Hazel Scott (1920-81) was a brilliant pianist and a pleasing singer who deserves to be remembered. A prodigy, she received a scholarship to Juilliard when she was only eight. As a teenager she was performing at Café Society in New York (an association that lasted until 1943) and on the radio. In 1939 she arranged “She’s Funny That Way” for Coleman Hawkins (which he recorded at the same session as his famous version of “Body and Soul”) and she made her recording debut as the star of the Sextet of the Rhythm Club of London. The latter, a group also including clarinetist Danny Polo and altoist Pete Brown, was actually recorded in New York. In addition to her piano solos, Scott also took two vocals including one on what was arguably Leonard Feather’s finest composition, “Mighty Like The Blues.”
That would be Hazel Scott’s only session as a sideperson. On Dec. 11, 1940, she recorded six classical melodies (with accompaniment by drummer J.C. Heard) that caused a bit of a sensation. In most cases she started the performances as fairly straight classical music before swinging up a storm. Among the numbers were a composition apiece by Bach, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, and Chopin. She also recorded six piano solos on Feb. 27, 1942, a session that consisted of swing tunes, a blues, and “Hazel’s Boogie Woogie.”
A beauty with an appealing and joyful stage personality, she would
