James Scott (musician)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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

James Sylvester Scott (February 12, 1886 – August 30, 1938) was an African-American ragtime composer.

Scott is regarded as one of the three most important composers of classic ragtime, along with Scott Joplin and Joseph Lamb. He was born in Neosho, Missouri, and in 1901 his family moved to Carthage, Missouri. In 1902 he began working at the music store of Charles L. Dumars, first at menial labor, but before long demonstrating music at the piano, including his own pieces. Demand for his music convinced Dumars to print the first of Scott's published compositions, "A Summer Breeze", in 1903.

In 1906 he moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where Scott Joplin introduced him to publisher John Stillwell Stark. The first Scott rag that Stark published, "Frog Legs Rag", became a hit, and Scott became a regular contributor to the Stark catalogue. In 1914 Scott moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where he married, taught music, and directed a theater orchestra.

With the arrival of sound movies, his fortunes declined. He lost his theater work, his wife died, and his health deteriorated. Though it is said he continued to compose, he published nothing after Stark's retirement in 1922. He died in Kansas City and was buried there in the Westlawn Cemetery.

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

Scott's cousin was blues singer Ada Brown.

[edit] Published Music

  • "A Summer Breeze - March and Two-Step" (1903)
  • "The Fascinator - March and Two-Step" (1903)
  • "On the Pike (A Rag-Time Two-Step)" (1904)
  • "Frog Legs Rag" (1906)
  • "Kansas City Rag" (1907)
  • "Grace and Beauty (A Classy Rag)" (1909)
  • "Great Scott Rag" (1909)
  • "The Ragtime Betty" (1909)
  • "Sunburst Rag" (1909)
  • "Valse Venice (Waltz)" (1909)
  • "Hearts Longing (Waltz)" (1909)
  • "She's My Girl from Anaconda" (1909) [Song Lyrics by C. R. Dumars]
  • "Sweetheart Time" (1909) [Song Lyrics by C. R. Dumars]
  • "Hilarity Rag" (1910)
  • "Ophelia Rag" (1910)
  • "The Princess Rag" (1911)
  • "Quality - A High Class Rag" (1911)
  • "Ragtime Oriole" (1911)
  • "Climax Rag" (1914)
  • "The Suffragette (Waltz)" (1914)
  • "Take Me Out to Lakeside" (1914) [Song Lyrics by Ida Miller]
  • "Evergreen Rag" (1915)
  • "Honey Moon Rag" (1916)
  • "Prosperity Rag" (1916)
  • "Efficiency Rag" (1917)
  • "Paramount Rag" (1917)
  • "Dixie Dimples - Novelty Rag Fox Trot" (1918)
  • "Rag Sentimental" (1918)
  • "Springtime of Love (Waltz)" (1918)
  • "New Era Rag" (1919)
  • "Peace and Plenty Rag" (1919)
  • "Troubadour Rag" (1919)
  • "Modesty Rag" (1920)
  • "Pegasus" (1920)
  • "The Shimmie Shake" (1920) [Song Lyrics by Cleota Wilson]
  • "Don't Jazz Me" (1921)
  • "Victory Rag" (1921)
  • "Broadway Rag" (1922)


[edit] References

 This article includes a list of references or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations.
You can improve this article by introducing more precise citations.
  • DeVeaux, Scott and William Howland Kenney (1992) The Music of James Scott, Smithsonian Institution Press.
  • Jasen David A. and Trebor Jay Tichenor (1978) Rags and Ragtime, Dover.


[edit] External links