Scott Ellison

Scott Ellison - One Step From The Blues - 2000 - Jse Recordings

Scott Ellison is a very talented guitarist, singer and composer originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma. In the late 70's and throughout the '80's Scott played with many traditional blues artists around the Oklahoma and surrounding areas. In 1981, he played with Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown. While living in California, he played with great artists like The Coasters, The Drifters, Gary "U.S." Bonds and The Box Tops. In the 90's, he got a band together and opened for artists like Joe Cocker and Buddy Guy. In the second half of the '90's he began recording solo albums, and also composed some well known TV music. "One Step From The Blues" is a good album. Not a groundbreaking album, but it showcases the guy's great guitar technique and vocals. He also covers various blues styles, and his backing musicians are terrific. Scott's "Ice Storm" album is even better than this one, and if you see his " Live at Joey's" album, buy it. It fully demonstrates Scott Ellison's talents

TRACKS

1. One Step from the Blues
2. These Blues Gotta Hold on Me
3. Pocket Full of Love
4. I Got My Mojo Workin'
5. Diamond in the Dark
6. Bury Your Bone at Home
7. Don't Push You Luck
8. Ice Storm
9. Cryin' Like the Rain
10. Pride
11. Crawlin' on My Knees
12. Take Me With Ya
13. Darker Shade of Blue

MUSICIANS

Scott Ellison - Guitar, Vocals
Tommy Waggoner, Jim Strader - Bass
Walt Richmond - Keyboard, Bass, Piano
Spencer Sutton - Organ, Piano
Russell Wheeler - Organ (Hammond)
Larry Bell - Organ
John Hoff, Chuck Blackwell - Drums
Jim Karstein - Conga, Percussion
Kurt Lybarger - Saxophone
Don Colopy - Trumpet
Debbie Campbell - Vocals (Background)

REVIEW

If you need a good shot in the arm of wailin' guitar blues, then let me suggest Scott Ellison's latest release, One Step From The Blues. 12 of the CD's 13 tracks were written or co-written by Scott Ellison and showcase an excellent songwriter as well as guitar player and singer. With biting guitar tone and singing with conviction, Ellison draws you into a world of blues that is all his own. A native of Tulsa, OK, Scott Ellison has done a lot of playing in his time. In 1981, he joined Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown for a time. Later, living in California, he played with The Coasters, The Drifters, Gary "U.S." Bonds and The Box Tops. He has several TV and movie credits that don't just include session work, but featuring Scott Ellison compositions. In 1993, he returned to Tulsa to concentrate on his solo career. One Step From The Blues kicks off with the title cut, that wastes no time letting you know what you're in for. "One Step From The Blues" is a great opening shuffle with a hard drive and plenty of guitar tension to keep you there for the next cut, "These Blues Gotta Hold On Me". With plenty of grit and growl, Ellison slows things down and sings the classic broken heart blues. "Pocket Full Of Love" starts off as a rhumba and makes a slick change to a shuffle midstream and later back to rhumba. Other notable tunes include a slightly funky tune, "Diamond In The Dark", "Ice Storm" an excellent upbeat instrumental with great horn work by Kurt Lybarger, and "Crawlin' On My Knees" a dark number in the vein of "Thrill is Gone". All of the cuts on One Step From The Blues have their own identity. Scott Ellison's songwriting and production make each cut sound different and yet all woven into the same fabric. Throughout the CD, Scott Ellison's guitar playing changes with each tune and hits the mark every time. He is a very fluid and expressive player who's not afraid to put on a little fuzz and let it rip. Ellison also sings with a lot feeling and is able to change his vocal attack to fit the songs. The musicians who recorded with Ellison are too numerous to mention, but all turn in solid performances and lend to the different styles of the cuts. Several tunes have horn parts that are arranged so that they are present but the cuts remain guitar driven. All in all, One Step From The Blues was an unexpected surprise that keeps getting better. I don't know if he's really one step from, I'd say he's smack in the middle of... the blues. © Pete "Bootlegger" Barbeck © Southwest Blues CD Review - August 2001 © http://www.southwestblues.com/reviews/2001/cd-08-01ellison.htm

