Jim Scott Music - Concert Performer, Vocalist, Classical Guitarist, Environmentalist

“Gather the Spirit” - This has gotten wide use as a congregational hymn (#347 SLT) and this choral arrangement adds some counterpoint and different voice parts taking the lead. Then there’s a 4/4 gospel layered ending part that can draw in the congregation, teaching them the parts on the spot. It’s syncopated and takes some people a little time to figure out and get the feel, but I think it’s worth it - eally rousing. Published by Roger Wagner series.

"The Oneness of Everything" - Solo with SATB. (Also an SATB) This is the central anthem from my musical “The Tree and Me.” It originally had 4 verses. Now I mostly do three verses for brevity. Published by Roger Wagner series.

“Go Your Way in Peace” - SATB This melody adapted from Mozart makes a beautiful benediction/closing song. Pretty and accessible. “This is your hit song” said Elaine Held Choir Director of the UU Ch. of Monmouth Cty NJ. (Hi Elaine - thanks). Published by Roger Wagner series.

“The Rainforest Song” - SATB Though I use this as the children’s time in many services, grown-ups like this a lot. The four parts are all written in trable clef, but can be done with any combination of voices, children and adults. The three verses tell describe the four levels of the rainforest and then each of the levels (ground level, understory, canopy, emergent level) gets a little motif that adds up to a four part musical illustration. easy to learn and can involve audience singing along. Published by Henry Leck Choral Series (Hal Leonard)

"A Song for the Earth" - SATB with optional flute/ oboe. (Also SSAA) This is a song I sang with the Paul Winter Consort for years and is recorded on the Consort’s "Concert for the Earth"(Live at the UN) - also on my “Earth,Sky, Love and Dreams” CD

“For This We Stand” - SATB The music is a free-flowing folky tune, maybe Appalachian style would be be a close description, Written a few weeks after the attacks of September 11th, 2001, the poem says we stand not only for patriotic idealism, but as citizens of a just human world and of a planet ecosystem so mystically interwoven and interdependent. It is scheduled to be published by Boosey and Hawkes this Fall.

“Let All Our Hearts” - A song about human connections, this has a gospel style chorus that can be repeated and built up to hand clapping joyful climax.
(refrain) “Let all our hearts open wide
Feeling the spirit deep inside.
And from within, shine your light,
Bright as the day through the darkest night.

Let This be a House of Peace SATB this slow gospel-style tune has my words adapted from a poem by Kenneth Patton. Good opening song for a service. Four verses Congregation can learn the first verse and use it as a refrain. Can work well with rhythm section too.

“Arise! Arise!” SATB (also SATB with children’s choir or solo). This is a great opening piece, in a festive Celtic 3/2 - 6/4 rhythm. “Arise! Arise!” sounds a call to the whole range of life’s participants to raise their figurative voices in a celebration of diversity. Every voice is needed to provide the full perspective. A message of hope and optimism,and a warning that we must both speak out and listen as well to all those voices of experience in order to create a just world.
(Refrain) “Arise! Arise! Uncounted voices.
Fill these indifferent spaces and speak your piece.
Rise together, harmonious forces,
It is our power and our release.”

"Harmony" Solo with SATB accompaniment. (SATB version could be easily done if someone wants it that way) It has jazzy modulating harmony, a bit more difficult voice leading than some others. Very lush and pretty.
(Words to the refrain) "Harmony of harmony, I hear you sing to me,
Let it wash over me, let it begin.
Harmony of harmony, unfolding melody,
I am your instrument, let peace begin with me."

"Common Ground" - Solo with SATB. This is another well known Winter Consort theme song. I’ve been singing for years. The samba tune by Ivan Lins has english words composed collectively by the members of the Consort and myself. In this arrangement, I put a rhythmic chant in Portuguese behind the verse. A real climactic flag waver ending piece.
(refrain) "In a circle of friends, in a circle of sound,
All our voices will blend when we touch common ground."

"Kwa Mataifa” (“From Every Nation songs of Peace”)- Friends from Kenya translated this lyric into Swahili. The music has an African 12/8 rhythm, a real festive chant-like verse and a big rising bridge. It lends itself to jazz improvisation and stretching out by an accompanying band. This is to be published by Henry Leck Series - Hal Leonard.

