Jay Scott

In addition to his new fatherhood, 2007 has been a year when came together for Jay Scott professionally. In January he headlined the popular Live in the Lobby series at the Patchogue Theatre and continued to play regularly at other venues along the south shore such as Blackbirds Grille, Brickhouse Brewery and Bobbique. He performed at Acoustic Long Island in St James which is podcast to thousands of listeners around the world and he has also been featured on a number of other internet radio programs such as WLSO Radio “Longtown Sound from South Carolina. In September, he was interviewed and played two songs, “The Good Fight” and “Lonely Road” live in the studio on the critically acclaimed radio program “In the Morning with Bonnie Grice” on WLIU –FM and WCWP-FM Long Island University Radio.
Aaron Palmadessa of Bellport first performed with Grand Case Scenario in late August and the Jay Scott sound just “clicked” as his work on electric lead guitar and lap steel guitar complimented and enhanced Jay’s sound in a way that had even long time fans standing up and taking notice. This lead to a performance at Luna Lounge, a well known venue in Brooklyn followed by a triumphant performance at the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts on September 15. “Playing on that stage was the most amazing experience” Scott said, “and the staff at the theatre is so professional that we sounded great, were completely comfortable, and had the time of our lives”. That same night, Scott released a 6-song CD Music for the Mind and Soul, which contained the four songs from the demo recording in addition to two solo acoustic performances. - Long Island Advance

Patchogue singer and songwriter Jay Scott, left, rehearses in the Patchogue studio of drummer Christie DeFeo for a performance as part of Patchogue Theatre’s Live in the Lobby series on January 6. Mr. Scott and his band, Grand Case Scenario, will perform this Sunday, January 6, in the Patchogue Theatre’s “Live in the Lobby” series, which showcases local music talent. Mr. Scott, a 30-year-old Patchogue resident, will be recording the concert for a live CD he plans to release later this year.
The father of one gears his music around events in his life. Gripping lyrics run the gamut from waiting for true love to betrayal by a close friend. Catchy melodies hold a strong blues feel but are mildly seasoned with a down-home country warmth that helps convey the sincerity of each song.
But it is Mr. Scott’s rich, gritty yet satiny voice that makes his music instantly compelling. Although born and raised on Long Island, his savory, raspy tone is pure Delta blues in origin, and is as intoxicating as southern whiskey.
“The way I sing is because of what I write,” Mr. Scott said. “And what I write, I try to be honest, and write about things that touch me. Because if I don’t believe what I’m saying, then you’re not going to believe what I’m saying either. I go and watch a lot of bands, and if I don’t believe it, then I’m really not digging it.”
Mr. Scott has played with a variety of musicians over the years and the band’s roster still tends to change. Playing on the catchphrase “best case scenario,” the band named itself Grand Case Scenario to convey its shifting nature.Currently on the band’s roster are drummer and vocalist Christie DeFao, bassist Jason Tebaldi and guitarist-vocalist Aaron
Palmadessa.
Mr. DeFao added he is also attracted to Mr. Scott’s songwriting abilities. He noted that the tunes have a meaty quality that musicians can sink their teeth into. “There’s no straight path from the beginning to the end of the song,” Mr. DeFao said, “because we sometimes have different guys play with us at different times. And we’ll let the songs go where they go, because we’re coming from a similar place and we love the material. We’re able to expand upon it, and then come back. And it never gets stale by doing it that way, for the musicians or the audience, and we’re hoping we catch some lightning in a bottle for the show.”
Having learned to play guitar only seven years ago, Mr. Scott’s chord progressions are simple but effective. Often by distorting major chords into a mix of minor and suspended variations, he adds poignant musical shifts to his beguiling melody lines and haunting lyrics.
Among Mr. Scott’s songs that will be featured at the Patchogue Theatre on Sunday are six songs from his first CD, “Music for the Mind and Soul,” which was released this year. The album kicks off with a funk/rock number titled “This Voice,” which highlights Mr. DeFao’s tight drum licks that rip with controlled mania. Next is Mr. Scott’s bluesy reminiscence of long road trips touring with a former band throughout California, titled “Lonely Road,” which showcase the singer’s rangy and powerfully affecting voice. The album concludes with an acoustic version of the song with only Mr. Scott and his guitar.
“The Good Fight” is inspired by the loss of his mother, who died five years ago due to complications from diabetes when she was in her early 60s. He pointed out that their relationship had been strained at the time of her death, and the song reflects a heartfelt quality of Mr. Scott’s efforts to come to grips with his regret, and mortality itself.
He then funks things back up with “Deliver,” which stirs up an addictive rhythm and blues pulse coupled with jazz chord phrasing. “Deliver” truly delivers in all aspects.
The last song, titled “Sometimes,” slows back down with an earthy reckoning of the inevitable loss of loved ones. The track—in part—refers to brothers who die in battle. The tune once again provides a platform for Mr. Scott to display his sincere vocal readings of his own music.
“It’s not like my problems are anything new,” Mr. Scott said. “But they’re new to me, so I write about them. And maybe it’s just me, but I feel like you have to believe what you’re saying, and so, when I sing, it comes from that place—from the heart.” - Jennett Meridan Russell
- Southampton Press

