AMG Review of Everybody's Somebody's Fool

Alex Henderson
All Music Guide

One could write a book about all the abuse Jimmy Scott suffered over the years. From being ridiculed and mocked because of his effeminate qualities to being neglected by labels for much of his career, the singer has often had it rough. But Scott is a survivor who never lost his talent or his charisma: he was a compelling singer in his youth, and he was still compelling when he was in his early seventies. Everybody's Somebody's Fool, a 1999 release, takes us back to Scott's twenties (when he was still known as Little Jimmy Scott) and focuses on his work with the big bands of Lionel Hampton, Billy Taylor, and Lucky Thompson at Decca from 1950-1952. Subsequently, he would become a victim of bad A&R and bad marketing at other labels, but this CD demonstrates that the early '50s were a highly creative period for him. Heavily influenced by Billie Holiday, Scott pours a tremendous amount of soul and feeling into Duke Ellington's "Solitude," "Wheel of Fortune," "I Wish I Knew," and the title song (which shouldn't be confused with the Connie Francis hit). But as strong as Holiday's influence is, it's also clear that Scott was quite unique and distinctive himself. One of the things that made him unique was the fact that he sounded like he could be a woman; and ironically, this was something that worked to his advantage creatively resulted in a lot of cruelty off stage. Jazz singing doesn't get much more convincing or personal than what you'll find on this superb collection.