In this year the benefit memorial concert
Benefit for Buddy Stewart family, was made at Birdland - Buddy Stewart, a young bop singer was killed on the first of February;

In 1950 , May 18 & 19, Sarah Vaughan : Sarah Vaughan in Hi-Fi was recorded for Columbia (producer John Hammond). Musicians were: Tony Scott(cl), Miles Davis(tp), Benny Green(tb), Budd Johnson(ts), Jimmy Jones(p), Freddie Green(g), Billy 'Pickles' Taylor Jr.(b), J.C. Heard(d).

Tony Scott was still working with his quartet at Cafe Society.
Between May and June, with Dick Hyman(p), Leonard Gaskin(b), Chuck Wayne or Mundell Lowe(g), Ed Shaugnessy(d), Charlie Parker(as) was a guest in jam session, (A).
In the same months Tony Scott was the guest of Charlie Parker Quintet playing there: Red Rodney(tp), Brew More(ts), Al Haig(p), Tommy Potter(b), Roy Haynes(d), (B). From those dates exists the only known recording with them together in: for A -Moose the Mooche; for B-Lover Come Back to Me going in 52nd Street Theme.
In 1952, Parker played also onJune 17th for Tony Scott's 31 Birthday's party...
Charlie played Happy Birthday for me, I never forget... (Tony Scott)
And Tony Scott organized at his home - on West 8, 4th Avenue near Cooper Union square - a party for August 29th, Parker's birthday ( Bird, Lady and me by Tony Scott).

"There was a time  I didn’t have a single job on clarinet, I had to take all kinds of gigs to keep working. I decided that I would never make it as a clarinet player. Everybody was passing me by. No critics dug me. I was getting no publicity. Benny had had it for so long and then Buddy seemed to have it sewed up. I got pretty depressed. I wrote music and I decided I’d better learn the flute and try to prepare for a studio job." (Tony Scott)

He worked as composer, arranger, clarinetist and dancer for 52nd Street - or Pleasure Girl, a movie with famous stripper Lili St.Cyr. In his group Joseph Marx(oboe), Janet Putnman(harp), Oscar Pettiford(b), and four strings quartet.

On December 10, he played at the Apollo Theater - Billie Holiday acc. by the Buster Harding Orchestra for a concert/radio bradcast - with Dizzy Gillespie(tp), Tony Scott(cl), Charlie Parker(as), Buster Harding(p)- other musicians unknown - playing a riff, Mop Mop for Billie Holiday's entrance singing Tenderly (Tony Scott still on clarinet.)

In 1953, for three months, he played flute, tenor and alto sax  with Duke Ellington’s Big Band, initially replacing Paul Gonsalves (ts), then Johnny Hodges (as).

…But clarinet wasn't selling. Tony started playing more tenor and also flute. When Duke Ellington had a tenor vacancy, and chose to add the flute color for the first time, he hired Tony who opened with the band at the Apollo Theater. Another great clarinetist with the band, Jimmy Hamilton, along with Charlie Mingus and a few others, did their best to make him uncomfortable. Duke kept reassuring him, but one day Tony provoked Mingus who was making racial remarks. "Look, Mingus," Tony said, "my skin is darker than yours. I'm Sicilian and I have more African blood than you do." Mingus was a big strong guy with a violent temper. He tried to strangle Tony and might have succeeded, if Clark Terry and Britt Woodman, trombonist, hadn't jumped in and saved him. When the Apollo month was finished, Tony quit the band-regretfully, because he worshipped the Duke. Unfortunately, he never recorded on clarinet with the band. (from: IAJRC summer 2000: Tony Scott: Some reminiscences of a best friend by Bill Simon)

From February to December of this year, the Tony Scott Quartet affirmed his ‘striking brand of pulsing Modern Jazz ' in his steady job at Minton’s Playhouse and his concerts at Fort Monmouth . Tony Scott(cl), Dick Katz(p), Milt Hinton (sometimes Garry Mapp)(b) and, succeeding one after the other Joe Jones, Jack Moffett and Sid Bulkin, Osie Johnson(d) were live recorded for Brunswick's records' series Music After Midnight BL58040; Jazz for G.I.'s - BL 50057; Jazz Time USA Vol.2-BL54001; Tony Scott Quartet BL 54021, followed by the reissued LP, Tony Scott in Hi-Fi - BR 54021

"To this year, Tony Scott has become our finest contemporary jazz clarinetist. In addition, the quartet he now heads at Minton’s swings freely and powerfully. It is Scott, however, who is the focus of the unit. First of all, no other modern clarinetist has the fire, the drive, and the beat Tony generates. De Franco may have more fluent technique, -though I’m not sure but Scott, too gives the impression of being able to execute almost any idea that comes to mind. And so many do. His choruses, if transcribed from performances, would be invaluable studies of the process of creating longlined, cohesive  ad lib solos."   (Nat Hentoff, Down Beat 1953 - ‘Caught In the Act’)

