Composer, pianist, music teacher, band leader, arranger
|years_active = 1901–1938
| years_active = 1901–1938
|label =
| label =
|associated_acts =
| associated_acts =
|current_members =
| current_members =
|past_members =
| past_members =
}}
}}


'''James Sylvester Scott''' (February 12, 1885 &ndash; August 30, 1938) was an American [[ragtime]] [[composer]] and pianist, regarded as one of the three most important composers of [[Classic Rag|classic ragtime]], along with [[Scott Joplin]] and [[Joseph Lamb (composer)|Joseph Lamb]].<ref name="Jasen and Tichenor">Jasen David A. and Trebor Jay Tichenor (1978) ''Rags and Ragtime'', Dover.</ref>
'''James Sylvester Scott''' (February 12, 1885 – August 30, 1938) was an American [[ragtime]] [[composer]] and pianist. He is regarded as one of the "Big Three" composers of [[Classic rag|classical ragtime]] along with [[Scott Joplin]] and [[Joseph Lamb (composer)|Joseph Lamb]].<ref name="Jasen and Tichenor">Jasen David A. and Trebor Jay Tichenor (1978) ''Rags and Ragtime'', Dover.</ref>


==Life and career==
==Early life and education==
He was born in [[Neosho, Missouri]] to James Scott, Sr. and Molly Thomas Scott, both former slaves.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} In 1901 his family moved to [[Carthage, Missouri]], where he attended Lincoln High School. In 1902 he began working at the music store of Charles L. Dumars, first washing windows, then demonstrating music at the piano as a [[song plugger]], including his own pieces. Demand for his music convinced Dumars to print the first of Scott's published compositions, "A Summer Breeze - March and Two Step", in 1903.<ref name="Jasen and Tichenor"/> By 1904, two more compositions by Scott, "Fascinator March" and "On the Pike March" were published and sold well, but not enough to keep Dumars in business and soon the company ceased publishing.<ref name="HASKINS">{{cite book | title = Scott Joplin - The Man Who Made Ragtime | author = James Haskins | isbn = 0-8128-6066-7 | year = 1978 | page = 145 }}</ref>
Scott was born in [[Neosho, Missouri]], to James Scott Sr. and Molly Thomas Scott, both former slaves.<ref>{{cite web|title=James Scott, 1885-1938|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200035819/|access-date=2023-12-04|website=Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA}}</ref> In 1901, his family moved to [[Carthage, Missouri]], where he attended Lincoln High School. He was given a piano after taking music lessons.<ref>{{cite web|title=James Scott, 1885-1938|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200035819/|access-date=2023-12-04|website=Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA}}</ref> In 1902, he began working at the music store of Charles L. Dumars, first washing windows, then demonstrating music at the piano as a [[song plugger]], including his own pieces. Demand for his music convinced Dumars to print the first of Scott's published compositions, "A Summer Breeze - March and Two Step", in 1903.<ref name="Jasen and Tichenor"/> By 1904, two more compositions by Scott, "Fascinator March" and "On the Pike March" were published and sold well, but not enough to keep Dumars in business and soon the company ceased publishing.<ref name="HASKINS">{{cite book|title=Scott Joplin - The Man Who Made Ragtime|author=James Haskins|isbn=0-8128-6066-7|year=1978|page=145|publisher=Stein and Day}}</ref>


==Career==
[[Image:On the Pike 1.jpg|thumb|200px|right|James Scott's 1904 "On the Pike", which refers to the midway of the [[Louisiana Purchase Exposition|St. Louis World's Fair of 1904]].]]
[[File:On the Pike 1.jpg|thumb|right|200px|James Scott's 1904 "On the Pike", which refers to the midway of the [[Louisiana Purchase Exposition|St. Louis World's Fair of 1904]].]]


Ragtime Historians Rudi Blesh and Harriet Janis recount that Scott went to [[St. Louis, Missouri]] in search of his idol Scott Joplin in 1905.<ref>[[#Berlin|Berlin (1994)]] pp. 146.</ref> He located Joplin and asked if he would listen to one of his ragtime compositions. Upon hearing the rag, Joplin introduced him to his own publisher, [[John Stillwell Stark]], and recommended he publish the work. Stark published the rag a year later as "[[Frog Legs Rag]]". It quickly became a hit and was second in sales in the Stark catalogue only to that of Joplin's own "[[Maple Leaf Rag]]".<ref name="Berlin">{{cite book | title = King of Ragtime - Scott Joplin and His Era | url = https://archive.org/details/kingofragtimesco00berl | url-access = registration | author = Edward Berlin | isbn = 0-19-508739-9 | year = 1994 | page = [https://archive.org/details/kingofragtimesco00berl/page/58 58] }}</ref> Scott became a regular contributor to the Stark catalogue until 1922.
Ragtime Historians Rudi Blesh and Harriet Janis recount that Scott went to [[St. Louis, Missouri]], in search of his idol Scott Joplin in 1905.<ref>[[#Berlin|Berlin (1994)]] pp. 146.</ref> He located Joplin and asked if he would listen to one of his ragtime compositions. Upon hearing the rag, Joplin introduced him to his own publisher, [[John Stillwell Stark]], and recommended he publish the work. Stark published the rag a year later as "[[Frog Legs Rag]]". It quickly became a hit and was second in sales in the Stark catalogue only to that of Joplin's own "[[Maple Leaf Rag]]".<ref name="Berlin">{{cite book|title=King of Ragtime - Scott Joplin and His Era|url=https://archive.org/details/kingofragtimesco00berl|url-access=registration|author=Edward Berlin|isbn=0-19-508739-9|year=1994|page=[https://archive.org/details/kingofragtimesco00berl/page/58 58]|publisher=Oxford University Press}}</ref> Scott became a regular contributor to the Stark catalogue until 1922.


