Janice Scroggins

Janice Scroggins - (photo by Webmaster)
Janice at the 1999 Waterfront Blues Festival

Janice at Flying Heart Records  

Muddy Awards

Related Links

    This well-respected musician has a strong foundation and full history of musical performance in this town, having resided in Portland for the past 20 years. Over those years, she has stepped on stage and has also recorded with many of our local talents, who have nothing but praise for her. I was absolutely amazed at the immense amount of praise bestowed upon this artist.

    Janice speaks in a matter of fact manner of simply having played music most of her life: "It has been a very natural part of everyday life for me." Early musical introduction was through her mother and grandmother, both of whom accompanied choirs. Janice and her siblings were always brought along to the rehearsals. As a child, she was also exposed to The Modern Jazz Quartet. "Music was never separated from anything else we did at home." With exposure to many different types of music, Janice started playing gospel, spiritual, classical and pop. She was never discouraged from playing what she desired. "I feel that I developed my form and foundation in the church."

    It was Janice's choice to play the piano, and conveniently, there was one in the family home. At the age of six, she began formal lessons which lasted for several years. She credits Lenore Wilson in Oklahoma as her early instructor.  Janice's original home is Oklahoma, having also lived in Oakland, California from the period 1969 to 1979, after which she moved to the Rose City. Janice has a toddler son, a teen daughter and an older daughter who has also provided her with a grandson. She proudly mentions that the offspring are all musical.  They certainly have a fine model in Janice.

    When I asked about favorites with whom she has played, Janice credits several artists. Thara Memory is a trumpet player, composer and educator who also works with Mel Brown. "He was the first musician I met when I moved up here.  He gave me a lot of music that first day we met; I was getting more into Jazz at the time.  A friend of my cousin who was also a bus driver, suggested that I go to the Albina Arts Center, where Mel was running a Jazz workshop."

    Janice has since compiled a long list of local artists with whom she has worked. She performed with Norman Sylvester in a Blues band for approximately six years: "That was about 15 years ago" she recalls, just before her daughter was born.  As a trio, she performed for several years with Curtis Salgado and Lloyd Jones at the former Cafe Vivo.  Then it was the Dandelion Pub with a four-piece group with Curtis, John Mazzacco on bass and Jeff Minnieweather on drums.

    West African drummer Obo Addy is another favorite with whom Janice has been playing fairly steady since 1994.   It has involved some travel across the U.S. and even into Africa in 1994, where she met her husband.  She is on the recently released Obo Addy CD, "Wonche Bi ". Janice still travels occasionally, but misses her family when she is away.   She would prefer to be able to take the family along more often, but also realizes that she needs a little rest at some point.

    When I asked Janice about particular gigs which stand out, she reminisced about "a really wonderful experience."  She described being called on to play several concerts with the Oregon Symphony Summer Series as a guest soloist in a few local parks. S o, performing "The Entertainer" with the Symphony has been a definite highlight in her career.  Janice mentions there are many that DO stand out.  Another was when Thara Memory was conducting the Marylhurst Symphony and she was invited to participate in that performance, along with Mel Brown, Renato Caranto, Bruce Smith and others.

    Janice feels fortunate to have performed with so many talented people and in such favorable situations. She continues to play Blues and Jazz with Thara Memory and the Super Band the first and second Saturday of each month at Jimmy Maks (10th & NW Everett).  In reference to these gigs, Janice firmly states, "We just play." She also performs with Paul deLay as a trio, along with drummer, Kelly Dunn, at the Sweet Oregon Grill on Cornelius Pass Road.  The Women in Blues is another opportunity to be on stage; additionally, Janice also performs quite often with Linda Hornbuckle.

    Another interesting opportunity for Janice has been her work with Theresa Demarest on "Keiko's Dream".  Together, they have presented concerts, attended by an oceanographer, who speaks on the topic.  Part of the concert proceeds go toward Oceans Futures, an organization involved in helping to develop an awareness of the condition of these great bodies of water.  Jacques Cousteau's son is involved with this project.  It is obvious that music is many, many things to this woman.

    I asked Janice about her filling in with Delbert McClinton when he was at the Zoo this past summer. Lloyd Jones referred Janice to Delbert, who called her that same day.  "How did you prepare for the show?" Janice: "I had picked up a CD and made notes on the charts.  At the zoo, I went over a few things with the guitar player. And, of course, once you get on stage, they do other things, so you just do the best you can. Delbert asked me if I was scared.  I told him `No, I don't have enough energy to be scared: You just do the best you can do.'" It is clear that Janice does exactly that each time she graces the stage: Her absolute best.

    Jefferson High School is where Janice can be found each afternoon of every school day.  She has been employed as a piano teacher there the last couple of years. Janice describes Jefferson as a performing arts school. "The families of students attending the school have fought to keep the musical and dance portion of the education, despite the fact that some past administrators have tried to change that. The school was constructed that way, there is a piano room with 13 or so pianos, a music production room where students can record their own songs, a television station, numerous practice rooms, a choir room and a large band room.  Unfortunately, there is no band at the school right now, although we are trying to develop interest among the students.  It has the biggest music facility and music library in the state.  Ken Berry, who served first as Vice Principal and later, Principal at the school, came with the background and vision to build on this greatness." Her own daughter is a student at Jefferson and is involved in choir and music production; she is also a writer and singer.

    Strictly a piano keyboard player, Janice also writes and arranges work with many vocalists.  I asked Janice whether she had a favorite instrument, attempting to categorize her with a guitarist.  Janice said she would love to have several keyboards, preferably Kurzweil brand, or maybe a Steinway 9' grand; perhaps a Bosendorfer, with the extra added notes at the end - retail at Moe's: $85.000.

