In recent years Tony Scott's world travels have slowed down. he has settled primarily in Italy, in Rome, working at festival concerts and jazz clubs. His enthusiasm for playing has not lessened in the intervening years. He behaves in much the same way now as he did in the past. Scott still travels around, testing himself with musicians of all jazz persuasions, seeking new feelings and experiences, in the tradition of the 52nd Street jam session musician: the extrovert quality of 'The Street' remains deeply ingrained in Scott's life style. Often he goes out of his way to give pleasure to old friends. Scott remembers when others tend to forget. He transforms the stage into a school of life and music, a launching pad, a battleground of jam sessions for all the musicians who agree that "…when he arrives, he puts everything on fire!" And that's the way it is…His teachings occur before, during, and after the concert.

He tirelessly gesticulates his code of interpretation on stage, at times appearing as a captain at the helm of his ship in a storm, at other moments with drawing meditatively, whispering into his clarinet with closed eyes .

1991-1992,Rome: Scott played weekly at Alpheus Club for two years and to the Caffè Latino, with his different big and small combos. Among the guests Massimo Urbani (as) was the best of the young Italian jazz musician, now dead.

One of the more interesting musical venues in Rome is the Alpheus Jazz Club in Via del Commercio, 36. The club is now featuring every Saturday night young Italian jazz musicians playing everything from Latin American beats to swing and bebop: #1 Italian altoist Massimo Urbani, Dario Rosciglione, contrabass, Berg Campus, percussion, Roberto Zappulla, drums, Tony Scott, clarinet, piano, vocal; Francesco Gazzillo, guitar; Doriana, vocal; Cinzia Bastianon, dancer. Leading them in this weekly session is Tony Scott, a veteran New York jazz expatriate who at one stage collected # 1 awards from the International Critics Poll like most people get colds. Joan Nickles takes another look at the profile of the man she interviewed twelve years ago…(1990 March 13 - International Daily News interview by Joan Nickles.

From 1993 on,Tony began recording jazz again, for Philology and Saar (Italy). A different Tony Scott appears. It is a distilled, economic style, capturing the essence of his musical experiences thus utilising a broader pallet of rhythmic textures. The records had the best critiques from European Jazz publications. For these works Tony used Italian musicians who had worked alongside him :
The Clarinet Album, with the Giulio Capiozzo Trio

The Old Lion Roars, celebrating his 75th birthday, with the Mario Rusca Trio

Dialogue With Myself - Like a Child's Whisper , a very delicate self portrait in which Tony Scott exceeds himself on the clarinet and piano in his own compositions Misery, Sweet Pree, Israel, and songs from previous recordings with Gustav Czick.

Homage to Billie Holiday Body and Soul with Franco D'Andrea on piano, an intense homage to the voice and spirit of Billlie, who seems to come alive through the breath of the clarinet.

Homage To Lady Day, also with Franco D'Andrea, is the second recording in memory of Billy Holiday
....but here it's another bag: the expression is faded and sometimes the music hardly has steerage-way. Before the recording of 'Homage to Lady Day' Scott is said to have scared the shit out of the musicians and the producer when he demanded that the rhythm-section should be recorded first and that the clarinet should be put on after. But the result is in fact good; I am really touched by this music. Scott has a sad meditative talk with Billie Holiday. He skids through the songs, not elegant, not neat or well in tune, but striking hard! The interpretation of Some Other Spring, There's No Greater Love, and Good Morning Heartache, l don't want to miss! .(Orckester Journalen by Jorgen Ostberg)

Poets of Jazz with pianist Renato Sellani.
.... is a duo with the piano-player Renato Sellani. Also this record contains standards and the feeling is quite and lyrical. I am very impressed of the way Scott is presenting the All Of Me - theme: he hardly manages to play the melody only lets you understand the melody through light puffs of air. It is so enjoyable to hear this eccentric version that it made this song almost impossible not to like. (Orckester Journalen by Jorgen Ostberg)

1994, Rome: the Tony Scott Big Jazz Band composed of 20 Italian musicians, was formed with the help of Italian leader Mario Raja for a concert called Homage to Tony Scott to celebrate his 73rd birthday at Alpheus Jazz Club.