Jay Scott of Patchogue recorded his first album, Homegrown in a full house
“Live in the Lobby” recording session this past January at the Patchogue Theatre
for the Performing Arts. This month, Homegrown is being released on Long Island label Paradiddle Records and Jay Scott and Grand CaseScenario will celebrate with two headline performances in one weekend. Make Music New York (MMNY) is a
new live, free musical celebration across New York City on June 21, the first day of summer. The next day, Scott will host a CD release party in the Hop Garden, a beautiful outdoor space at BrickHouse Brewery & Restaurant in Patchogue, where Scott has performed dozens of times since BrickHouse opened in 1996. In addition to Jay Scott and Grand Case Scenario, there will be performances by a host of original musicians from Long Island including Chris P. Cauley, The Sun Gets Down, Chris Van Cott, Rorie
Kelly, The Corduroy Sky, Tom Groney, Jesse Pagano and My Last Band.
After writing and polishing his songs through regular live performances in the New York area, California and beyond, Scott returned to his hometown of Patchogue in 2004, fell in love and married his wife Kim. They bought a house and had a baby boy, Raymond. While living the life of a family man and homeowner, and working full time at Medford Avenue Elementary School, he continues to write and perform his own brand of original music, the style of which he finds hard to describe. “People always ask what kind of
music I play,” Scott said recently, “and I tell them is a mixture of many different styles. It’s acoustic/rock/blues/ soul/country/jazz/jam music. It really is our own sound and I am so proud that we captured it so well on Homegrown. I am really proud of this record!”
Since the recording session in January,Bill Herman of Paradiddle records has been busy mixing and producing the final version of Homegrown and Scott has been busy performing live in venues from Brooklyn to Riverhead, either with Grand Case Scenario, as part of an acoustic duo, or by himself on acoustic guitar. “It’s great to be busy,” Scott said. “And I am excited to be performing so often and in different configurations, especially with Grand Case Scenario (Christie DeFeo on drums and vocals, Jason Tebaldi on five string bass guitar and Aaron Palmadessa on lead guitar and lap steel
guitar), the most professional musicians a songwriter could dream ofworking with. I’m a lucky man—I have a beautiful home life, a great job and after years of hard work, my music career is starting to take off. Life is good!”
Homegrown by Jay Scott available at Jay Scott shows, at www.Paradiddlerecords. com or on iTunes.
On Saturday, June 21, Jay Scott and Grand Case Scenario will play in the Make Music New York Festival at Waterside Plaza, Manhattan. The show is free. On Sunday, June 22 at 2 p.m., Scott will host a CD release party for Homegrown at the BrickHouse Brewery.
The show is free. For more information, visit www.jayscottlive.com.
- Long Island Advance

Patchogue's Jay Scott to Perform at the Talkhouse Dec. 27

by Tiffany Razzano

Photos by Daniel Faraone

With a thriving music scene a bit further west on Long Island, in Patchogue, the East End will get to check out one of that area's well known Americana and folk rock players, Jay Scott, on Dec. 27 at The Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett.