    When I spoke with Janice, she was heading off to play a rehearsal for "My Castle Is Rocking", the Alberta Hunter Story, which runs Jan 10th thru Feb 17th at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center. Actress Demene Hall portrays the sole character with accompaniment by Janice. The performance is being produced by the Artist Repertory Theater Second Stage.

    Janice states that she has always looked at music as being a form of prayer, meditation and healing. "I haven't talked about it much, I've just always done it:"  She recalls being at a point where, "I was really, really struggling; there are some things I still would like to have in order to make life easier. But, it's not a struggle when I look at the source where everything comes: God as being that source."  She sits down and plays as part of her praying and looks for it to come.  She has been healed of a great many things, even when there were times that it took great effort to play, which she doesn't speak of much.  Janice described to me how her elder daughter had a blood disease last year. "I prayed, read the Psalms and the Bible; the Psalms turned into songs which got me through that period."  Her daughter amazingly made a rapid recovery.

    Her inspiration comes from these prayers/this music that is all from God and gives Janice her strength. "I visualize what I want and need to have and that's what you have to do.  I have visualized the places I want to play and the types of music and it's been happening.  Music is something that I love to do and something you can learn and do forever.  It works the mind and everything.  The more I play the more I get into spiritual things; it's all connected."

    I had the opportunity to speak with several local musicians for their thoughts on Janice Scroggins:

    Drawback Slim has known Janice since January, 1990.  "The first time I heard Janice, she sent me up the wall!  I'd really got to hear her at the International Blues Festival in 1990.  I never heard anyone who could play like that, and I have played with a lot of keyboard players in my life.  She nailed everything.  Every place we played she was flawless, inventive, creative - she was right there.  She's on my CD, "Blues From The Wild West".   She's like my little sister; she played at my wedding and we occasionally have lunch together.   She is like an enigma and has to look you over before she can give you that part of her.  But, she gives the musical part of her anyway and gives you what you ask for right off the bat; she helps set the tone. Janice is a "Keyboard Goddess!"

    I could hear Lloyd Jones smile that sweet smile of his on the other end of the phone when I called to ask him about Janice.  "She's still my favorite person in the whole wide world to play with.  She is inspiring and patient, at least on my behalf!  And such a joy to be around!  If I had to choose someone to play with all the time, it would be her. Everybody loves her"

    Norman Sylvester first performed with Janice in 1986, and has been doing so off and on since that time.  They performed together full time for quite a few years and opened for B.B. King in '87 at the Schnitz, featuring Janice on a baby grand.  "She is an awesome player and one of the most sought after keyboard players in the area. She has total recall and remembers songs she's played years ago with bands. Janice was very instrumental in helping me format and get my first product out, a cassette, which was recently remixed and released on CD: "On the Right Track".  She is also on the Rose City Blues vinyl compilation, pre-Waterfront Blues.  Janice is my music soul mate and has helped me a lot.  It has gone full circle now that she is working with my daughter. She is serious about her trade. When she is on stage, she's doing music- and usually a couple steps ahead of me!  The wheels are turning in her head all the time and she acts as a compliment to my music, more so than anybody in town. That's why everybody loves to work with her.  She is very serious about music.  She never has a bad night and holds up her end of the stage.  Janice brings out the best in me; she's a good friend and part of the family."

    Lenanne Sylvester described "Black Satin", a project on which she and Janice have collaborated. It is a tribute to black female vocalists and women in music, and their impact on the history of American music. "They are women whose work we have always wanted to perform and have influenced our own musical interest".  The show ran during the months of January, February and June in Eugene at the Actor's Cabaret.  Having known Janice since 1986, Lenanne states, "She is an amazingly talented and gifted woman, having been blessed with an exquisite talent that benefits everyone who has the opportunity to listen and see her. She is a wonderful friend and musician; it gives me nothing but the utmost joy to work with her. We performed together in my Dad's band and again since 1996, when we started doing duo work together; so we have worked in duo, trio and quartet forms over the course of the last six years. She is a vocalist's dream."

    Obo Addy reinforced Janice's talents: "She's a wonderful musician; she has a very good ear and a very good talent rhythmically.  Janice plays any kind of music; I don't know how to classify her. When I first came here in 1979, I played with Thara Memory and that's when I met her. Since then, first we played on and off for a while, and then maybe 10 years ago she joined my band."

    Terry Robb told me: "I could write a small book about how great I think Janice Scroggins is.  In a nutshell, I can tell you that if I had a choice to pick any piano player in the country to play Blues, I would pick her.  She is just wonderful to work with in the studio; she's so professional and brings something to it from another place. I never have to give her much direction.  There have been times when we have done a take and the engineer and I just look at each other with our mouths open because she has just elevated things to a higher level.  Janice is just an absolutely great musician, and it is really an honor to know her."

    Paul deLay: "I think Janice is the finest, most gift musician we have in Portland and can probably lay claim to a much larger territory than that; I think she's a world leader, really. She can play in any given style with equal fluidity. I have been working with her for several years and have heard her miss about a note and a half - if that. What struck me the other day, I was doing a gig outdoors with her and I was just basically sort of struggling away, trying to get from one end of the tune to the other for most of the set.  And, as we usually do with the trio, we back off and let her do a solo tune.  All of a sudden I started to notice my surroundings:- `Hey, there's beautiful trees! . . . and look at the clouds! . . .'  Her playing was so beautiful it just made me glad to be alive.  She can also put away WAY more habanero hot sauce than anybody; I couldn't possibly keep up!"

    Editor's Note: Janice Scroggins is an honored member of the CBA's "Muddy Award Hall Of Fame" and, again, she just recently won the CBA "Muddy Award" for "Best Keyboardist" for 2001.

© 2002 Cascade Blues Association