BIO

A talented singer/songwriter, guitarist, and blues-rocker, Scott Ellison was born on February 13, 1954, in Tulsa, OK. By the '70s, Tulsa had become an unexpected hotbed of blues-based rock bands (as proven by both Eric Clapton and Freddie King's backing bands hailing from the area), which was around the same time that Ellison began playing with others, such as country singer Jesseca James (Conway Twitty's daughter) in 1977 and renowned bluesman Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown in 1981. Ellison relocated to Los Angeles by the mid-'80s, however, keeping his music career going by playing with the Box Tops, the Shirelles, the Coasters, and Peaches & Herb, and by the '90s he had formed his own blues band and opened for the likes of Joe Cocker, the Fabulous T-Birds, and Buddy Guy. It was also around this time that Ellison began issuing solo albums, including the titles Chains of Love and Live at Joey's. Shortly after returning back home to Tulsa, Ellison issued his third release, Steamin', followed by One Step From the Blues, which featured several other Tulsa musicians backing him. In addition to solo records and playing with other artists, Ellison has also penned songs that have appeared in such hit TV shows as Sister Sister, Eye on L.A., and the soap opera Santa Barbara, as well as the soundtrack to the Ben Affleck motion picture Reindeer Games. In 2001 Ellison issued his first release for the Burnside label, Cold Hard Cash, produced by longtime Robert Cray producer Dennis Walker. © Greg Prato © 2010 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/scott-ellison-p204873/biography

MORE

Scott Ellison isn't one to waste time. Signed by Burnside Records in the spring of 2001, his label debut, Cold Hard Cash, exposed Scott's versatility as a singer, songwriter and talented guitar player. In 2003 the Oklahoma native delivers Bad Case Of The Blues a mature and distinctly progressive outing full of melody, grace and blues. Recorded at Ellison's own Home Front Studios in Tulsa, OK, the disc displays a maturity that is best described as capturing his melodic songwriting with the fire of his live set. "I feel this is more my baby," says Ellison "Cold Hard Cash was produced by Dennis Walker (Robert Cray) and though I really enjoyed the process, I wanted this record to have more of my stamp on it. "Ellison's influences are clearly apparent in the phrasing of Bad Case Of The Blues. The Steely Dan texture of "Fantasy" radiates his passion for hook-filled melodies. "Pain Full Love," pays tribute to the energy of Stevie Ray Vaughan where "Whiskey and Rum" highlight his love of Muddy Waters. Then there's the Elmore James inspired roadhouse "Voodoo Curse" - a rowdy foot-stomper now famous at the end of Ellison's live set. "I write a lot of songs and play them live before I commit to recording them," expresses the guitarist. "I also record a lot before I pick just the right numbers to put on a CD." Surrounding himself with top musicians, Ellison hand selected Tulsa's highest rated session men including Eric Clapton's organist Dick Simms and percussionist Jimmy Karstein. Also featured on several of the record's tracks are local greats, Mike Turner (rhythm guitar), Jim Pugh (Hammond B3 organ), Jim Strader (bass) and Bill Belknap (drums). "I wanted a record that had peaks and valleys," says Ellison. "One that would breathe, moving easily from song to song. I spent as much time milling over the running order as I did selecting the songs." Ellison caught the music bug at an early age - February 13, 1964, to be exact - and just like every other 9-year-old that was watching the Beatles on Ed Sullivan that night, he fell in love with the guitar. During the '70s, Tulsa was a hotbed of musical talent. Eric Clapton and Freddie King's bands were both based out of Tulsa, as well as Leon Russell's label, Shelter Records. Electrified by the British Invasion as well as the sounds of Motown and touched by the soulfulness that was rhythm & blues, Ellison formed his own band in 1977. He began touring with country singer Jessica James (Conway Twitty's daughter), and by 1981, veteran bluesman Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown plucked the energetic guitarist as rhythm player for his own band. A move to Los Angeles during the mid-'80s found Scott playing and touring with the likes of The Box Tops, The Shirelles, The Coasters and Peaches and Herb. By the 1990s, Scott formed his own blues band and opened up shows for such legends as Joe Cocker, Roy Orbison, The Fabulous T-birds and Buddy Guy. Writing constantly, Scott was able to compose enough material to record and release his first two solo efforts, Chains of Love (Quicksilver Records) and Live at Joey's (Red Hot Records). Both records reflected his love for the blues and his talent as a writer. Returning back to his home in Tulsa, Scott teamed up with longtime friend Terry Lupton to write 10 more original tunes for his next release, Steamin' (Fishhead Records), which garnered much critical acclaim. Ellison then co-wrote and recorded One Step from the Blues (JSE), a Tulsa sound rhythm & blues record featuring a number of well-known Tulsa musicians. As a songwriter, Scott has had his songs featured on the hit TV shows 'Sister Sister,' 'Eye on L.A.' the steamy soap opera 'Santa Barbara' and 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer.' Burnside Records is proud to release Bad Case Of The Blues available at all fine record stores, by mail-order through Burnside Records or online at www.burnsiderecords.com. Scott is currently touring across the U.S., Canada and Europe with accompanying radio and retail in-store performances. © http://www.burnsiderecords.com/ellison.html

MORE ABOUT SCOTT ELLISON / ALBUM [ from Step up. Moving from Los Angeles to Tulsa has brought bluesman Scott Ellison closer to the big time. By Scott Wilson Thursday, May 18 2000 ]

