Music PR Specialist Scott Thompson Dies at 71

By DownBeat I Nov. 11, 2025

“As one of the finest jazz publicists in the world, he championed artists with integrity and heart,” said writer María Cabeza of her husband, the late PR specialist Scott Thompson (1954–2025).
(Photo: Courtesy scottthompsonpr.com)

Scott Thompson, a world-class public relations specialist who worked with numerous jazz artists as well as prominent institutions like Jazz at Lincoln Center, died Oct. 24 at age 71.

Thompson served as Assistant Director of Public Relations for Jazz at Lincoln Center for almost a decade. He was brought in to help launch the organization’s new facilities in the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle in 2004. He was also publicist for Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola. During that time, he established himself as a leading publicist in the entertainment field, garnering praise from peers and music professionals alike.

With a background in broadcast journalism, Thompson’s voice and work were heard on the Associated Press Radio Network, the Mutual Broadcasting Network and NBC-AM New York. He covered everything from Presidential press conferences to hard news in-field assignments. Thompson co-produced the New Haven Jazz Festival from 1994 to 2000, and worked in the New Haven Mayor’s Office of Information. His experience spanned radio, television, print and the internet. Thompson interviewed everybody from the Defense Secretary of the United States to Frank Zappa.

“Scott was known for his compassion and his ability to truly listen,” said his wife, the freelance writer and translator María Cabeza. “He carried himself quietly, never seeking the spotlight, yet his work and his presence lit the room. As one of the finest jazz publicists in the world, he championed artists with integrity and heart. Music wasn’t just part of his career — it was the rhythm of his soul. His memory will continue in the music he loved, the stories shared, and the hearts forever changed by knowing him.”

A prolific writer, Thompson contributed to DownBeat, JazzTimes, Jazziz and the All Music Guide. He penned the CD liner notes to Herbie Hancock’s 1973 album Head Hunters, Weather Report’s 1979 release 8:30, George Duke’s A Brazilian Love Affair (1979), Stan Getz: The New Collection (1993), The Essence Of Maynard Ferguson (1993) and The Essence Of Al Di Meola (1994). He wrote all the monthly Playbill lead features during his JALC tenure, totaling 80-plus articles. He was one of the original members of the Jazz Journalists Association.

While working in New York, Thompson strengthened his contacts worldwide with his strong communicative skills and his easygoing personality. He worked with CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, NPR, SiriusXM, BBC, NHK, German Television, Spain Television, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, New York Magazine, Time Out and Village Voice. He did public relations work for a huge list of jazz and blues luminaries, including Tony Bennett, George Wein, Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Brubeck, Gerry Mulligan, Milt Jackson, Sonny Rollins, Billy Taylor, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Sonny Stitt, Stan Getz, Ray Charles, Ornette Coleman, Stanley Turrentine, Joe Williams, Ahmad Jamal, Jimmy Heath, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Hank Jones, Roy Haynes, Freddie Hubbard, Gerald Wilson, Ron Carter, Nancy Wilson, Cassandra Wilson, Bucky Pizzarelli, Steve Turre, Joe Lovano, John Scofield, Pat Metheny, Mike Stern, Vernon Reid, John McLaughlin, Joshua Redman, George Duke, Billy Cobham, Carlos Santana, Esperanza Spalding, Gregory Porter, Celia Cruz, Chucho Valdez, Eddie Palmieri, Ray Baretto, Paquito D’Rivera, B.B. King, Freddie King, John Lee Hooker, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmie Vaughan, Taj Mahal, John Mayall, James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite and Son Seals.

He leaves behind a legacy of kindness, humility and music that touched people all over the world. DB