Calo Scott (March 11, 1920 - August 9, 1998) was a Cuban-American jazz cellist. Scott is noted for being one of earliest known jazz cellists. He established himself in the 1950s through working with the saxophonist Gerry Mulligan when “having a cello player as an improvising member of a jazz group was then virtually unheard of.”[1] In addition to Gerry Mulligan, Calo Scott worked with Ahmed Abdul-Malik, Gato Barbieri, Marc Levin, and John Handy among others. He was also active in New York City's Lower East Side intermedia-arts scene, working with artists such as dancer-choreographer Mary McKay, artist Aldo Tambellini, and filmmaker Cassandra Einstein (then known as Cassandra Gerstein).
Calo Scott was born in Camaguey, Cuba, and moved to the USA when he was two years old. He began studies on piano, chose to focus his studies on the saxophone in his teens, and started working as a professional musician with a US Army band in the 1949. In the early 1950s he was diagnosed with a rheumatic heart condition and subsequently switched to cello.[2] His peers and critics later commented that his early work with the saxophone heavily informed his signature phrasings on the cello. He studied at the Third Street Settlement House (a community school founded in 1894 in the Lower East Side, which offered classes in contemporary music and dance). He began working as a freelance musician in New York City in the mid 1950s, where he frequently performed at Five Spot, Dom, and Village Gate, as well as at Carnegie Hall. Between 1957-1974 he had participated in 23 recording sessions.[3] His most acclaimed recordings include his solos in the track "Don't Blame Me" on The Music of Ahmed Abdul-Malik, and his contributions to Gato Barbieri Quartet's In Search of the Mystery. Calo Scott was widely known for his unique habit of playing the cello while standing, which one can see in performance photos (such as those taken during Aldo Tambellini's "Black Zero"); portraits of the artist suggest that he supported the cello’s weight with the assistance of wearing a saxophone-neck strap.
Steve Lacy described Calo Scott in an interview as "A very good cellist. He was a great cellist and he used to pluck the cello [pizzicato] like a bass. He sounded like Jimmy Blanton really. It was amazing. He died young. This was the first guy I ever heard playing the cello like that. It was for dancing."[4]
Lorenzo Thomas on Calo Scott “The day John Handy III came to town, he was featured on television. But if you were down you had a chance to meet him at the Dom on St. Marks Place, the truly happening place those days on New York’s Lower East Side. Everyone was excited by the advance word; and, when it hit, the new LP from Columbia Records delivered a knockout punch. It was Sunday afternoon and in the Dom’s cool, dark basement lounge Handy and cellist Calo Scott sat up on the bar and played some thoughtful, beautiful music. Intricate and soulful. These were artists with total mastery of their instruments… They stopped just in time for everybody in the place, a couple dozen folk, to help John watch himself on TV. It was a family affair.”[5]
Norris Jones AKA Sirone on Calo Scott, during ESP recording: “Calo was an incredible cellist. I did not know this until later but I heard that he had played saxophone and had some health problems—I don’t know how true it is—and this is why he switched over to cello. But the concept of the way he would go with cello, it was like he was playing a horn. His phrasing was completely taken in a different direction from the cello. […] For two string players, we were very much accompanying one another. We were never in each other’s way. And when we made the individual contribution, the contribution was made towards the whole.”[6]
Calo Scott frequently collaborated with his partner, the dancer-choreographer Mary McKay. Additionally, he collaborated with the performance artist Aldo Tambellini: in two performances of Aldo Tambellini's performance “Moondial” in 1966 (at The Bridge Theater and at the University of Ontario, and in May 1967 (at the McCarter Theater). Calo Scott also performed independently with Aldo Tambellini to create sound for “Black Zero” in 1968.[7] Calo Scott also collaborated with the filmmaker Cassandra Gerstein: he provided the soundtrack for her film Kali and was featured in the portrait film Undine.[8]
Later life
Around 1973 after suffering a stroke, Calo Scott retired from performing and recording, and moved with his partner Mary McKay to Middlesex, VT, where they both lived out the rest of their lives.[9]
Discography
1957 Vinnie Burke's String Jazz Quartet (ABC-Paramount) – with Bobby Grillo, Dick Wetmore, Vinnie Burke
1973 Marc Levin Ensemble – Songs Dances And Prayers (Sweet Dragon) – with Frank Clayton, Tom Moore, Marc Levin, Billy Hart, Brian Ross, Bala Krishna, Jay Clayton