In 1914 Scott moved to [[Kansas City, Missouri]], where he married Nora Johnson, taught music, and accompanied silent movies as an organist and arranger at the Panama Theater.<ref name="Jasen and Tichenor"/><ref name="Blesh">{{cite book | title = They All Played Ragtime | author = Rudi Blesh & Harriet Janis | isbn = 0-8256-0091-X | year = 1950 | page = [https://archive.org/details/theyallplayedrag00bles/page/114 114] | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/theyallplayedrag00bles/page/114 }}</ref><ref name="Jasen2007">{{cite book | title = Ragtime: An Encyclopedia, Discography, and Sheetography | url = https://archive.org/details/ragtimeencyclope00jase | url-access = limited | author = David A. Jasen | isbn = 978-0-415-97862-0 | year = 2007 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/ragtimeencyclope00jase/page/n247 227] }}</ref> Those that knew him recall that theater work was a large part of his activity. His cousin Patsy Thomas remembers, "Everybody called him 'Little Professor' He always walked rapidly, looking at the ground - would pass you on the street and never see you - seemed always deep in thought."<ref>[[#Blesh|Blesh (1950)]] pp. 115.</ref>
In 1914, Scott moved to [[Kansas City, Missouri]], where he married Nora Johnson, taught music, and accompanied silent movies as an organist and arranger at the Panama Theater.<ref name="Jasen and Tichenor"/><ref name="Blesh">{{cite book|title=They All Played Ragtime|last1=Blesh|first1=Rudi|last2=Janis|first2=Harriet|isbn=0-8256-0091-X|year=1950|page=[https://archive.org/details/theyallplayedrag00bles/page/114 114]|publisher=Oak Publications|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/theyallplayedrag00bles/page/114}}</ref><ref name="Jasen2007">{{cite book|title=Ragtime: An Encyclopedia, Discography, and Sheetography|url=https://archive.org/details/ragtimeencyclope00jase|url-access=limited|author=David A. Jasen|isbn=978-0-415-97862-0|year=2007|pages=[https://archive.org/details/ragtimeencyclope00jase/page/n247 227]| publisher=Taylor & Francis}}</ref> Those that knew him recall that theater work was a large part of his activity. His cousin Patsy Thomas remembers, "Everybody called him 'Little Professor' He always walked rapidly, looking at the ground - would pass you on the street and never see you - seemed always deep in thought."<ref>[[#Blesh|Blesh (1950)]] pp. 115.</ref>


In the last years of his life, Scott busied himself with teaching, composing and leading an eight-piece band that played for various beer parks and movie theaters in the area. With the arrival of sound movies, however, his fortunes declined. He lost his theater work, his wife died without child, and his health deteriorated.<ref name="Jasen2007"/> He moved in with his cousin Ruth Callahan in [[Kansas City, Kansas]], and even though was suffering from chronic [[dropsy]], he continued to compose and play piano. Scott died at Douglas Hospital on August 30, 1938 at age 52 and was laid beside his wife in Westlawn Cemetery.<ref>[[#Blesh|Blesh (1950)]] pp. 119.</ref>
In the last years of his life, Scott busied himself with teaching, composing and leading an eight-piece band that played for various beer parks and movie theaters in the area. With the arrival of sound movies, however, his fortunes declined. He lost his theater work, his wife died without child, and his health deteriorated.<ref name="Jasen2007"/> He moved in with his cousin Ruth Callahan in [[Kansas City, Kansas]], and even though was suffering from chronic [[dropsy]], he continued to compose and play piano. He also worked as an accompanist for dances.<ref>{{cite web|title=James Scott, 1885-1938|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200035819/|access-date=2023-12-04|website=Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA}}</ref> Scott died at Douglas Hospital on August 30, 1938, at age 52 and was laid beside his wife in Westlawn Cemetery.<ref>[[#Blesh|Blesh (1950)]] pp. 119.</ref>