I1997, Rome: JVC Festival, Tony Scott Big Band officially presented a repertoire entirely made up of Tony's compositions written between 1946 and '97: This represented a synthesis of all his experiences throughout the world. This music is rich in history and tales about those who were the greats, the creators of black jazz and BeBop, with some classical references to Bach fugues, with ancient and modern styles, and musical fusion of other cultures and countries, music full of energy which carries us away, rhythmical swing and emotion. Among the compositions were: The Blues Have Got Me, Remembrance of Art Tatum, Misery, African Dance, Raunchy Gaucho, Jazz Tarantella, Theme and Variations for Jazz Big Band, Time To Go, Ugly woman, Funky, and Nina's Dance (a swinging ¾ dedicated to Tony's daughter, Nina), Monica's Smile, dedicated to his 2nd daughter, Monica). Two other orchestra concerts followed: Mentana Jazz festival and Ciampino Jazz festival.
Between Tony Scott's festival appearance is the 1996 San Marino Jazz Festival organized by Lino Patruno where Tony played with the European Jazz Stars - Oscar Klein(cl, Michel Bard(cl), Lino Patruno(g), and with Bucky Pizzarelli:

…la struggente versione di Mood Indigo da parte del trio di clarinetti formato da Scott, Klein, Michel Bard,con il primo a surclassare gli altri due soprattutto sul piano dell'audacia creativa e dell'originalità espressiva. …Come era prevedibile, Scott l' ha fatta da mattatore ogni volta che si è presentato in scena, cedendo spesso ad un eccessivo gigionismo e al desiderio di stupire l'uditorio con i suoi sovracuti. ma si tratta sempre di un grande artista in grado di ritrovare, se ben coadiuvato, la giusta ispirazione. E ne abbiamo avuto la riprova nei suoi duetti con il chitarrista Bucky Pizzarelli: da 'Memories Of You' (eseguita sul registro acuto) a 'Stardust' (rivisitata in quello grave) ha inanellato una serie di voli solistici ricchi di poesia e di feeling. Il merito va anche ascritto a Pizzarelli che ha sostenuto con maestria. Il duo si è inaspettatamente riproposto anche nella serata dedicata a Goodman, regalandoci Blues For Charlie Parker e una struggente versione di 'My Funny Valentine'. (from MCR - 1996, October 15 Musica jazz N.10 San Marino by Giorgio Lombardi)

Numerous are the Italian Rai Radio 3 programs but the last really interesting one featured the Tony Scott Quartet, Cinzia Gizzi(p), Dario Rosciglione(b), Amedeo Ariano(dr), with an explosive interpratation of Tony's Nina's Dance; and Tony Scott with the Carnegie Hall Orchestra, lead by Jon Faddis, improvising with the orchestra's soloists a fantastic blues.

Tony Scott contributed as teacher, soloist and arranger to some of the young Italian Bigbands who played his music: The Ambassador Big Band, lead by the saxophonist Leo Lagorio in Imperia; The JSO Orchestra lead by Paolo Lepore, in Bari; The Campania Jazz Ensemble; the Udine Big Band, and the Lush Life Ensemble lead by the drummer U.T.Ghandi, in Udine; the Jazz and Pais Big Band lead by the trumpet player Luca Calabrese, in Castelalfero.

1998, 1999, Rome: the Alexanderplatz Club who organized a series of Tony Scott Harlem Jam Sessions .The great Italian musicians of his quintet is usually Cicci Santucci(tp), Giorgio or Dario Rosciglione(b), Riccardo Biseo(p), Marcello Rosa,(tb), Gegè Munari (d), alternating to the young Amedeo Ariano, but there are very few musicians in Italy who have not the honor to appear on a stage with him.

2000, Japan invited Tony Scott to speak and to play at the BIRD 2000 , the anniversary-event for Charlie Parker 80th Birthday, organized by Charlie Parker Japan Society and Masuhiko Tsuji at Tokyo Someday Club in Shinjuku, where Scott played with Akira Omori Quintet.
A private-not for sale record was made of the event.
Some unexpected events followed Scott's arrival in Japan: meeting his old friends from 1960, above all Masa Segawa, he play at Birdland Jazz Club with Kohji Fujika Group: Kohji Fujika (cl), Yuji Mineno(p), Ushio Ito(b), Makuto Itagaki (vib), Tadao Shimada (dr) and at The Tokyo Tuc Club, with the Kawashima Quartet: Kawashima(ts), Shina(p), Makamura(b), Hirose(d).

In all the concerts that I discovered was that the Japanese bass players are truly amazing!! "

An important ceremony was made in the Tokushoji Temple on Shikuko Island where Tony Scott played clarinet with Booze-san and other monks and all the people from the Village singing. It was a delightful surprise to hear Booze-san declare, in perfect English, "Buddha loves Charlie Parker."
It was for me the best thing to hear to open the new millenium! (Tony Scott)
An entire NHK Japanese digital television program was dedicated to Tony Scott: Tony scott Jazz and Buddhism.

