Scott Stein
Scott Stein is a New York City-based musician steeped in numerous genres. He is an in-demand performer and collaborator, conducting three choirs, accompanying Cantors and theatrical productions, and playing in several notable independent rock bands throughout the New York-metro area, all the while maintaining a distinct voice as a composer and songwriter in his own right.
Born and raised in Akron, OH, the son of a cantor, Scott grew up with music in the house – mostly classical and cantorial music alongside Broadway musicals – and began playing the piano at age 4, writing his first songs shortly thereafter. He spent his formative years singing in his synagogue choir and studying piano with the late, great Pat Pace – a local legend if there ever was one. Under Pace’s tutelage, Scott’s musical interests expanded to include jazz and rock music.
After winning two Young Composers’ Awards in high school, Scott attended The Ohio State University School of Music where he received a B.M. in Composition and studied with jazz pianists Bobby Floyd, Hank Marr and Mark Flugge and composers Donald Harris and Marc Ainger. During this time, Scott further expanded his musical palate to include contemporary composition and big band arranging. Meanwhile, he was an actively performing pianist and pop singer-songwriter, frequenting the Columbus local music scene and releasing three self-produced albums: Temporary Romance (2004), Live at the 5th Ave. Coffee Shop (2005) and Two Lane Heartache Waltz (2006).
In 2007, he was awarded the Guild of Temple Musicians’ Young Composers Award for his choral setting of Shirat HaYam (the Song of the Sea), which was published by Transcontinental Music. A month later, he fulfilled a dream he’d had since high school and moved to New York City. Scott hit the ground running, joining a few promising local bands, taking his pop and rock tunes to such notable venues as The Living Room, Rockwood Music Hall and The Bitter End. Local bloggers and press took note as his songs started making their way onto podcasts and internet radio stations. In 2009, he released Jukebox, a 7-song EP that owes much to the 70’s singer-songwriter model, gaining comparisons to the likes of Randy Newman, Elton John and Burt Bacharach. Cleveland Independent called the collection of songs “perfect for singing along”.
Scott can be seen frequently performing with Brooklyn-based country-rockers The Ramblers, whose latest album Getting There features a collection of songs co-written by Scott and guitarist Jeremiah Birnbaum. The band’s shows have been critics’ picks in a number of NY publications including AM-New York and New York Magazine. All About Jazz included Getting There in its “Best of 2010” list and Glide Magazine called the album, simply, “the real deal.” In addition to the Ramblers, Scott has performed with singer/songwriter Shanna Zell, acclaimed indie rockers Food Will Win the War and award-winning children’s musician Joanie Lee.
In his non-pop pursuits, Scott has served as the accompanist and music director for several major Cantorial and Jewish-music concerts including the 2011 annual awards ceremony for Masorti Olami, for which he wrote or arranged all of the evening’s music, including two original pieces which incorporated Jewish musical modes and tropes into a jazz setting. He has had recent collaborations with Cantors Meir Finkelstein and Alberto Mizrahi as well as Broadway star Rachel York and has accompanied at Carnegie Hall and Lincods.
ln Center. He currently conducts the New York City chapter of HaZamir: The International Jewish High School Choir and serves as choral instructor at The Frisch School in Paramus, NJ.
Scott’s latest project is a re-imagining of his ‘solo’ career as a pop singer/songwriter. Instead of backing his songs with the usual rock fare of guitar, bass and drums, he has written a series of chamber arrangements for a 9-piece ensemble (with a small backing chorus) which include strings, winds and horns – but no drums and only a hint of guitar. The new ensemble, dubbed Scott Stein & His Well-Groomed Orchestra, will premiere at The Bitter End in New York City on February 25, 2012.