The New York Times has called enigmatic jazz legend Jimmy Scott "the most
unjustly ignored American singer of the 20th century." Best known for his lovely high
singing voice, this documentary is an intimate and thoroughly engrossing document
of Scott's life to date. JIMMY SCOTT: IF YOU ONLY KNEW features his unique voice
as well as his odyssey of loss and redemption.
Born one of ten children in 1925, Scott's early years were filled with devastating
hardships. At 12 years old, Scott was diagnosed with Kallmann's Syndrome, a condition
that kept his body -- and signature voice -- from developing beyond boyhood. Seven
months later Scott's beloved mother and the children's sole guardian, was killed in a
tragic accident, and he and his nine siblings were separated and sent to foster homes.
Scott had his big break in the Lionel Hampton Band, but was screwed
by management that he gave up singing and fell into obscurity for decades.
This traumatic period as well as the loss of his mother and consequent loss of family
provides the theme around which If You Only Knew centers. Exhilarating uncut
concert footage, rare archival photos, lush travelogue, and interviews intertwine to
create a document of Scott's lifelong attempt to reunite his family and find solace
through his art. The moody, melancholic, and bittersweet style of this documentary
perfectly complements and mirrors Scott's life and work.