“May Your Life be as a Song” - SATB (also an SAA) This is my most popular concert ending song. The chorus is a round, of Russian origin. The verses are my own and the whole song becomes gentle latin/ bossa nova beat. Good with rhythm section. The round makes this a good one for audience and congregation participation too. In the works to be published by Henry Leck Series - Hal Leonard.

“Solstice Carol” - This is a short homophonic SATB - sounds kind of medieval/renaissance style, modal. Good with drums, tambourine, shaken bells, etc. accompaniment. Could be done a capella or with four instruments playing the four parts.

The Song Remains - SAA This I wrote for the Indianapolis Childrens Choir and their director Henry Leck, who said “I need something for a graduation, each year when kids leave the choir.” The song says we’ve been together in harmony and when we leave each other, the song remains in our hearts. It certainly could be sung by adults too and used for many purposes. SATB version coming soon.

Vessels of the Sun - An Eight Movement Suite
I’m excited about this song cycle of eight tunes that follow the eight points of the calendar - Solstices, Equinoxes, and the halfway in betweens. There's wind, water, harvest a hymn to the sun and and to seeds in the spring. Several are challenging, others not so hard - with accompanying piano and optional rhythm section (could be guitar, bass, ethnic and orchestral percussion, and a melody instrument - flute, or soprano sax, oboe, violin). . The pieces can certainly be programmed separately as well. Two of these pieces, Arise and Harmony, are described above.

Arise! Arise! - Summer Solstice
- Fanfare opener, call to all living beings to make their presence known. (Description above)

Once More the Liberal Year Laughs Out - (Harvest) Samhain /Halloween
- chorale accompanied by Celtic fiddle tune triplet melody for flute or violin.

Darkness - Winter Solstice
- This is the hardest piece and the longest. Somewhat jazzy. The message is that the darkness is not necessarily foreboding. There’s a lot going on while some are resting, internal activity, gestation and dreams of spring.

The Way is Open - (Water) Candlemas / Groundhog Day
- This is challenging, but pretty classical harmonically. The choir represents water tumbling from the melting mountain snows.

Wind Memory - Spring Equinox
- fast tempo, wind sounds and climactic dynamics. Solo melody for TB unison with SA being the wind.

Vessels of the Sun - (seeds and planting season) Brigid / May Day
- festive calypso/latin “Oh reckless, magic, dancing seeds, you vessels of the sun,...”

The “Missa Gaia /Earth Mass”
(Available in ‘04)
This choral work is by several co-composers. I wrote three pieces and arranged others. We are working on the publication and expect it to be out by early next year. All are SATB with some optional children's choir parts and a couple of solos. All have literal piano accompaniments with chord symbols and extra parts for rhythm section available. I’ve collaborated on several performances would love to be involved in future concerts as a guest artist performing with choirs. Please be in touch if you’re interested.

"Canticle," Music Jim Scott and Paul Winter. Words by St. Francis (the “Brother Sun Sister Moon” words) and winding up with a climactic reprise of “For the Beauty of the Earth.” (words by Pierpont, melody traditional from Gregorian chant “Adoro te Devote”). African 12/8 rhythm

"The Beatitudes" Words from the Book of Matthew music by Jim Scott
Solo with SATB.

“For the Beauty of the Earth" SATB. I have two a cappella versions of this hymn, one slightly modern /pretty and the other a jazz choir style solo and five voice accompaniment. These are short and easy. The jazz one is tight harmonies.

"Agnus Dei" Choral piece by Jim Scott written over an instrumental piece “Seal Eyes” by Paul Winter and Jim Scott. SATB, piano and optional trio of soprano sax, english horn, and cello.

"The Earth is Ours" words by Robert J. Lurtzema, music by Jim Scott. This wasn’t on the original recording but was a poem often read with Missa Gaia performances I eventually set it to a lush, jazzy slow samba.

“Yemanja” - (Iemanja) - A traditional Brazilian chant to the god of the waters. Choir sings unison and this could include solos for the accompanying band. Batucada/samba.

"The Blue Green Hills of Earth" - by Kim Oler This is “For the Earth Forever Turning” in SLT.

“Kyrie” and “Sanctus” - both by Paul Halley available from him. Pelagos Music