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| The late Arkansas-born Isaac Scott is a prime example of the damage that �provincial� attitudes in the entertainment industry in general and restrictive radio content regulations, specifically in the U.S. and Canada, can have in exposing talent that transcends borderlines. How this man established a reputation in Seattle as the �King of the Blues� without the rest of the world ever hearing about him is rather mind-boggling! Fortunately, today we have the Internet as well as CBC�s Galaxie TV continuous music networks to expand our musical knowledge to a global level. It was just too late in arriving for Mr. Scott. The problem remains in radio programming itself. Not everyone owns a computer, but you would be hard-put to find a household that doesn�t have a radio. So why is it that an entire genre of music, i.e. Blues, has been almost completely ignored in the stations� formatting decisions? The profusion of Internet websites dedicated to blues music belies the contention of radio station owners that people are not interested in this kind of music. In fact, a recent poll conducted in the U.S. Northwest resulted in a No. 1 vote for Blues when questioned on programming preference. Both Isaac Scott and his mentor, the late Albert Collins (a cousin of the legendary Lightnin� Hopkins), lamented the fact that their audiences were, for the most part, Caucasian. Nevertheless appreciating that they had a following at all, Isaac felt that black people had forsaken their roots and that the broadcasting media were largely to blame for this. Denouncing a misconception that the blues is �slave music�, Albert felt it originated regardless of one�s personal financial status because �you can�t buy love�. Isaac�s lack of international (or even national) recognition was attributed to his lack of original compositions, but this latest release, shortly before his death on November 16, 2001, contains proof-positive that he was, in fact, a talented songwriter as well as interpreter. Out of the nine tracks, there are only two covers � a superbly bluesified version of Lennon/McCartney�s �Help� (with Dan Dean on bass and Bob Krinsky, who also produced the CD, on back-guitar and synthesizer) and the late gospel singer Overton Vertis (O.V.) Wright�s �Don�t Let My Baby Ride�. Like O.V., Isaac�s musical roots are firmly planted in gospel-singing and this is greatly evident in his alternately powerful and soothing vocals. On the reminiscent �Let My Mind Run Back�, he expresses his deep-felt love for his mother, who �used to sing Amazing Grace�. �Feast Going On� also has a classic �People, Get Ready� feel. Although he first studied piano (on which instrument he also performs on the CD), Isaac developed an early passion for blues guitar, and he even took to customizing his own guitar at one point. While he admitted to being enamoured of rock music, especially when fused with a blues sensibility, pioneered in Seattle by Jimi Hendrix, this is a fairly laid-back but musically intricate collection of tunes. Typical of the artist�s lot in life, it seems that Isaac was unaware of just how much Seattle music fans and musicians respected and admired him, as he sings on �Seattle Blues� that �people don�t want me around�. He expresses a similar feeling of not belonging on �Standing on the Outside�, one of the few upbeat shuffles on the CD. Also typical of many artists who broke away from their sexually-repressed secular upbringings, Isaac seems to have had a sensual side to him, conveyed tastefully on �Moonbelly�. The roster of musicians contributing on the CD consist of Dave Conant (another Seattle music icon, who passed away a mere 12 days after Isaac), drummer Gary Williams, Don Irwin (organ), Tony Thomas (bass), Julian Priester (trombone), Les Clinkingbeard (sax) and the amazing Dick Powell on blues harp and Hammond B-3. If you weren�t familiar with the music of Isaac Scott when he was living, pay a fitting homage to a man who refused to allow a physical disability (diabetes) to stifle his creativity and" Listen to the Blues" now, no matter what colour your skin happens to be. |
| LISTEN TO THE BLUES - ISAAC SCOTT |
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