Kermit Scott (musician) Kermit Scott (musician) Kermit "Scotty" Scott (died February 2, 2002) was a jazz tenor saxophonist. Dizzy Gillespie considered Scott “one of the founders of our music” [bop]. Born in Beaumont, Texas, Scott's first professional work was with Bunk Johnson's band before touring with other jazz bands and minstrel shows, eventually arriving in New York in 1936. In 1940 he played in two different line-ups backing Billie Holiday at recording sessions in New York for Columbia. The first, on February 29, featured Roy Eldridge on trumpet, Carl Frye and Jimmy Powell on alto saxophones, Scott on tenor saxophone, Sonny White on
Dizzy Gillespie Bahá'í Faith frequently on his trips abroad. He is honored with weekly jazz sessions at the New York Bahá'í Center in the memorial auditorium. In the 1980s, Gillespie led the United Nation Orchestra. For three years Flora Purim toured with the Orchestra. She credits Gillespie with improving her understanding of jazz. In December 1991, during an engagement at Kimball's East in Emeryville, California, he suffered a crisis from what would turn out to be pancreatic cancer. He performed one more night but cancelled the rest of the tour due to his medical problem, ending his 56-year touring career. He led