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Scott Amendola

For Scott Amendola, the drum kit isn’t so much an instrument as a musical portal. As an ambitious composer, savvy bandleader and capaciously creative foil for some of the world’s most inventive musicians, Amendola applies his wide-ranging rhythmic virtuosity to a vast array of settings. His closest musical associates include guitarists Jeff Parker, Nels Cline and Charlie Hunter, Hammond B-3 organist Wil Blades, ROVA saxophonist Larry Ochs, and Tin Hat clarinetist Ben Goldberg, players who have each forged a singular path within and beyond the realm of jazz. While rooted in the San Francisco Bay Area scene, Amendola has woven a dense and far-reaching web of bandstand relationships that tie him to influential artists in jazz, blues, rock and new music. A potent creative catalyst, the Berkeley-based drummer become the nexus for a disparate community of musicians stretching from Los Angeles and Seattle to Chicago and New York. Whatever the context, Amendola possesses a gift for twisting musical genres in unexpected directions. By employing custom designed electronics, including looping machines, pedals and ring modulators, he’s continually expanding his sonic palette, exploring textures and rhythms with an improvisational sensibility. “The electronics are an extension of my voice as a drummer and musician,” Amendola says. “People know me as a drummer, and as a growing musician it makes sense to do new things. It’s all about capturing sound. The loops are all improvised, and I start each performance with a blank slate.” Electronics play an increasingly important role in his volatile trio featuring the protean Chicago guitarist Jeff Parker (Tortoise, Isotope 217, Chicago Underground Trio) and veteran South Bay bass master John Shifflett. The group released its critically acclaimed debut “Lift” on Amendola’s new label Sazi Records. Weaving together seductive melodies, transparent textures and mysterious buzzes and beeps, the album focuses on Amendola’s lyrically charged original tunes. Renegade Los Angeles guitarist Nels Cline, who spends much of his time these days touring and recording with Wilco, has also encouraged Amendola’s electronic explorations in the Nels Cline Singers. The instrumental trio with has blazed a brilliant trail with a series of dense, invigorating recordings for Cryptogramophone, most recently 2010’s stunning double album “Initiate.” “The first time I heard Scott I was really blown away,” Cline says. “There aren’t too many drummers on the West Coast who had his wide ranging ability. Scott’s got some funk in him, a looser, sexy thing going on, and the flexibility to play free and different styles.

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Radio & Podcasts

Drummer Scott Amendola, Red Kite, Drift Lab and Jukka Haavisto

Read "Drummer Scott Amendola, Red Kite, Drift Lab and Jukka Haavisto" reviewed by Len Davis


Avant jazz from Scott Amendola from Haunted By Eternity, Norwegain band Red Kite, and London based European band Code. Italian guitarist Rugerro Robin and his Jazz Trio, Drift Lab featuring Matteo Mancusco, and Peter Fernandez from Incline. Finnish bassist Jukka Haavisto, Danish keyboard player Mathias Heise and US band FORQ featuring Michael League. Playlist Scott Amendola “Maciste Is Back In Town" from Haunted By Eternity (Self Produced) 00:00 Red Kite “Morassol" from Apophenian Bliss (Rare Noise) 07:23 Code “The Comet Is ...

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Album Review

Funkwrench Blues: Soundtrack For A Film Without Pictures

Read "Soundtrack For A Film Without Pictures" reviewed by Chris May


Once upon a time it was hard to walk into an arthouse cinema without bumping into a jazz soundtrack. Miles Davis' for Louis Malle's Ascenseur Pour L'échafaud (1958), Charles Mingus' for John Cassavetes' Shadows (1959), Krzysztof Komeda's for Roman Polanski's Knife In The Water (1962) were among a legion of similarly inclined endeavours. But all that was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. In the 2020s, if you want to hear a freshly ...

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Album Review

Scott Sawyer: Change of Scene

Read "Change of Scene" reviewed by Doug Collette


Notwithstanding a history including associations with the varied likes of famed jazz fretboardists John Abercrombie, and Chris Stamey of the veteran power popsters the dBs, guitarist Scott Sawyer may have the lowest public profile of the three musicians appearing on Change of Scene. Still, it certainly says something about his reputation, not to mention his chops, that he can attract the likes of bassist Oteil Burbridge (Col. Bruce Hampton's Aquarium Rescue Unit, the Allman Brothers Band), Dead & Co.) and ...

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Album Review

The Nels Cline Singers: Share the Wealth

Read "Share the Wealth" reviewed by Vincenzo Roggero


L'idea era di registrare delle lunghe improvvisazioni per poi selezionare frammenti, operare un copia-incolla di davisiana memoria e dar vita ad una sorta di mosaico/collage psichedelico. L'ascolto del materiale registrato, la percezione della magia sprigionata dalle sessions e della unicità dei brani hanno cambiato le carte in tavola e suggerito di pubblicare integralmente, senza sforbiciate, quello che è diventato Share the Wealth. Ossia--nella versione doppio LP e CD (oltre ottanta minuti) registrato in soli due giorni dalla versione allargata di ...

