Flutist Kim Scott is back with a new album, and this time she’s bringing the heat. Scott recently talked with Magic City Momma about her latest venture.
Tell me about your new CD, Southern Heat.
Southern Heat is my third album, but it’s my debut on the Innervision Records Label out of California. This album is a lot different from my previous two in that it has an edgier feel to it, fusing jazz with R&B and pop music. I love to dance and sing, and wanted to make a real “feel good” album that people will want to play over and over. The CD was produced by Kelvin Wooten, a Huntsville native known around the world for his production and songwriting. He writes for Anthony Hamilton, Jill Scott and even Earth, Wind and Fire, but is also a phenomenal keyboard and guitar player. The lead single from this album, “Sizzle” was released in March 2016 and was the number one most added/most played track the day of its release. It rose to the top 15 on the national Billboard jazz charts. The full album will be available in stores across the country September 16, but can be ordered now on iTunes, Amazon and CD Baby.
Why did you decide to record it?
I wanted to record an album that showcased the many colors and vibrations of the flute, and not in a traditional way. My previous albums were a bit more mainstream and fit well within the jazz genre, but I wanted to stretch the listeners ear by fusing jazz with more contemporary sounds like pop and R&B. Also, I want to continue helping to make the flute more visible as a respected instrument in the jazz world and be an example for all the female musicians who are trying to break into this male-dominated industry.
What can listeners expect?
Listeners can expect to go on a journey when listening to this project. It’s one of those albums that you have to hear all the way through in one sitting because you can’t break away from it once it starts. You’ll want to dance, sing, cry and then dance some more. There is great writing on this album as I collaborated with trumpeter Lin Rountree on “Sizzle,” “Two Become One” with James “PJ” Spraggins, “It’s Your Time” with Jim Lowe, and “Forgiveness” with Kelvin Wooten. Also, the cover tunes on the album are some of the most creative arrangements I’ve ever recorded. I’m very proud of it.
How do you juggle being a wife and the multiple career hats you wear?
I absolutely love what I do and what my life has morphed into. It is most definitely complex, but with good planning and a good team behind me I can get everything accomplished. I could stand to have a little more sleep, but I wouldn’t trade this life for the world. I love being a mom and wife, I love being an educator to young aspiring musicians (I’m chair of the music department at the Alabama School of Fine Arts) and I was born to be a musician, I believe.
What advice do you have for women who are afraid to pursue their dreams?We (as women) have to be fearless in everything we do! First and foremost, God has not given us a spirit of fear so we should walk boldly into whatever our pursuits are. If you have a dream, devise your plan on how to achieve it and jump full force into it. Don’t ever let anyone deter you from pursuing what you have the passion to do. Many will try and persuade you to go another route because “it’s too difficult for you” or tell you that you can’t do something, but I’m telling you that you can.
What is the biggest lesson you want people to learn from your life?
I want people to learn that your talent can take you to great heights in your life if you nurture it, believe in yourself and get educated on the many opportunities out there in the world. I figured out what my talent was, went to school to study it and perfect it, found ways to use my talent in ways that make me and others happy. Repeat and multiply! 🙂
Is there anything you would like to add?
I want to encourage parents to expose their children to the arts, and not just music but all disciplines. With schools pulling arts enrichment programs from their curriculum, our children are cheated out of the many benefits from listening and studying music. Just the studies done on the mental development of children should influence the country to value the arts more. But until the country realizes it, parents must do their part to take their child to a concert, a play, an art museum and open up their creative minds. You’d be surprised how much your child would benefit from this exposure.
What events do you have coming up in the next few months that you would like for readers to know about?
I have many shows on the books and in the works, so please visit my website for that information at www.kimscottmusic.com and also follow me on social media (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) where my handle is @kscottflute. After the CD release concert, I’ll be touring the new music around the country. You can also listen to my jazz radio program, “Block Party Radio”, on Thursdays at 5 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. on 91.1 WVSU in Birmingham. It plays in over 15 US states and Australia. Other air times/stations are listed on my website.