New, Modern, Original.  (L. Feather - Down Beat)

One of the most expert and capable groups today. (Down Beat)

Anything so fresh, graceful and alive as the new T.Scott Quartet. Relaxation is what is called for and relaxation is what results. Take Tony for example. This old reliable among New York clarinetists has never been more reliable and never, never half so relaxed; the notes are fewer, the tone sweeter and softer, the beat more pronounced. In this group, you know once more, after much too long, that there is a major place for the clarinet in jazz. (Barry Ulanov Metronome 69/4 - 1953 April 14)

"These are legitimately trained musicians capable of producing clean, warm, and exciting music Scott is especially daring in his complex solo-line anticipation of chord changes, as evidenced in a new Brunswick long-player, Music After Midnight (BL 58040). The four selections that comprise this set are not studio recordings, but informal performances tape-recorded by Johnny Mandell composer on Hollywood movies music- at Minton’s Playhouse, reputed workshop of modern jazz. Here is an expansion of the ideas advanced in the early Forties by the Goodman sextet: thoughtful, intimate, yet intense, driving jazz, played with a good mutual feel for timbre, except for some perhaps unavoidable emphasis on the drummer’s high-hat cymbal." (Saturday Review- April 1953- Jazz Native and Imported)

Other records were made for Brunswick in 1953:
April 13 - USA, NYC Pythian Temple concert - live recording for Georgie Auld's All Stars: Charlie Shavers(tp), Don Elliot(mello, tp), Kai Winding(tb), Tony Scott(cl), George Auld(ts), Lou Stein(p), Mundell Lowe(g), Eddie Safranski(b), Specs Powell(d).

June 20 -The first Tony Scott Orchestra recording for Brunswick with Wendell Culley, Reunald Jones, Joe Newman, Idrees Sulieman(tp), Benny Green(tb), Charlie Fowlkes, Cecil Payne(brs), Dick Katz(p), Freddy Green(g), Milt Hinton(b), Irv Kluger(d), Jackie Paris(vcl). Tony Scott played a strong alto sax on his song The Blues have Got Me, and clarinet on his Time to Go and Opus # 1.

The following Western Union telegram was the result of a really intense year:
"To Tony Scott- care Brunswick
Congratulations: you have just been named winner in the New Star Clarinet Division of poll of nation’s jazz critics conducted by Down Beat." (Jack Tracy - Editor.)

November 14, Scott was at Carnegie Hall backstage, and a photographer took a photo of Bird, Lady and Tony Scott. The photographer's son was in the photo. This is the only photo existing with Billie and Charlie together. ( T. Scott's book: Bird, Lady and me)

Scott closed the year playing with his group at a New Year's Eve concert at the superb deluxe Billy Roses's Horseshoe club: Charlie Parker(as), Kenny O'Brien(b), Dick Katz(p), Bill Bradley(d).

In 1954, Tony Scott played at Carnegie Hall concert-jam session with the Mel Powell and his all stars: Ruby Braff, Jay Brower, Buck Clayton (trumpets) Vernon Brown, Urbie Green, (trombones) Tony Scott(cl), Lem Davis(as), Buddy Tate(ts), Romeo Penque(bar) Mel Powell(p), Steve Jordan(g), Milt Hinton(b), Jo Jones(d), Martha Lou Harp(vcl)

May 28^th, Tony Scott recorded at Fine Studio with the Ralph Burns orchestra alongside Ben Webster and Billy Strayhorn, and strings for Verve and MGV. Other musicians: Mac Ceppos, David Novales, Misha Russell (violins), Richard Dickler(viola), Rudolph Sims(cello), George Duvivier(b), Louis Bellson(dr).
June 10, he played at NYC's WABC Radio Studio , W66th St., Paul Whiteman Orchestra & Strings concert or recording session or TV broadcast , Tony Scott (cl soloist,arranger), Bobby Hackett(tp), probably Buddy Weed (director) .
During the summer, he played piano in Georgia’s Blue Room strip joint together with Kenny Clark, Charlie Mingus, and visitors like Charlie Parker and Bennie Green. They played a total of 10 performances three times a night with strippers, bad singers and python snakes.

In December Carmen McRae was recording with the Tony Scott Quartet, produced by Chuck Darwin who then sold the record to Bethlehem (I hear Music - Bethlehem BC 1023). This was the first record for Carmen McRae.