1994 Various - Soul Jazz Love Strata-East (Soul Jazz Records) - with Charles Rouse
2006 Archie Shepp - The Impulse Story (Impulse!)
2009 John Handy – Mosaic Select (Mosaic Records)
2013 Mal Waldron – Seven Classic Albums (Real Gone Jazz) – remaster of Mal/3: Sounds
2015 Archie Shepp – Things Have Got To Change / The Cry Of My People (Impulse!) – remaster of 1971 release
References
^Pareles, Jon. "Cellos Shuck Off a Staid Image and Go Jazzy". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
^Kennedy, Gary W. "Calo Scott". Grove Music Online. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
^Lord, Tom. "Calo Scott". The Jazz Discography. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
^Weiss, Jason (2006). Steve Lacy: conversations. Duke University Press. p. 196.
^Thomas, Lorenzo (2008). Don't Deny My Name: Words and Music and the Black Intellectual Tradition. University of Michigan Press. p. 193.
^Weiss, Jason (2012). Always in trouble : an oral history of ESP-Disk', the most outrageous record label in America. Wesleyan University Press.
^Young, Ben (1998). Dixonia: A Bio-discography of Bill Dixon. Greenwood.
^Filmmakers' Cooperative (1975). Film-maker's Coop Catalogue no. 6. New American Cinema Group. p. 101.
^"Obituary: Mary M. McKay, July 25, 2015". Times Argus.
January 31, 2023
calo, scott, march, 1920, august, 1998, cuban, american, jazz, cellist, scott, noted, being, earliest, known, jazz, cellists, established, himself, 1950s, through, working, with, saxophonist, gerry, mulligan, when, having, cello, player, improvising, member, j. Calo Scott March 11 1920 August 9 1998 was a Cuban American jazz cellist Scott is noted for being one of earliest known jazz cellists He established himself in the 1950s through working with the saxophonist Gerry Mulligan when having a cello player as an improvising member of a jazz group was then virtually unheard of 1 In addition to Gerry Mulligan Calo Scott worked with Ahmed Abdul Malik Gato Barbieri Marc Levin and John Handy among others He was also active in New York City s Lower East Side intermedia arts scene working with artists such as dancer choreographer Mary McKay artist Aldo Tambellini and filmmaker Cassandra Einstein then known as Cassandra Gerstein Calo ScottBorn 1920 03 11 March 11 1920Camaguey CubaDiedMay 9 1998 1998 05 09 aged 78 Middlesex VTGenresJazzInstrument s CelloYears active1957 1974 Contents 1 Early life and career 2 Later life 3 Discography 4 ReferencesEarly life and career EditCalo Scott was born in Camaguey Cuba and moved to the USA when he was two years old He began studies on piano chose to focus his studies on the saxophone in his teens and started working as a professional musician with a US Army band in the 1949 In the early 1950s he was diagnosed with a rheumatic heart condition and subsequently switched to cello 2 His peers and critics later commented that his early work with the saxophone heavily informed his signature phrasings on the cello He studied at the Third Street Settlement House a community school founded in 1894 in the Lower East Side which offered classes in contemporary music and dance He began working as a freelance musician in New York City in the mid 1950s where he frequently performed at Five Spot Dom and Village Gate as well as at Carnegie Hall Between 1957 1974 he had participated in 23 recording sessions 3 His most acclaimed recordings include his solos in the track Don t Blame Me on The Music of Ahmed Abdul Malik and his contributions to Gato Barbieri Quartet s In Search of the Mystery Calo Scott was widely known for his unique habit of playing the cello while standing which one can see in performance photos such as those taken during Aldo Tambellini s Black Zero portraits of the artist suggest that he supported the cello s weight with the assistance of wearing a saxophone neck strap Steve Lacy described Calo Scott in an interview as A very good cellist He was a great cellist and he used to pluck the cello pizzicato like a bass He sounded like Jimmy Blanton really It was amazing He died young This was the first guy I ever heard playing the cello like that It was for dancing 4 Lorenzo Thomas on Calo Scott The day John Handy III came to town he was featured on