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Album Review

The Nels Cline Singers: Share The Wealth

Read "Share The Wealth" reviewed by Mark Sullivan


Guitarist Nels Cline has led the Nels Cline Singers since 2002. While they have sometimes had guest performers on their recordings, the core band has been a trio of Cline, drummer Scott Amendola and bassist Trevor Dunn (originally Devin Hoff). This album expands the group to a sextet with the addition of saxophonist Skerik, keyboardist Brian Marsella and percussionist Cyro Baptista. The experimental ante was further upped by the fact that they had never before played together in this combination, ...

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Album Review

The Nels Cline Singers: Share The Wealth

Read "Share The Wealth" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


A work of pummeling beauty, exhaustion and exhilaration await at the end of genre rogue guitarist Nels Cline's upheaval Share the Wealth, eighty minutes of magical, maniacal, free jam composition that, in perhaps a few more years down the line--if the line makes it past Election Day--we'll argue stands right up there with such and such album of equal fire and fury. Time, to which we've become too nervously accustomed, is tense, and everyone's cranked to ten or ...

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Album Review

Scott Amendola, Wil Blades: Scott Amendola Vs Wil Blades: Greatest Hits

Read "Scott Amendola Vs Wil Blades: Greatest Hits" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Il titolo del disco è ironico perchè il duo Blades-Amendola, pur esistendo da un decennio, non ha mai sfondato presso il grande pubblico e questo è il suo primo disco. Eppure dopo l'ascolto dell'album potreste chiedervi il perchè. Wil Blades è da anni indicato dai critici di Down Beat tra i migliori organisti emergenti (nell'ultimo Critics Poll è giunto terzo) ed il suo groove non ha niente da invidiare a quello di Jimmy Smith o Larry Young. Un ...

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1

Crowdfunding Campaign

Scott Sawyer 'Change Of Scene' With Oteil Burbridge & Scott Amendola

Scott Sawyer 'Change Of Scene' With Oteil Burbridge & Scott Amendola

Source: Jon Sawyer

Hello, greetings from the San Francisco Bay Area... I'm proud to announce this IndieGogo Campaign for my brother Scott's new album, recorded in November of 2021 at Panoramic House in Stinson Beach, CA; Scott Sawyer on guitar, Oteil Burbridge on bass and Scott Amendola on drums. While this is a jazz album, it's far from straight-ahead. Four Scott Sawyer original tunes and covers by Ron Brendle, Miles Davis, Jerry Garcia, and the Doors. All music on the IndieGoGo promotional ...

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Recording

Willie Oteri Re-Releasing 'Teme Per Cinema' Featuring The Late Dino J.A. Deane, And Drummer Scott Amendola

Willie Oteri Re-Releasing 'Teme Per Cinema' Featuring The Late Dino J.A. Deane, And Drummer Scott Amendola

Source: Willie Oteri

Willie Oteri and WD-41 to re-release Teme Per Cinema featuring the late Dino J.A. Deane, and drummer Scott Amendola. Available now on Bandcamp and worldwide on major streaming and download sites on August 19, 2022. WD-41 + 2 Teme Per Cinema (Music for Film) was first released in 2010 through CD Baby and was also available at DGM Global Mobile and Abstract Logix. Teme Per Cinema and the first WD-41 album (WD-41) will be re-released in digital format through Symphonic ...

Performance / Tour

Jazz This Week: The Wee Trio, Take 6, J.D. Parran and George Sams, Scott Kirby, Charlie Hunter and Scott Amendola, and More

Jazz This Week: The Wee Trio, Take 6, J.D. Parran and George Sams, Scott Kirby, Charlie Hunter and Scott Amendola, and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

With spring appearing finally to have sprung here in St. Louis, it should be a fine weekend to get out and hear some live jazz and creative music, and fortunately, our local stages will be filled with intriguing possibilities. Let's go to the highlights... Tonight, Good 4 The Soul plays their monthly gig at  BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups; Washington University's jazz studies students will perform a free concert to wrap up this semester's Jazz at Holmes series; the Lemp ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Scott Amendola

Jazz Musician of the Day: Scott Amendola

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Scott Amendola's birthday today!

“Amendola, who played with Hunter in T.J. Kirk back in the early ’90s, is the perfect partner for the guitarist, complementing his chilled funk with fat propulsion and deft melodic accents and counterpoint that never leave the listener noticing that only two folks are making the noise.” Peter Margasak, emusic “Amendola has complete mastery of every piece of his drumset and the ability to create a plethora of sounds using sticks... ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Scott Amendola

Jazz Musician of the Day: Scott Amendola

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Scott Amendola's birthday today!

