Scott Hall was raised in the countryside of Rockton, Illinois. Every day on his way to school, Scott would trudge down the long gravel drive, past the fields of beans and corn, trumpet case in hand. He joined the beginning band in fourth grade. Originally wanting to play the drums, his parents encouraged him to play the cornet. Despite his slow start the first year of band, he became very serious with playing the trumpet after moving ahead of his class to the top concert band. By the sixth grade, his dream was to become a musician. In seventh grade he began a three-year period with the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps, traveling and performing competition shows. He was happy to be playing every day with college music majors. He learned the discipline it takes to become a skilled musician.
 
 
 
 
 

After one year of high school, he moved on to going to summer music camps where he met other good musicians who contributed greatly to his development. At the age of sixteen, he began playing professionally with local big bands. The Jack Farina Big Band was based in Beloit, Wisconsin. He performed there with his teacher Jim Simmons. The Moonlight Jazz Orchestra was comprised of the best players in the Rockford area. These bands gave him the experience of sight reading music, and improvising.

He attended Northern Illinois University on a jazz scholarship, and became a trumpeter and arranger for Ron Modell’s NIU Jazz Ensemble. He performed with such guests artists as Clark Terry, James Moody, Arnie Lawrence, Slide Hampton, Bill Dobbins, Jon Faddis, Steve Turre, Ed Thigpen, Louis Bellson, Mel Torme, and others.
 
 
 
 
 

Next stop: Chicago! He received a scholarship for graduate work in jazz composition, and performed and arranged with Bob Lark’s DePaul University Jazz Ensemble. Scott began arranging under Antonio Garcia at NIU; at DePaul his mentors were Paul McKee, Manny Mendelson, Cliff Colnot, Brad Williams, and George Flynn. Today he enjoys a varied fare of musical activity from day to day. Teaching students in a variety of settings. Performing with Barry Winograd’s Alternative’s Big Band and William Russo’s Chicago Jazz Ensemble. Arranging music for big band recordings, composing symphonic concert band pieces, or transcribing pop music. It’s a daily schedule full of the challenges he relishes.