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recordings
As a recording artist, I have released albums that showcase my versatility as a saxophonist, composer, and arranger. My work spans various jazz styles, blending traditional and contemporary influences, with a strong emphasis on improvisation and original compositions.
Featured Albums
"Wonders" (2015)
"Wonders" draws its inspiration from the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, taking listeners on a musical journey that blends traditional jazz elements with contemporary, boundary-pushing ideas. The album represents my attempt to reimagine these ancient marvels, creating a sonic landscape that captures their mystery, grandeur, and timeless allure. Recorded with an expert quintet of L.A.-based musicians—Larry Koonse on guitar, Josh Nelson on piano and keyboard, Dave Robaire on bass, and Dan Schnelle on drums—"Wonders" is both cinematic in scope and intimate in storytelling, reflecting my vision as a saxophonist, composer, and arranger.
As I wrote the music, I imagined what it might be like to experience these ancient wonders firsthand, using that inspiration to guide each composition. The result is an album that balances the melodic with the adventurous, drawing on influences ranging from Joe Henderson to Russell Ferrante of the Yellowjackets, who encouraged me to embrace harmonic complexity and polytonal thinking.
Track Highlights:
“Hanging Gardens (Of Babylon)”: The album's opening track captures the grandeur and mystery of its namesake through driving rhythms, surging melodic spirit, and a sense of rhythmic strength. This piece sets the tone for the journey that follows, inviting listeners to experience a musical reimagining of one of history’s greatest wonders.
“Colossus (of Rhodes)”: A mysterious and exploratory composition that balances uncertainty with grounding musical ideals, offering a fresh and nuanced take on the larger-than-life sculpture that inspired it.
“The Marble Tomb (Mausoleum at Halicarnassus)”: A composition that strikes a balance between astral exploration, brooding reflection, and balladic ideals, showcasing both my melodic sensibility and the ensemble's cohesion.
Recording Insight: "Wonders" was a deeply personal project that allowed me to explore the idea of creating music without the constraints of imitation or historical accuracy. The recording process was an opportunity to collaborate with incredible musicians who brought their unique artistry to each piece, resulting in an album that blends funk, fusion, and modern jazz within a straight-ahead quintet format.
Influences and Approach: The album reflects the influence of my mentor, Joe Henderson, whose philosophy of playing “what you hear” guided my approach to both performance and composition. This ethos allowed me to blend different genres and ideas into a cohesive work that stretches the boundaries of conventional jazz while maintaining a focus on melody and storytelling.
Reviews:
"Ancient history and current times collide on the sophomore release from California-based tenor saxophonist Scott Jeppesen: with Wonders, he offers up an intelligent, semi-programmatic look at the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World as seen through a modern jazz lens." – All About Jazz
"Each one of Jeppesen’s complex-yet-accessible creations manages to speak in different ways, with pieces like 'The Marble Tomb' finding a happy balance between astral spirits, brooding thoughts, and balladic ideals." – All About Jazz
"Jeppesen fuses his passion for history with some serious composing and playing chops, crafting an album that reflects, analyzes, and glorifies these larger-than-life creations without indulging in excess." – All About Jazz
Listen: Spotify/Apple Music
Watch: In-Studio/Release Show Videos
"El Guapo" (2013)
"El Guapo" marks my debut as a bandleader, presenting a collection of jazz compositions that blend Latin rhythms, swing influences, and intricate improvisations. The album serves as a showcase of my versatility as a saxophonist, composer, and arranger, drawing on years of experience performing and arranging for artists like Dave Brubeck, Bobby McFerrin, and Steve Miller. Featuring L.A.-based jazz all-stars—John Daversa on trumpet, Larry Koonse on guitar, Josh Nelson on piano, Dave Robaire on bass, and Dan Schnelle on drums—"El Guapo" offers a dynamic and sophisticated exploration of modern jazz.
The album's title translates to "sharp-dressed man" in Spanish, and that sense of style and sophistication is reflected throughout the tracks. Each piece balances melodic accessibility with rhythmic and harmonic complexity, delivering surprises at every turn while maintaining a cohesive and purposeful narrative.