Music writer Derk Richardson’s oft-quoted observation that “If Scott Amendola didn’t exist the San Francisco music scene would have to invent him,” is more true than ever. But what’s become evident in recent years is that the extraordinarily resourceful drummer has evolved into a paragon of self-invention, a bandleader, composer and invaluable creative collaborator at the center of a vast array of improvisational ensembles... Read more.

Place our Musician of the ...

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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Scott Amendola

Jazz Musician of the Day: Scott Amendola

Source:

All About Jazz is celebrating Scott Amendola's birthday today!

Music writer Derk Richardson’s oft-quoted observation that “If Scott Amendola didn’t exist the San Francisco music scene would have to invent him,” is more true than ever. But what’s become evident in recent years is that the extraordinarily resourceful drummer has evolved into a paragon of self-invention, a bandleader, composer and invaluable creative collaborator at the center of a vast array of improvisational ensembles...Music writer Derk Richardson’s oft-quoted observation that “If ...

137

Performance / Tour

Scott Amendola, Nels Cline & Trevor Dunn in World Premiere with Oakland East Bay Symphony

Scott Amendola, Nels Cline & Trevor Dunn in World Premiere with Oakland East Bay Symphony

Source: Chris M. Slawecki

OAKLAND EAST BAY SYMPHONY PRESENTS THE HEIGHT OF ROMANTICISM, FEATURING THE WORLD PREMIERE BY BANDLEADER, COMPOSER AND DRUMMER SCOTT AMENDOLA FEATURING NELS CLINE OF WILCO PLUS TCHAIKOVSKY'S 4th SYMPHONY AND BERNARD HERRMANN'S SUITE FROM ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S FILM VERTIGO The Oakland East Bay Symphony (OEBS) presents an evening of intensity and drama with its concert The Height of Romanticism, held at 8 pm on Friday, April 15th at Oakland's Paramount Theatre. Venturing through two different eras and regions, OEBS will explore ...

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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Scott Amendola

Jazz Musician of the Day: Scott Amendola

Source:


127

Recording

Scott Amendola Trio - Lift (Sazi Records, 2010)

Scott Amendola Trio - Lift (Sazi Records, 2010)

Source: Music and More by Tim Niland

Drummer and percussionist Scott Amendola is a mainstay on the San Francisco jazz and improvisation scene leading his own bands and collaborating with the likes of Nels Cline and Charlie Hunter. He leads a trio on this album with another exciting guitarist, Jeff Parker, who is active in the Chicago scene, and bassist John Shifflett. The music is multi-faceted, with aspects of groove, jazz and improvised sound-scapes all included. The album begins with “Tudo de Bom" opening with a drum ...

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Recording

Scott Amendola Trio Lift (2010)

Scott Amendola Trio Lift (2010)

Source: Something Else!

By Pico That drummer Scott Amendola must like a lot of the same kind of music that I do, because his name comes up in the credits list of plenty of records that I enjoy. A lot of that has to do with his close association with Nels Cline and being the drummer for the Nels Cline Singers, but he also added his talents to previously reviewed records by David Witham and Sarah Wilson. I can't leave out his participation ...

"(Charlie Hunter and Scott Amendola)...retain a shared enthusiasm for the sheer joy of making music that you can hear in every bar." —Mr. Stu's Record Room "Amendola, who played with Hunter in T.J. Kirk back in the early ’90s, is the perfect partner for the guitarist, complementing his chilled funk with fat propulsion and deft melodic accents and counterpoint that never leave the listener noticing that only two folks are making the noise." —Peter Margasak, emusic “Amendola has complete mastery of every piece of his drumset and the ability to create a plethora of sounds using sticks, brushes, mallets, and even his hands.” —Steven Raphael, Modern Drummer magazine "If Scott Amendola didn't exist, the San Francisco music scene would have to invent him." —Derk Richardson, San Francisco Bay Guardian “...drummer/signal-treater Scott Amendola is both a tyrant of heavy rhythm and an electric-haired antenna for outworldly messages (not a standard combination)." —Greg Burk, LA Weekly

Primary Instrument

Drums

Location

San Francisco

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Photos

Concerts

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Change of Scene

Self Produced
2022

buy

Share the Wealth

Blue Note Records
2020

buy

Flutter to Fuzz

A-Train Creative
2018

buy

Fade to Orange

Sazi Records
2015

buy

The Call

From: Soundtrack For A Film Without...
By Scott Amendola

W1-A

From: Temi Per Cinema
By Scott Amendola

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