| When you hear Ed Scott you'd never guess that this sizzling blues/rock
guitarist and vocalist has only been performing for a relatively short time.
He plays crisply and flawlessly with intricate fingering while oozing
charisma. On guitar he has the fluidity of Stevie Ray Vaughan and the power
of Luther Allison, but his style and sound are distinctly his own. His face
is a blend of a refined Jimi Hendrix and a young Chuck Berry. Unlike too
many musicians, he does no boozin', druggin', smokin' or fox chasin'. His
high comes from giving his audience his best. All this has made him one of
the best and most respected musicians in the area. Scott's talent is innate and he is self-taught. At home he used to play
along with TV and radio commercials to learn the varied patterns in music.
When we talked about practice, his answer was surprising. "I practice often,
but I do it as a nervous habit or to relax. Some folks take a cigarette or a
drink. I take my guitar and noodle it," he said. Scott first decided to play as a teenager. "I was 13 when I listened to my
uncle and his friends play a banjo and ukulele. In their absence I would
sneak in and try the instruments. Later, I got an old one-string plastic
guitar. I actually learned on that. I hadn't seen my uncle for a long time
and wanted to show him my progress, but he died before I could. I painted a
wine bottle on my old guitar in my uncle's memory." Years passed before a family friend introduced Scott to the blues and the
music of B.B. King. But he said it took a swimming pool manager with a guitar
to entice him to get serious about the music. Today Scott writes a lot of his own material and he shared that the process
is quite varied. "I will hear a drum beat and build a song around it. Or I
could hear stuff in my head and make a song from that. There is no set way
every time." The dynamo enjoys alternative, R&B, blues, and more but guitarists he most
admires are Jimi Hendrix and Neil Young. Now there's a contrast! Scott
particularly has a special affinity for the song "Message of Love" on
Hendrix' "Band of Gypsies" album. He says that although it is challenging to
play he enjoys it because it is so expressive. But Scott said if he could sit
in with anyone in the world, he'd choose Carlos Santana. While Scott can play like Hendrix, because this area's club scene is fairly
conservative, I asked him if he ever gets to play 'wild and free' and show
his stuff. "No, I'm still waiting for the right place to really let loose,"
he said. The fact that this guy cannot perform full throttle is unfortunate
because his powerhouse style demands it. Come on DC; let your hair down! This should-be-famous artist has played many clubs, festivals, and special
events in the metro area, including Carter Barron, State Theatre, Bohemian
Caverns, and he even represented the modern-day blues guitar player at the
Smithsonian Museum. What impression does Ed Scott want to leave with people after a gig? "That
it's not merely a performance. That the music comes from my soul and I feel
it to the core." Don't worry 'bout a thing, Mr. Scott. IT SHOWS! For more information or booking arrangements Scott can be reached at
301-277-4389. | 
