Scott Lamps is an award-winning American composer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. A student of Joel Naumann, Stephen Dembski, Leslie Thimmig and legendary bassist Richard Davis (Miles Davis, John Lennon, Van Morrison), Lamps earned his BM in Music Composition from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI.
His work is informed by a vast knowledge of music history, instrumental and vocal traditions, and more than a decade as a nationally-touring performer. Known for his chameleon-like ability to adapt to different musical styles, Lamps has “the ability to convey, the illusive gift.” (Local Sounds Magazine) A prolific composer, he has written hundreds of songs, 5 musical theater works and several film scores in addition to more than 50 albums as producer and hundreds as a multi-instrumentalist.
Lamps performs and records on many instruments including upright and electric bass, acoustic and electric guitars, piano and keyboards, banjo, saxophones, clarinet, percussion and programmed drums. He is one half of the electronic duo CHANTS, due out with its sophomore release this winter. He frequently plays upright bass with folk-soul singer IDA JO, an artist for whom he also writes songs on occasion.
His film scores and theater works are a cross between the sophistication of his classical training and the everyman sensibilities of his folk, rock and gospel background.
In his twenties, Lamps was the music director, producer, bassist and contributing songwriter for acoustic-pop group THE PROFITS. The group toured nationally and independently sold more than 10,000 albums. He left the group to focus on composing and immediately found collaborators among Chicago’s film and theater community, including visionary playwright and director Andrew Park. Park and Lamps have a long and fruitful creative relationship with 5 musical plays in as many years, including the Jeff Award-winning EVOLUTION/CREATION.
In 2009 songwriter Richard Trentlage, famous for writing “I Wish I Were an Oscar Mayer Wiener”, donated the banjo-ukulele from the original recording to the Wisconsin Historical Society. Lamps was chosen to play the jingle on the celebrated banjo-uke for one final time before the instrument was retired.
AWARDS:
Scott Lamps’ collection of piano pieces Evensong was honored with two MAMA Awards including “Best Classical Album” and “Best Classical Song” (2010). Lamps provided music for the Regional Emmy-Winning documentary Under the Ice (2009) about the tradition of Sturgeon spearing in central Wisconsin. His long standing collaboration with playwright Andrew Park has yielded five musical plays including the Jeff Award Winning Evolution/Creation (2010) which was nominated for “Best New Work” and “Best Musical Production.” As a producer Lamps’ work has been awarded for “Best R&B Song”, “Best Faith-Based Song”, “Best Jazz Album”, “Best Pop Artist” and “Best Acoustic Artist.”