television But if you were down you had a chance to meet him at the Dom on St Marks Place the truly happening place those days on New York s Lower East Side Everyone was excited by the advance word and when it hit the new LP from Columbia Records delivered a knockout punch It was Sunday afternoon and in the Dom s cool dark basement lounge Handy and cellist Calo Scott sat up on the bar and played some thoughtful beautiful music Intricate and soulful These were artists with total mastery of their instruments They stopped just in time for everybody in the place a couple dozen folk to help John watch himself on TV It was a family affair 5 Norris Jones AKA Sirone on Calo Scott during ESP recording Calo was an incredible cellist I did not know this until later but I heard that he had played saxophone and had some health problems I don t know how true it is and this is why he switched over to cello But the concept of the way he would go with cello it was like he was playing a horn His phrasing was completely taken in a different direction from the cello For two string players we were very much accompanying one another We were never in each other s way And when we made the individual contribution the contribution was made towards the whole 6 Calo Scott frequently collaborated with his partner the dancer choreographer Mary McKay Additionally he collaborated with the performance artist Aldo Tambellini in two performances of Aldo Tambellini s performance Moondial in 1966 at The Bridge Theater and at the University of Ontario and in May 1967 at the McCarter Theater Calo Scott also performed independently with Aldo Tambellini to create sound for Black Zero in 1968 7 Calo Scott also collaborated with the filmmaker Cassandra Gerstein he provided the soundtrack for her film Kali and was featured in the portrait film Undine 8 Later life EditAround 1973 after suffering a stroke Calo Scott retired from performing and recording and moved with his partner Mary McKay to Middlesex VT where they both lived out the rest of their lives 9 Discography Edit1957 Vinnie Burke s String Jazz Quartet ABC Paramount with Bobby Grillo Dick Wetmore Vinnie Burke 1958 The Gerry Mulligan Songbook World Pacific 1958 Mal 3 Sounds Prestige 1961 Ahmed Abdul Malik The Music of Ahmed Abdul Malik New Jazz 1962 Ahmed Abdul Malik Sounds of Africa New Jazz 1967 Gato Barbieri Quartet In Search of the Mystery ESP Disk with Norris Jones Bobby Kapp Gato Barbieri 1968 Marc Levin The Dragon Suite Savoy Records with Cecil McBee Frank Clayton Marc Levin and Jonas Gwangwa 1971 Archie Shepp Things Have Got to Change Impulse 1971 Carla Bley Paul Haines Escalator over the Hill JCOA 1972 Various Irrepressible Impulses Impulse with Archie Shepp among others 1972 Archie Shepp Attica Blues Impulse 1973 Marc Levin Ensemble Songs Dances And Prayers Sweet Dragon with Frank Clayton Tom Moore Marc Levin Billy Hart Brian Ross Bala Krishna Jay Clayton 1974 Charles Rouse Two Is One Strata East 1994 Various Soul Jazz Love Strata East Soul Jazz Records with Charles Rouse 2006 Archie Shepp The Impulse Story Impulse 2009 John Handy Mosaic Select Mosaic Records 2013 Mal Waldron Seven Classic Albums Real Gone Jazz remaster of Mal 3 Sounds 2015 Archie Shepp Things Have Got To Change The Cry Of My People Impulse remaster of 1971 releaseReferences Edit Pareles Jon Cellos Shuck Off a Staid Image and Go Jazzy The New York Times Retrieved 17 December 2017 Kennedy Gary W Calo Scott Grove Music Online Retrieved 17 December 2017 Lord Tom Calo Scott The Jazz Discography Retrieved 17 December 2017 Weiss Jason 2006 Steve Lacy conversations Duke University Press p 196 Thomas Lorenzo 2008 Don t Deny My Name Words and Music and the Black Intellectual Tradition University of Michigan Press p 193 Weiss Jason 2012 Always in trouble an oral history of ESP Disk the most outrageous record label in America Wesleyan University Press Young Ben 1998 Dixonia A Bio discography of Bill Dixon Greenwood Filmmakers Cooperative 1975 Film maker s Coop Catalogue no 6 New American Cinema Group p 101 Obituary Mary M McKay July 25 2015 Times Argus Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Calo Scott amp oldid 1124726150, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