The Art of Tony Scott

Never tired of recounting stories of the greats in jazz, those who made its birth happen,he is always ready to answer those who ask "but, did you know….how was he/she…..", he knew them all…their names…their nicknames…their art…what they played…very often what they ate….how they slept…it's difficult to find someone he didn't perform with or that he didn't encounter.
He documented the creators of Jazz through stupendous and original photos of old friends like Billie Holiday, Mahalia Jackson, Count Basie, Ben Webster, Lester Young, John Coltrane, Errol Garner, Miles Davis, Milt Hinton, Dizzy Gillespie, Philly Joe Jones, and others, and has since never stopped taking photographs during all of his travels.
His photographs were displayed in an exhibition at the Coutance's Museum in France (1989), called
A Gypsy's Memories - Tony Scott - Portraits of Jazz .
The exhibition was repeated afterward in Paris at Fnac Museum and other European cities.

Collecting all his life images, sounds, and feelings, as a main part of the American Black Jazz world, and as a Sicilian American world traveler, he wrote some appreciated magazine and book articles, as well as his autobiography, titled Bird, Lady and Me in honor of Charlie Parker and Billie Holiday, about the most important figures of the Black Jazz scene who became the most important thing in his life. Knowing the musicians as friends, he was able to use his profound and amusing language to make touching portraits of their thoughts and actions, remembering some wonderful stories. Many of Scott's wonderful pictures are in the book also.

As an actor and musician is possible to see Tony scott on movies:
Pleasure Girl (Or 52nd Street) by Delta Productions (U.S.A.1950): Tony Scott(cl, dance, vcl, composer, Lili St. Cyr (Strip-tease), Joseph Marx (oboe), Oscar Pettifor(b ) plus 4 strings; on Jpapanese movie Kanpai- Gokigen Yaroh, directed by Masaharu Segawa, produced by Toei Motion Pictures (Tokyo, Japan 1960) whereTony Scott played Blues for Charlie Parker with Masao Yagi(p), Isao Suzuki(b), Yasuhiko Togashi(d);
A Man, A Story the Italian movie by Tony Scott production and directed by Marco Rusca in which Scott plays himself; Georgia, directed by Marco Marcaferri (Milano 1993), in which he appears as the owner-jazz musician of the oldest Capolinea jazz Club, in Milan (Milano 1993) Senza Calze (Barefoot) (Italy 1995) directed by Giuliano Santi; L'angelo Nero (Black Angel) by Mediaset ( Italy 2000) Ogni Lasciato E' Perso directed by Piero Chiambretti (Italy 2000).

Lastly Scott steps in the dance world : he performed for Improvisations with the David Parson Company toured in Italy, Roma's Teatro Olimpico and Milano'sTeatro Nuovo, and in NYC's Joys Theatre. He played on the dance show, Ragazzi Selvaggi (Wild Boys, in '96, music by Enrico Rava, choreographed by Robert North (A CD with the same title was published by Ricordi; performed on shows Metamorphoses; African Bird; Healing; Nostalgia and several performances choreographed and danced by Tony's wife Cinzia Bastianon.

Scott's adventure into painting started in 1996, in a style that he defines as
Jazz Paintings "…my paintings must be felt, listened to, not 'looked' at."
Tony paints in 'small' only when he uses the computer, but on canvas and ceramic tiles he loves to work in very large dimensions. His paintings are inspired by his musical sense, totally fused with his conception of living the space, either through sound or through life in its entirety. His works emerge through the same process as his photos and his musical creations, like a sudden breeze in a moment of concentrated thought, or, as he says:

"Like a musical improvisation…I only open the faucet. I only let the water flow…one of my preferred paintings is Essence of Charlie Parker (4m x 2,5m), the wellspring of modern jazz.

At the same way the new Scott's music flows out of his clarinet: he calls it Healing music, Music to Heal the Wounded Soul. It is an improvised 76 minutes clarinet solo, without tonality, without time.
In my last musical creation I feel like a spring of purifying water , it is music that comes from me, is not jazz but it is full of the story of my life, and more than my other music it's nearest to my profound being. (Tony Scott)

It's difficult to say, mine has been a 'Jam Session' existence as I believe too much organization cuts into freedom heavily, this goes for my everyday life as well as my musical life. I decided a long time ago I would rather be a jazz musician than rich and famous. I had the chance to sell out, but I didn't. I've never regretted that. Then the clarinet died so we now understand that Tony Scott isn't going to make it big and famous and rich playing jazz. However, I shall leave many things… to help enrich the lives of a few people who are interested in Bebop, Jazz, clarinet, scat singing, jazz paintings, memories of the Black Gods of jazz, the philosophy of life as a musician. Also, to help Jazz be a part of the sounds of the future." (Tony Scott)

©Cinzia Scott