Blues guitarist Scott Ellison's new disc is called One Step From the Blues, but he's really more like 16 hours from the blues. Riding the momentum of an album that delivers a serious dose of the Tulsa, Okla., sound, Ellison is collaborating with acclaimed producer Dennis Walker -- by Federal Express. "I put the whole track down myself: guitar, bass, and drums," Ellison says from his Tulsa home. He's been blasting a tape of a song called "Just Got to Know," which, over the phone at least, doesn't sound like the work of a one-man band. "Dennis is a real good lyricist. I'm more a composer. I come up with the chords, the hook, the vocal melody, and the title. Then I FedEx it to Dennis and he fills in the blanks." "When I finished One Step, I felt real good about it, so I called up Lee Spath and asked him to put me in touch with Dennis," Ellison explains. Two years ago, Spath filled in for Ellison's longtime drummer, Rich Shlosser, who went to work for Van Morrison. "Lee just came in and nailed it. He'd worked with Robert Cray, and I knew Dennis' work from those albums, so I filed that away." Ellison, 45, has waited a long time for the opportunity to connect with a name producer, particularly the Grammy-winning Walker, an architect of the sound that made Cray famous. "It's so funny that I couldn't get to (Walker) during the 10 years I lived in Los Angeles. Dennis was making those Robert Cray albums during that time, from 1983 to 1993, and I couldn't get arrested. I just finally realized recently that every level jump is about who you know. Now I'm back in Tulsa and I've got 90 more things going here." Among the benefits of moving home for Ellison was the opportunity to showcase the musicians he grew up with. "For One Step, I wanted to use all my homeboys, all my favorite Tulsa musicians. It was a grassroots project, and this city definitely has its own sound. It's that Leon Russell mix of R&B and gospel and rock." Russell is the ultimate Tulsa blues son, Ellison says reverently. And like Russell, Ellison has his eye on future projects that will allow his guitar to roam into rock territory and beyond. He says that's the kind of album that could be made in his home studio using drum machines (his mother was a drum-and-keyboard player who taught her son a keen appreciation for powerful rhythm). "We're toying with rock, but the blues is my number-one thing. For that album, I'd aim for that mixture of Stax and Motown. But for the blues, you have to have real humans to lay it all in," he says. Blues might be Ellison's number-one thing musically speaking, but his thoughts remain in Tulsa with his 3-and-a-half-year-old son, Taylor James. Taylor already owns a mini-Strat. "He's got great rhythm," Ellison says. "It gets hard to be on the road 250 days a year, especially since I started late with the fatherhood thing. I think of him 24 hours a day, and I'm a happier person since he came along. Food tastes better. Life tastes better. And I miss my wife a lot when I'm gone, but it's a sacrifice you have to make to be a full-blown artist." All that familial bliss shouldn't suggest that Ellison makes a Billy Joel-ified blues. He says the travails of an itinerant musician's lifestyle and the demands of turning his music into a business are plenty to fuel the steam engine of his vigorous style. Already a casualty of a shut-down label (he doesn't have the masters back but was able to refashion the material for release), Ellison complains good-naturedly that one of his songs just missed inclusion on Kenny Wayne Shepherd's recent platinum disc. "That's the fish that got away. It broke my heart," he says. The song ended up gracing the new Jimmy Dawkins album, with Francine Reed singing, which more than appeased Ellison. "The most flattering thing besides getting a record deal is when someone you respect cuts your tune. There's so many great songs out there. You really know that it's a numbers thing, so when it makes the cut, it's an amazing honor," Ellison explains. It might be less flattering, but the WB television network also has taken a shine to Ellison. One of his songs has turned up on Buffy the Vampire Slayer ("I haven't watched the show, but I saw that girl on the cover of Rolling Stone. She looks great," Ellison says), a fish out of water rather than one that got away. Another Ellison recording has been played on Sister, Sister. Considering that even a show in the Nielsen cellar gains exposure beyond what most conventional pop gets on mainstream radio, Ellison isn't about to hold out for Touched by an Angel. However, he's not prepared to chuck the performing life to write songs for other people. "It's a balance of the writing and the playing. The playing is still fun," Ellison says. After almost two decades of journeyman gigs with draws like Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown ("The most fun I've ever had," Ellison says), first as sideman and then as supporting act, Ellison has seemingly lost none of his desire to play as often as possible, especially now that he has more of his own songs at the ready. "My voice has gotten better. Until 1988, I used to be a sideman, so I'd maybe sing two songs a night. When I started singing more, I saturated myself with Bobby 'Blue' Bland and Otis Redding. Otis changed everything. You listen to Otis or Al Green and it comes to you by osmosis. I always get something from Al." Ellison says he could talk endlessly of the Memphis R&B sound and his Tulsa music roots, but he sums it up with the succinctness of a true bluesman, admitting "I'm pretty ate up with music." © Scott Wilson © 2010 Kansas City Pitch, LLC, All rights reserved http://www.pitch.com/2000-05-18/music/step-up/