Track Highlights:
“El Guapo”: The launch track sets the tone for the album, blending Spanish and jazz influences with vibrant solos and rhythmic interplay. It’s both cheeky and expansive, embodying the album’s playful yet sophisticated nature. The interplay between Koonse’s guitar and my saxophone is particularly noteworthy.
“Maybe Later”: A standout track featuring me on bass clarinet, it starts as a ruminative and pretty piece before evolving into something witty and intricate. John Daversa’s flugelhorn solo adds a layer of restraint and drive, while guitarist Larry Koonse contributes a tone that is both dry and ringing.
“No Drama”: A chamber-jazz bolero with hints of sass and slink, featuring my soprano sax work and Josh Nelson’s masterful piano rhythms. This piece captures the album's spirit of spontaneity and surprise, blending elements of bolero with contemporary jazz.
“Prayer for Sandy Hook”: A deeply emotional piece that examines anguish in a way that only music can. The saxophone’s tender, searching phrases convey the sadness and introspection surrounding this tragic event, hinting at hope while acknowledging that some emotions transcend words.
“Don’t Fence Me In”: A nod to my influence from Sonny Rollins, this closing track is a playful and free interpretation of the Cole Porter classic, performed as a trio with Robaire and Schnelle. It embodies my desire to explore music without boundaries.
Recording Insight: "El Guapo" is a deeply textured record that reflects my efforts to explore different jazz styles and expressions while maintaining a focus on communication and connection. The tracks speak to each other, creating a narrative thread that ties the album together, with influences from my idols Joe Henderson, Sonny Rollins, and Wayne Shorter guiding my approach to improvisation and composition.
Reviews:
"El Guapo is stylish, diverse, and expert; released on Oct. 1, 2013, it is one of the best albums of that year." – All About Jazz
"Scott Jeppesen might not be a household name in the world of jazz yet, but given time, he will get his 'just due.' He is just too good not to." – The Jazz Page
"Though his music is filled with edgy, inventive ideas, it is always highly listenable. It never sacrifices beauty on the altar of experimentation... Jeppesen plays the kind of music you want to hear over and over again." – Blogcritics
"Jeppesen’s version of Richie Beirach's 'Elm' is eerily similar to the original 1979 recording... He gently flutters over Koonse's nimble support with dreamy results." – Downbeat Magazine
"Jeppesen closes with a confident display of chops... an album of that trio would be a lot of fun but maybe that's a project for El Divertido." – Downbeat Magazine
"Jeppesen’s compositions are refreshingly unpredictable, and his approach to jazz is both generous and intelligent, never sacrificing accessibility on the altar of the abstract." – All About Jazz
"While 'El Guapo' may not be the shape of jazz to come, it's jazz at its most shapely. Jeppesen’s tone is penetrating and spare, his improvisations compact and purposeful, his approach generous and intelligent." – All About Jazz
"Jeppesen’s gift, from the title track to a rousing and necessarily therapeutic version of Cole Porter’s 'Don’t Fence Me In,' takes the path less traveled. El Guapo is nevertheless fascinating and marvelous, an assortment of experiences and stories – some indescribable – told through song and delivered with wonder."– Something Else! Review
Listen: Spotify/Apple Music
Upcoming Projects
"Superstition: The Music of Stevie Wonder" (Expected 2025)
I'm currently in the planning stages for my first big band album, featuring the arrangements I wrote for the Rocky Mountain Jazz Collective's Tribute to Stevie Wonder concert. This project will bring Stevie Wonder’s timeless compositions to life through fresh, intricate big band arrangements that blend elements of jazz, funk, and soul.
The album will capture the spirit of Wonder's music while adding the vibrant energy and complexity of a jazz orchestra. It aims to honor the legendary artist’s legacy by exploring his work through a modern jazz lens, showcasing my approach to big band arranging and improvisation.
Recording Details:
Collaborators: The recording will feature the talented musicians of the Rocky Mountain Jazz Collective, with whom I've had the pleasure of performing these arrangements in a live setting.
Tracks to be included: Expect to hear jazz adaptations of classics like "I Wish," "For Once in My Life," and other iconic Stevie Wonder hits, reimagined for a full big band.
Status: Currently preparing scores and finalizing arrangements; recording is scheduled to begin in 2025.
Stay tuned for more updates as this exciting project unfolds!