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According to the Internet source given below, James Scott was an American composer primarily of ragtime piano music. The son of a former slave from North Carolina, he was raised mostly around Carthage, Missouri where showed musical talent when still quite young. He was taught by a Neosho pianist and received some private lessons from a Carthage teacher. He worked in Dumars Music Store in Carthage where he eventually was permitted to demonstrate tunes. The proprietor helped him to publish his first compositions.
Sometime in 1906, he met Scott Joplin who helped arrange publication of his Frog Legs Rag (1906) for John Stark. Stark thereafter published anything that Scott sent to him for the rest of his career. He moved to Kansas City in 1914 where he played in cinemas and formed a band. Here, due to his small stature and energy he earned the sobriquet the little professor. A purist, he remained a ragtime composer to the end, one of his last published works being Don't Jazz Me, (I'm Music) (1921). He kept composing despite poor health until his death, his final works remain unpublished or undiscovered.
Rudi Blesh considers James Scott to one of the classic giants, that is to be one of the "Bach-Beethoven-Brahms" of ragtime, which includes Scott Joplin and Joseph F. Lamb.
List of James Sylvester Scott's works.
Sheet Music:
Ragtime Music CDs:
Classics in the Park by John Arpin
Kings of Ragtime by John Arpin
Geraldine by Mimi Blais
Peter Bocage with the Creole Serenaders and the Love-Jiles Ragtime Orchestra by Peter Bocage
Heliotrope Bouquet Piano Rags (1900-1970) by William Bolcom
Caravan by Budapest Ragtime Band
Elite Syncopations by Budapest Ragtime Band
Funny Christmas by Budapest Ragtime Band
Grace and Beauty by Budapest Ragtime Band
Trubadur by Budapest Ragtime Band
Ragtime Piano Gal by Jo Ann Castle
Eddie Condon 1947-1950 by Eddie Condon
World's Greatest Piano Rags by Richard Dowling
Don't Jazz Me - I'm Ragtime! by "Perfessor" Bill Edwards
Quality Ragtime by "Perfessor" Bill Edwards
Rags of Grace and Beauty by "Perfessor" Bill Edwards
Rags of Peace and Plenty by "Perfessor" Bill Edwards
A Ragtime Sampler by "Perfessor" Bill Edwards
Strenuous Life by "Perfessor" Bill Edwards
American Sampler Rag by Elite Syncopators
Ragtime Special by Elite Syncopators
It's a Rouser by Evergreen Ragtime Trio
James Scott's Ragtime by Frank French
Spirituals and Rags by Audley Green
The Best of Scott Joplin and Other Rag Classics by James P. Johnson
Riverboat Ragtime: Then and Now by Jazzou Jones
Hilarity by Jazzou Jones
I Got What It Takes by Sue Keller
Rag Time Sue by Sue Keller
Ragtime Reflections by Sue Keller
Ragtime The Music Of James Scott by Franklin Kennedy
Bucktown in the 90's by Scott Kirby
Grace & Beauty: Ragtime Classics by Scott Kirby
More Damn Good Ragtime by Scott Kirby
1904 St. Louis World's Fair: Meet Me At The Fair by Various Artists
American Roots Music: Ragtime by Various Artists
The Best of Scott Joplin and Other Rag Classics by Various Artists
A Century of Ragtime 1897-1997 by Various Artists
Classic Ragtime from Rare Piano Rolls by Various Artists
Fingerpicking Guitar Delights by Various Artists
The Japan Ragtime Club Vol. 2: The Favorite by Various Artists
Kings of the Ragtime Banjo by Various Artists
Piano Music In America 1900-1945 by Various Artists
Pianola Ragtime: Early Piano Jazz and Ragtime Played on Pianola Rolls: Vol. 2 by Various Artists
Player Piano Memories by Various Artists
Ragtime by Various Artists
Ragtime - The Best Of James Scott by Various Artists
Ragtime Memories by Various Artists
The Riverside History of Classic Jazz by Various Artists
S. Joplin; G. Gershwin; I. Berlin; P. Whiteman by Various Artists
Scott Joplin and the Age of Ragtime by Various Artists
Spirit of Ragtime by Various Artists
The Traditional Jazz Ragtime Collection by Various Artists
The Best of Scott Joplin and Other Rag Classics by Max Morath
Jonah Man: A Tribute to Bert Williams by Max Morath
Living a Ragtime Life by Max Morath
Presenting That Celebrated Maestro by Max Morath
The Ragtime Man by Max Morath
The World of Scott Joplin Vol. 1 by Max Morath
The World of Scott Joplin Vol. 2 by Max Morath
The Original Mr. Jelly Lord by Jelly Roll Morton
Spontaneous Ragtime by Peter Muir
James Scott: The Complete Works 1903-1922 by Guido Nielsen
Grace and Beauty by New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra
Echoes from the Snowball Club by Ophelia Ragtime Orchestra
The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra (finally) Plays "The Entertainer" by Paragon Ragtime Orchestra
That Demon Rag! by Paragon Ragtime Orchestra
Ragtime Jubilee by Tony Parenti
A Ragtime Feast: Forgotten Rags No. 4 by Miguel Pineda-Van Gelder
The Great American Ragtime Revival/with Sound Effects by Ralph Press
Ragtime by Ratzkowski/Thomsen Duo
Ragtime The James Scott Songbook by Royce Reynolds
Rags & Tangos by Joshua Rifkin
Euphonic Sounds by Reginald R. Robinson
Ragtime Classics by Wally Rose
Ragtime Heroes: The James Scott Songbook by Bennet Sayles
American Beauty: A Ragtime Bouquet by Gary Smart
Ragtime Volume One by Squeek Steele
American Rags, Brazilian Tangos, Afrocuban Dances by Fred Sturm
Butch Thompson's King Oliver Centennial Band by Butch Thompson
Chicken Chowder by Turpintyme Ragsters
The Past Is Yet To Come by Craig Ventresco
Ragtime Classics Vol. 2 by Terry Waldo
The Heroes of Parlor Town - Volume 1 by Brent Watkins
The Heroes of Parlor Town - Volume 2 by Brent Watkins
Originals & Ragtime: San Francisco Style: Vol. 2 by Lu Watters
Ragtime Piano and Beyond by Ron Weatherburn
Classic Ragtime From Rare Piano Rolls by Steven Williams