Scott, with soulful vocals, fuses together folk, jazz, blues, rock and country to create a sound of his own. And though no stranger to performing solo, on Dec. 27 he'll be backed by the group Grand Case Scenario, giving his music a fuller, more rock-oriented sound. They'll be performing songs off his first album, Homegrown, which was recorded live in The Patchogue Theater last year and released on the Long Island label Paradiddle Records, as well as new songs he plans on recording in 2009 for his second record.

Starting out as a saxophone player, Scott eventually put down his instrument to take on the duty of lead vocals for the group Square One, which has played at the Talkhouse in the past, first joining them in 2000. Eventually, after making a name for themselves on Long Island, the group packed up a van and headed west, settling in California. "We lasted about a year," he said."We all had jobs waiting back home. It was a no brainer. We were playing out a lot, but not making money at it. So we came back from California with our tails between our legs."

Soon after getting back, though the group recorded an album, it eventually broke up because everyone wanted to take the band in different directions. "We did well enough to keep getting booked for shows, but there were no labels knocking down our doors," Scott said. "But it was never about that for me. I'd rather just play our music and not worry about it."

When Square One finally disbanded, Scott began performing some of the solo songs he had written over the years. He'd take on gigs whenever he could, the first one being at Brickhouse Brewery in Patchogue. He said, "I had no band, just called up a bunch of friends who are musicians, and said this is the material and this is where the gig is, can you play? I always looked for gigs, regardless of whether I had a band."

Born in Queens and raised in Patchogue, Scott still calls the village home, and works at night as a custodian in the Patchogue-Medford School District. "[My job] greatly affects my music," he said. "I pretty much have to keep bookings to Saturday night or when I know I have time off. It definitely affects the fact that I can't be out in the scene as much as I'd like to be." Still, ask anyone in the acoustic and folk music scene further west on Long Island, and you'll find that Scott's name is well known.

Scott's first album, Homegrown, recorded last January, is comprised mostly of the core of the original songs that he wrote, the ones he's had the most time to perform and perfect. Needless to say, he's sitting on a wealth of newer material that he's hoping to get into the studio to record sometime this spring or summer. "I wanted to do another live album, but thought I should do a studio album next," Scott said. "But we'll take the same approach, keeping it simple without messing around with things. We'll just go in and play and keep things as close to real as possible."

Scott goes on at 8 p.m. on Dec. 27 at The Stephen Talkhouse

by Tiffany Razzano

Photos by Daniel Faraone

With a thriving music scene a bit further west on Long Island, in Patchogue, the East End will get to check out one of that area's well known Americana and folk rock players, Jay Scott, on Dec. 27 at The Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett.

Scott, with soulful vocals, fuses together folk, jazz, blues, rock and country to create a sound of his own. And though no stranger to performing solo, on Dec. 27 he'll be backed by the group Grand Case Scenario, giving his music a fuller, more rock-oriented sound. They'll be performing songs off his first album, Homegrown, which was recorded live in The Patchogue Theater last year and released on the Long Island label Paradiddle Records, as well as new songs he plans on recording in 2009 for his second record.

Starting out as a saxophone player, Scott eventually put down his instrument to take on the duty of lead vocals for the group Square One, which has played at the Talkhouse in the past, first joining them in 2000. Eventually, after making a name for themselves on Long Island, the group packed up a van and headed west, settling in California. "We lasted about a year," he said."We all had jobs waiting back home. It was a no brainer. We were playing out a lot, but not making money at it. So we came back from California with our tails between our legs."

Soon after getting back, though the group recorded an album, it eventually broke up because everyone wanted to take the band in different directions. "We did well enough to keep getting booked for shows, but there were no labels knocking down our doors," Scott - Dan's papers