Take Five With Guitarist Scott Emmerman

Meet Scott Emmerman

Scott Emmerman is a jazz-rock guitarist whose playing incorporates elements of r&b, jazz, & rock. Born in Chicago, Scott was steeped in the blues at an early age but became enamored with the music of Jimi Hendrix and later began to explore jazz through the music of John McLaughlin. He performed on guitar with R&B singer Walter Jackson and founded the band Treeborn, a jazz-rock-folk fusion band that released an album on Dharma Records in 1975 featuring his guitar playing and compositions. In 1980, he relocated to Los Angeles, tried to break into the studio scene and participated in recording sessions with Bobby Womack and Tim Weisberg. Three of his compositions and his playing featured on Weisberg's 1982 CD release, High Risk.

In 1992 he co-composed, played guitar and produced the single "Wheelchair Ballet," featured on the China Beach Music & Memories CD on SBK Records. He released A Table Near the Cheesecake and The Peace of Wild Things with the band NC based band Equinox. In 2000, two of his compositions/ performances were featured as soundtracks on the Weather Channel. The Rogers Park album marks his first release in many years and features all new compositions that were inspired by his collaboration with his high school friend, drummer Marty Zevin. Rogers Park is the name of the neighborhood that Marty & Scott grew up in on the north side of Chicago. They both came of age right when fusion was as its peak with Miles Davis, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever, Weather Report, Headhunters and all the other great bands of that era. They both left rock music behind and started experimenting with fusion music.

Scott connected with Jimmy Haslip in 2021 after reading an interview that Haslip gave on All About Jazz. Haslip described looking for music to produce and Scott contacted him after that interview. Haslip liked what he heard, they started talking and ended up working on Rogers Park together.

Instruments:

Guitar, keyboards, percussion.

Teachers and/or influences?

John McLaughlin, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Earth, Wind & Fire, John Coltrane.

I knew I wanted to be a musician when...

I saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan.

Your sound and approach to music.

I'm constantly searching for sounds and rhythms that move me, that connects with that energy that gives me those chills. My compositions draw on many influences, from Prince to Weather Report, and I'm always looking for ways to incorporate all of the musical styles that I love and I hear in my head. I generally start with an idea for a motif or melody that I discover on my guitar and then I find a bass / drum groove that I like and I program this on an old E-MU Command Station (circa 2000) which is a combination synth/ drum machine. I headed up product development for E-MU Systems at that time and I had a lot of input into the creation of this product and so, I still like and use it. It contains thousands of sounds and effects and a sequencer so it's my primary workstation.

Next, I'll add keyboard parts. I'm always seeking the right feel and when I find it, I know it. I try not to get caught up in engineering or sound design and try to focus on making cool music. Once I have something that I like, I'll record a take on my iPhone and email it over to Marty for his reaction. If he likes it, he'll program drums / percussion to it and it's always a surprise as to what he comes up with. I can't tell you how many times we've ended up liking the sound of the original iPhone recording better than the multi-track that we build. We always talk through his ideas and collaborate on the arrangement and finally, the mix.

Your teaching approach

I've haven't taught guitar since high school and have no plans to ever teach again. In my opinion, a teacher can only be as good as the level of dedication and desire of his/ her students. I guess I just don't have the patience for it.

Your dream band

I love drummers and would loved to have played with Tony Williams or Elvin Jones. I'd pick Jimmy Haslip or Stanley Clarke on bass, either Billy Cobham or Steve Gadd on drums (both inspire me), Herbie Hancock on piano is another major inspiration and Wayne Shorter is my favorite saxophonist.

Road story: Your best or worst experience

I was hired to play guitar for a pop vocal band that was brought in to perform at the Playboy Club in Chicago. This was in the late '70s. The band that was to accompany this act was the house jazz trio (acoustic piano, bass & drums) made up of older guys and the singer in this young pop band wanted to add a guitarist in order to "rock it up" a little. After hearing me play, the house trio asked me to sit in with them during their warmup, opening set which mostly consisted of standards; there were no charts, no song list or even song titles, no keys, no nuthin. (This was way before the days of lead sheet apps.) The trio guys said, "if you hear something, play." It was like being totally naked up there on this intimate stage in front of a hundred and fifty people, trying to play on tunes that I'd never heard before with just my ears to figure out what was going on. It was so challenging but so cool. I did it every night and it must of sounded pretty good 'cause they kept asking me back.

Favorite venue

The Blue Room in Kansas City, MO. It's so cool to perform on the same stage that Charlie Parker actually played on.

Your favorite recording in your discography and why?

Rogers Park. Working with Marty Zevin & Jimmy Haslip was a treat. Marty's drumming is unique, NOBODY can program drums like he can. Jimmy Haslip's ears are incredible, we come from similar influences and he added some touches that I never would have thought of. I consider myself very lucky to have been able to work with him.

What do you think is the most important thing you are contributing musically?

Promoting jazz-rock fusion music. A lot of people still really enjoy it even though some people think fusion is a negative term. I don't really choose a genre, this music is just what comes out when I play.

Did you know...

I started playing guitar when I was 6 years old.

The first jazz album I bought was:

Inner Mounting Flame by Mahavishnu Orchestra

Music you are listening to now:

Weather Report: I Sing the Body Electric
Jimmy Haslip: Red Heat
John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola, Paco De Lucia: Friday Night in San Francisco
Miles Davis: On the Corner

Desert Island picks:

Miles Davis: In A Silent Way
John Coltrane: A Love Supreme
Sly & the Family Stone: Anything
John McLaughlin: My Goals Beyond

How would you describe the state of jazz today?

Straight ahead jazz has seemed to have found a bit of a market these days although to my ears, it isn't really going anywhere musically. Jazz-fusion had been damaged by "The Quiet Storm" formats on radio and "Watercolors" formats on XM which tends to play music that all sounds the same. They watered jazz-fusion down and the real stuff needs more outlets in order to be heard and appreciated. Record labels and radio stations aren't confident that they can make jazz-fusion music pay but if they had a little confidence, the music would find it's audience.

What are some of the essential requirements to keep jazz alive and growing?

Keep promoting and getting more people to experience it. Encourage young musicians to pursue unique, creative, inventive music and don't be afraid to defy traditions. Traditional jazz programs in music schools promote the same old stuff. Do we really needs someone else playing "My Funny Valentine" in the same traditional way for the 500,000th time? Sometimes I'll sit in with a straight ahead band and I'll play a solid body guitar with a whammy bar. When I use it, I'll sometimes get a lot of funny looks. In fusion to "fuse" means to bring together, the different combinations and influences make music so much more fun and interesting. I never was one for following the rules.

What is in the near future?

More writing & recording. I have another album already in the can ready to go.

What is your greatest fear when you perform?

Having my guitar go out of tune mid-live performance. I have near perfect pitch and the guitar so it's almost physically painful when this happens. Thank goodness for small, electronic tuners.

What song would you like played at your funeral?

"A Love Supreme"

What is your favorite song to whistle or sing in the shower?

Changes daily. Whatever gets stuck in my head at that moment but I'm not much of a singer.

By Day:

Business development manager for Fender musical instruments company.

If I weren't a jazz musician, I would be a:

A rock, blues or r&b musician. I enjoy it all.

If I could have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be and why?

Jimi Hendrix because he broke down so many boundaries and was just so into playing the guitar.

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