Rhoda Scott

Born in 1938 in New Jersey, United States, Rhoda Scott was raised in a religious environment where gospel played a central role and discovered the organ at an early age by accompanying services led by her father, a pastor. Later based in New York, she studied jazz in the clubs, performed on the stages of Harlem and developed an organ style marked by swing, blues and soul—earning her the nickname “Barefoot Lady” because she often played barefoot. At the end of the 1960s Rhoda Scott settled in France and built a lasting relationship with the French jazz scene, alternating trio lineups, solo projects and collaborations with saxophonists and drummers from both hard bop and modern jazz. Her work blends standards, spirituals and original compositions, with a strong gospel influence and particular attention to bass lines and repetitive grooves. Over the decades she has performed in numerous clubs, festivals and concert halls across Europe and North America, while also pursuing educational initiatives and leading ensembles such as her Lady Quartet, which extend her exploration of the jazz organ in a collective setting.