Scott's best-known compositions include "Climax Rag", "[[Frog Legs Rag]]", "[[Grace and Beauty]]", "Ophelia Rag" and "The Ragtime Oriole".{{citation needed|date=September 2014}}
Scott's best-known compositions include "Climax Rag", '"[[Frog Legs Rag]]", "[[Grace and Beauty]]", "Ophelia Rag", and "The Ragtime Oriole".{{citation needed|date=September 2014}}

⚫
Scott was a cousin of [[blues]] singer [[Ada Brown (singer)|Ada Brown]].<ref name="Jasen and Tichenor"/>


⚫
Scott was a cousin of [[blues]] singer [[Ada Brown]].<ref name="Jasen and Tichenor"/>
{|
{|
⚫
|{{Listen|filename=Frog Legs Rag 3.ogg|title=Frog Legs Rag|description=Scott's first hit, "[[Frog Legs Rag]]" (1906)}}
|{{Listen
|{{Listen|filename=James Scott, Grace and Beauty 2.ogg|title=Grace and Beauty|description="[[Grace and Beauty]]" (1909)}}
|filename=Frog Legs Rag 3.ogg
|title=Frog Legs Rag
⚫
|description=Scott's first hit, "[[Frog Legs Rag]]" (1906)
}}
|{{Listen
|filename=James Scott, Grace and Beauty 2.ogg
|title=Grace and Beauty
|description="[[Grace and Beauty]]" (1909)
}}
|}
|}


==In popular culture==
==Aftermath==
⚫
In the third season of the [[HBO]] series ''[[Boardwalk Empire]]'', Scott is portrayed by an uncredited actor in the episode "Spaghetti and Coffee".

⚫
In the Third Season of the [[HBO]] series [[Boardwalk Empire]], Scott is portrayed by an uncredited actor in the episode "Spaghetti and Coffee".

==Published works==
⚫
''See [[list of compositions by James Scott]]''
⚫
{{wikisource|Author:James Scott|James Scott}}


==See also==
==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|Music}}
⚫
*[[List of ragtime composers]]
⚫
* [[List of compositions by James Scott]]
⚫
* [[List of ragtime composers]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}
*DeVeaux, Scott and William Howland Kenney (1992) ''The Music of James Scott'', Smithsonian Institution Press.
* DeVeaux, Scott and William Howland Kenney (1992) ''The Music of James Scott'', Smithsonian Institution Press.


==External links==
==External links==
⚫
{{wikisource|Author:James Scott|James Scott}}
{{Commons category|James Scott}}
{{Commons category|James Scott}}
*https://web.archive.org/web/20160303165917/http://www.umkc.edu/orgs/kcjazz/jazzfolk/scotj_00.htm James Scott on the [https://web.archive.org/web/20170702081748/http://www.umkc.edu/orgs/kcjazz/ Kansas City Jazz site]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160303165917/http://www.umkc.edu/orgs/kcjazz/jazzfolk/scotj_00.htm James Scott] on the [https://web.archive.org/web/20170702081748/http://www.umkc.edu/orgs/kcjazz/ Kansas City Jazz site]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100814021226/http://www.perfessorbill.com/pbmidi2.shtml "Perfessor" Bill Edwards plays Scott compositions and provides background on many of his works]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100814021226/http://www.perfessorbill.com/pbmidi2.shtml "Perfessor" Bill Edwards plays Scott compositions and provides background on many of his works]
*{{Find a Grave|7434592}}
* {{Find a Grave|7434592}}
*[https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1yyBka6R3IDWKUmOuZgWLISXtuYBMunRLTpSgrkRs2es/edit?usp=sharing James Scott: Innovative American Composer]
* [https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1yyBka6R3IDWKUmOuZgWLISXtuYBMunRLTpSgrkRs2es/edit?usp=sharing James Scott: Innovative American Composer]


=== Sheet music ===
===Sheet music===
*{{Cantorion|composers/513/James-Sylvester-Scott|James Scott}}
* {{Cantorion|composers/513/James-Sylvester-Scott|James Scott}}
*{{IMSLP|id=Scott, James}}
* {{IMSLP|id=Scott, James}}


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:African-American composers]]
[[Category:African-American composers]]
[[Category:African-American male composers]]
[[Category:African-American male composers]]
[[Category:African-American male pianists]]
[[Category:African-American music educators]]
[[Category:African-American music educators]]
[[Category:African-American pianists]]
[[Category:African-American pianists]]

Latest revision as of 20:09, 12 October 2024

James Scott
Scott, c. 1904
Scott, c. 1904
Background information
Birth nameJames Sylvester Scott
Also known asThe Little Professor[1]
BornFebruary 12, 1885
Neosho, Missouri, United States
DiedAugust 30, 1938 (aged 53)
Kansas City, Kansas, United States
Genres
Occupation(s)Composer, pianist, music teacher, band leader, arranger
Instrument(s)Piano, organ
Years active1901–1938