"My song Misery (written for Billie Holiday and recorded with her  only during a rehearsal, with my reel tape machine ) had to be part of the deal. I knew Carmen when I opened Minton’s Playhouse with my trio: Horace Silver(p), Percy Heath(b), Kenny Clarke(d). Kenny  introduced me to his wife, a singer, Carmen McRae, who from that time stayed working with me for 4 months at Minton’. She then went on to fame." (Tony Scott)

With Tony Scott Quartet at Minton's Playhouse there is also the tap dancer Baby Lawrence:
On the same bill, is dancer Baby Lawrence. Like Carmen, he is accompanied by the expert Tony Scott quartet, except for a number which he dances all alone to a room quietized in awe. Baby Lawrence is a jazz dancer, improvising to whatever music is behind him or what he generates in his imagination. He is without exaggeration the greatest jazz dancer anywhere. This man's a natural for TV.(unknown NYC newspaper)

Between December 28 and January 10-12, 1955 RCA Victor produced the Tony Scott Septet album Scott's Fling. It was recorded at NYC's Webster Hall Studio with Tony Scott(leader, cl), Jimmy Nottingham(tp), Kai Winding(tb), Ed Wasserman(ts), Danny Bank(brs), Milt Hinton(b), Osie Johnson(d), Art Blakey(on 1)
The Septet played at Birdland on August of the same year for a concert-radio broadcast, all Scott and Dick Hyman arrangements:
1)Lullaby of Birdland (arr. T.Scott)
2)Fingerpoppin' Blues (T.Scott)
3)Lucky to Be Me (arr. Dick Hyman)
4)42nd St. (arr.Dick Hyman)
5)But Not for Me (arr. Dick Hyman)
6)Requiem for Lips (T.Scott)
7)Katz Meow (D. Katz) (arr. T. Scott)

It is probably in 1955, January 9, Sunday, at the Charlie Parker Quintet's Open Door concert , that a private recording was made; the concert paper says: The Greatest in Modern Jazz: Charlie Parker and his All Stars - Tony Scott(cl), Charlie Parker(as), Duke Jordan(p), Carson Smith(b), Bob Neil (d) Art Blakey(d). They played Out Of Nowhere - 52nd Street Theme - Ornithology - The Squirrel - Long Ago And Far Away - Papa Loves Mambo - Cool Blues - I Get A Kick Out of You - Just You, Just Me - Little Willie Leaps - Lover Come Back to Me - Night in Tunisia (1).

January 20 the recording session of Milt Hinton Quartet for Bethlehem BCP 10: East Coast Jazz Tony Scott (cl, b-cl), Dick Katz(p), Milt Hinton(b), Osie Johnson(d)

January 23 the Manhattan Center concert: Paul Werth and Fred Snitzer present Jazz Unlimited, where the Tony Scott Septet was together with Louis Bellson, Stan Getz Quintet , The Modern Jazz Quartet , Jackie Paris, Chris Connor, Charlie Shavers, with M. Reed as master of ceremonies.
In March Scott restarted with his quartet at Minton's Playhouse featuring Ben Webster.

In the orbit of Third stream music, March 14, Scott played with the Modern Jazz Society, at the Fine Studio March 14th, recording A Concert of Contemporary Music directed by John Lewis and Gunther Schuller. In the group: J.J.Johnson, Jim Politis, Stan Getz, Manuel Zegler, Janet Putnam, Percy Heath, Connie Kay.
Lewis and Shuller also lead, in November, the concert series Jazz at Town Hall produced by Monte Kay and Pete Kameron in which the Modern Jazz Quartet, with J.J. Johnson (tb), Lucky Thompson(ts), Tony Scott (cl) was supplemented for a large part of the adventurous program by a woodwind chamber orchestra. The program included classical and atonal music by J. Johnson, G. Schuller, J. Lewis, and Luigi Nono.

When Charlie Parker died on March 21, Tony Scott cooked his funeral.
At the Abyssinian Baptist Church - 138th Street - all different styles of jazz musicians paid their tribute to Parker, including Stan Getz, Oscar Pettiford, Dizzy Gillespie, Al Cohn, Henry "Red" Allen, Thelonius Monk, Buster Bailey, Billie Holiday, Lee Konitz, Kai Winding, Lennie Tristano, J.J. Johnson, Tony Scott, and Gerry Mulligan." (from: B - 1990 Buchman Moller Praeger - You Just Fight for Your Life Pages 171 - 172 (biography of Lester Young)

A following April 2 Carnegie Hall concert was made in his memory. The fund went to the sons and the mother. The concert finished at 3:30 a.m.. Between the multitude of musicians and groups: Lennie Tristano and Stan Getz sextets, Art Blakey Quintet, Mary Lou Williams and Billy Taylor Trios, . Lester Young, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Stan Kenton, Thelonius Monk, Gerry Mulligan, Charlie Shavers, Lee Konitz, Teddy Charles, Henry Hallen, Buster Bailey, J.J. Johnson, Kai Winding, Hazel Scott, Tony Scott, Charlie Mingus, Bernard Peiffer, Dizzy Gillespie, and many others, whose played at a final colossal jam session. It was the biggest jazz concert ever organized.

