Scott Hamilton is a jazz tenor saxophonist associated with swing (music) an… Read Full Bio ↴Scott Hamilton is a jazz tenor saxophonist associated with swing (music) and mainstream jazz.

He emerged in the 1970s and at the time he was considered to be one of the few musicians of real talent who carried the tradition of the classic jazz tenor saxophone in the style of Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins as well as Zoot Sims and Don Byas forward. He began playing in various rhythm & blues outfits in Providence (Rhode Island), but subsequently shifted to jazz and the tenor saxophone. In 1976 he moved to New York City at, in part the recommendation of Roy Eldridge. He there joined Benny Goodman for a period of time. During this time, he also developed an alcohol problem.,[1] In the early 1980's he had formed his own quintet and toured all over the world. By then free from his drinking habit, in 1982 he had matured sufficiently to be able to break away from the spell of mainly Ben Webster and Zoot Sims, of whom he had been criticized of imitating. From this point on both his playing and his tone was very much his own.

Living in New York City, he toured all around the world during the 1980's, playing Japan and all over Europe. He was in particular a recurrent visitor to the UK, Sweden and the Grand Parade du Jazz, held in Nice, France. By the early 1990's he was ready for a next step and by 1994 when he released Organic Duke, he had developed a quite singular style: a large, well rounded but still focused tone and improvising, ostensibly still based on the swing idiom (especially Ellington), but incorporating more modern elements. During this period, he relocated to London, and formed his current quartet, featuring John Pearce (p), Dave Green (b) and Steve Brown (dr). He is currently active touring all over Europe.

He has had over forty albums as a lead most on the Concord Records label.

A Portrait Of Jenny
Scott Hamilton Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

A Portrait of Jennie
More precious to me
Than a masterpiece how ever famous it be

The portrait of Jennie
Is etched on my heart
Where her features have been sketched from the start

Ah, the color and beatuy of life
And the glow of her sprit divine
All cast in heaven's own design

With a portrait of Jennie
I never will part
For there isn't any portrait of Jennie
Except in my heart

For there isn't any portrait of Jennie
Except in my heart

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "A Portrait of Jenny" by Scott Hamilton are a tribute to someone who is incredibly important and special to the singer. The subject in question, Jenny, has left a deep emotional imprint on the singer, something that no painting, no matter how famous or valuable, could ever match. Her essence, her spirit and her beauty are all represented in the portrait that the singer carries with him always, etched on his heart. The singer reflects on how Jenny's presence has added color, beauty and light to his life, all of which are divine, heavenly qualities.

The song is a poignant reminder of the unique and irreplaceable impact that certain individuals can have on our lives. The memory of Jenny is so vivid and powerful that it transcends physical, tangible things, penetrating to the very depths of the singer's heart, where it is destined to stay, never to be parted from. The beauty of Jenny, represented in the portrait which has been sketched from the start, is both temporal and eternal, a testament to the profound and unshakeable effect that she has had on the singer's life.

Line by Line Meaning

A Portrait of Jennie
The artwork that depicts Jennie is significant to me

More precious to me
More valuable to me than anything else

Than a masterpiece how ever famous it be
Even if the most famous artwork is compared, Jennie's portrait surpasses it in my heart

The portrait of Jennie
The artwork that portrays Jennie

Is etched on my heart
Engraved in my memory and emotions

Where her features have been sketched from the start
Where her attributes and qualities have been recorded in my mind since the beginning

Ah, the color and beatuy of life
The charm and vividness of life

And the glow of her sprit divine
And the radiance of her immaculate soul

All cast in heaven's own design
All created according to God's divine plan

With a portrait of Jennie
Possessing a depiction of Jennie

I never will part
I will never be separated from it