James Sylvester Scott (February 12, 1885 – August 30, 1938) was an American ragtime composer and pianist. He is regarded as one of the "Big Three" composers of classical ragtime along with Scott Joplin and Joseph Lamb.[2]

Early life and education

[edit]

Scott was born in Neosho, Missouri, to James Scott Sr. and Molly Thomas Scott, both former slaves.[3] In 1901, his family moved to Carthage, Missouri, where he attended Lincoln High School. He was given a piano after taking music lessons.[4] In 1902, he began working at the music store of Charles L. Dumars, first washing windows, then demonstrating music at the piano as a song plugger, including his own pieces. Demand for his music convinced Dumars to print the first of Scott's published compositions, "A Summer Breeze - March and Two Step", in 1903.[2] By 1904, two more compositions by Scott, "Fascinator March" and "On the Pike March" were published and sold well, but not enough to keep Dumars in business and soon the company ceased publishing.[5]

Career

[edit]
James Scott's 1904 "On the Pike", which refers to the midway of the St. Louis World's Fair of 1904.

Ragtime Historians Rudi Blesh and Harriet Janis recount that Scott went to St. Louis, Missouri, in search of his idol Scott Joplin in 1905.[6] He located Joplin and asked if he would listen to one of his ragtime compositions. Upon hearing the rag, Joplin introduced him to his own publisher, John Stillwell Stark, and recommended he publish the work. Stark published the rag a year later as "Frog Legs Rag". It quickly became a hit and was second in sales in the Stark catalogue only to that of Joplin's own "Maple Leaf Rag".[7] Scott became a regular contributor to the Stark catalogue until 1922.

In 1914, Scott moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where he married Nora Johnson, taught music, and accompanied silent movies as an organist and arranger at the Panama Theater.[2][8][9] Those that knew him recall that theater work was a large part of his activity. His cousin Patsy Thomas remembers, "Everybody called him 'Little Professor' He always walked rapidly, looking at the ground - would pass you on the street and never see you - seemed always deep in thought."[10]

In the last years of his life, Scott busied himself with teaching, composing and leading an eight-piece band that played for various beer parks and movie theaters in the area. With the arrival of sound movies, however, his fortunes declined. He lost his theater work, his wife died without child, and his health deteriorated.[9] He moved in with his cousin Ruth Callahan in Kansas City, Kansas, and even though was suffering from chronic dropsy, he continued to compose and play piano. He also worked as an accompanist for dances.[11] Scott died at Douglas Hospital on August 30, 1938, at age 52 and was laid beside his wife in Westlawn Cemetery.[12]

Scott's best-known compositions include "Climax Rag", '"Frog Legs Rag", "Grace and Beauty", "Ophelia Rag", and "The Ragtime Oriole".[citation needed]

Scott was a cousin of blues singer Ada Brown.[2]

Frog Legs Rag
Scott's first hit, "Frog Legs Rag" (1906)
Problems playing this file? See media help.
Grace and Beauty
"Grace and Beauty" (1909)
Problems playing this file? See media help.
[edit]

In the third season of the HBO series Boardwalk Empire, Scott is portrayed by an uncredited actor in the episode "Spaghetti and Coffee".

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "James Scott (1885 - 1938)". Piano Society. Archived from the original on October 26, 2014. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d Jasen David A. and Trebor Jay Tichenor (1978) Rags and Ragtime, Dover.
  3. ^ "James Scott, 1885-1938". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  4. ^ "James Scott, 1885-1938". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  5. ^ James Haskins (1978). Scott Joplin - The Man Who Made Ragtime. Stein and Day. p. 145. ISBN 0-8128-6066-7.
  6. ^ Berlin (1994) pp. 146.
  7. ^ Edward Berlin (1994). King of Ragtime - Scott Joplin and His Era. Oxford University Press. p. 58. ISBN 0-19-508739-9.
  8. ^ Blesh, Rudi; Janis, Harriet (1950). They All Played Ragtime. Oak Publications. p. 114. ISBN 0-8256-0091-X.
  9. ^ a b David A. Jasen (2007). Ragtime: An Encyclopedia, Discography, and Sheetography. Taylor & Francis. pp. 227. ISBN 978-0-415-97862-0.
  10. ^ Blesh (1950) pp. 115.
  11. ^ "James Scott, 1885-1938". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  12. ^ Blesh (1950) pp. 119.
  • DeVeaux, Scott and William Howland Kenney (1992) The Music of James Scott, Smithsonian Institution Press.
[edit]
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Wikimedia Commons has media related to James Scott.

Sheet music

[edit]
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