Hazel Scott was one of the most excellent jazz musicians of her time. To my surprise, I was unaware of who she was until she was brought up in my class by Professor Smith. Her enthusiasm and passion for music are evident in all of her work and especially through the videos we have watched as a class. It’s unfortunate that more people aren’t able to identify important Black figures in history who have shaped things like music, today.
Known for her jazz and boogie-style music, Hazel was always an incredible pianist. Hazel was born in the Port of Spain in the Caribbean country of Trinidad and Tobago. Four years later, her family moved to the United States and settled in Harlem. Hazel then auditioned for the Julliard School of Music at the age of 8, even though they typically only enrolled students ages 16 and above. Hazel was given private lessons by a professor at the school and then began to perform regularly for radio programs, as well as the Roslin Dance Hall. It was her 1939 performances at Café Society in Greenwich Village that pushed Scott’s career to the next level. Café Society was New York’s first fully integrated nightclub and the city’s hot spot for jazz. Throughout her career, Hazel declined any opportunity that involved any form of racism, all to stand in support of the Black community. Scott credited her courage to her mother who encouraged her to become the powerful and independent woman she was. Later on, Hazel married Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and together, they became a powerful activist couple. Hazel was the first person in the United States to have her own TV show. The Hazel Scott Show aired for 15 minutes, three times a week, first in New York City and then nationally.
Scott played the mix of classics, jazz, and boogie-woogie blues for which she was known and the show earned good ratings. Unfortunately, the show was canceled after a few months because of her involvement in political activism. Scott then divorced her husband and moved to Paris where she remarried and continued performing as well as being an activist. When she eventually came back to America, the height of her fame was behind her. She continued to perform in small clubs for her fans and continued to take small jobs. Scott then got cancer and sadly passed away from pancreatic cancer in 1981.
Hazel Scott left a lasting impression on the world of jazz and pathed the way for Black musicians to come after her. Her passion for activism inspired many and she is now recognized as a forgotten pioneer of music. Her resilience and courage to stand up for what she believed was an incredible statement and one that heavily impacted the fight for equality.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySQ8cA4a-f8
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