Scott  was arranger and accompainist for a numerouse singers such as Sarah Vaughan, Carmen Mcrae, Peggy Lee, Polly Bergen.
In 1955, for eight months he was artistic director, arranger and leader for Harry Belafonte, He played on tours from NYC's Copa-Cabana Club and Waldorf Astoria, to Boston's Blistrub Club, to Los Angeles, S. Francisco, Las Vegas' Riviera' s Casino, played in many radio and television bradcasts and recorded for RCA with his Tony Scott Orchestra & Chorus. He arranged the public domain song, which became so famous : Day-O (but he did not copyright it in his name).
But the most long and important collaboration and friendship was with singer Billie Holiday, collaboration which already began in the 1940’s. During ’55 and ’56, Scott was clarinetist, pianist, arranger, director, and producer for her.

Billie Holiday with Tony Scott Orchestra , were recording in 1955, February 14, at NYC's Fine Sound Studio Stay With Me for Verve MGV 8203 (changed in Stormy Blues - Verve VE 2-2515)...in November they were playing in the same Rendezvous club 's concert...in 1956, on June 6 and 7 they recorded the original Billie holiday acc. by Tony Scott and his Orchestra Lady Sings the Blues (Clef MGC 721)... In November 10, they performed at Carnegie Hall concert (issued years later on Verve V6-8410 wiith the title The Essential Billie Holiday)... Scott personally recorded their own concert’s rehearsal, at Dufty’s home, in which he accompanies Billie Holiday on the piano for some of his songs: Misery; Israel; and Lady’s Back In Town, all issued on The Complete Billie Holiday on a Verve CD’s box set... Scott played piano for Billie for the two weeks' concerts in Philadelphia
...and he was with Billie on June 25, 1959 at the Phoenix Theatre's benefit concert, not playing having injured his hand, but helping her in what it was the last concert before her death.
Later Tony Scott wrote A Gravestone For Lady on Swank’ s pages (1960):

In 1956, the Tony Scott Quartet often included Mundell Lowe(g), Teddy Kotick(b), Paul Motian(d): they cut the RCA record titled The Both Side of Tony Scott, and beetween the concert's date they played at Chicago Blue Note.

"Manny Sachs of RCA offered me a $150.000 contract to form a big band. He said, 'We're going to make Tony Scott's name known in every household in America.’ All I could think of was Ivory soap 99 and 99/1000 %  pure! I was going to have to play white music with white musicians for white audiences so I said, ‘no thanks’. My friends all said I was nuts but I wanted to live like a Black  jazz musician. Anyway, you can't be a nun during the day and a whore during the night." (Tony Scott)ì

In 1956, July and December, and 1957, February, the Tony Scott Orchestra, recommended by Bill Simon cut two records for RCA: The Touch of Tony Scott (recorded on July) and The Complete Tony Scott (recorded Dec. ’56 - Feb. ‘57), which contains Scott’s brilliant virtuoso clarinet’s solo on I'll Remember April.
Half the orchestra was made up of musicians from the Count Basie Orchestra and the other half from the Duke Ellington Orchestra, with a special rhythm section made up of Bill Evans (p), Osie Johnson (d), Milt Hinton(b), and Freddie Green(g).
The group possessed an original style all of its own, a sonority filled with exciting energy uniting a deep understanding of the harmonic rules of classical music with an intense, innovative thrust towards the roots of Black jazz.

The name of the guitarist Mundell Lowe is present for many years in Tony Scott’s different combos, but in 1956, Scott recorded for the first time in Mundell Lowe and his all stars with Jimmy Cleveland, Don Payne, Don Bird, Eddie Costa, Ed Shaughnessy (Cal 522 - TV Action Jazz!) and Mundell Lowe Quintet with Billy Taylor(p), Oscar Pettiford(b), and Kenny Clarke(d). The next recording it will in 1958, Gershwin’ Porgy and Bess for Camden, with Art Farmer(tp), Don Elliott(mellophone, vib), Ben Webster(ts), George Duvivier(b), and Osie Johnson(d).
Other collaborations of this year were with Trigger Alpert 's All Stars, Gigi Gryce sextet, with Johnny Mathis Orchestra and Mellow Moods of Jazz.

In December 7, 1956 The Voice of America Jazz Hour program, a radio broadcast conducted by WillIis Conover was listened, with Tony Scott, Quincy Jones, Gerry Mulligan, Billy Taylor, and J.J. Johnson speaking about Hungarian jazz group's music.

©Cinzia Scott