Jazz clarinetist Tony Scott dead at 85

ROME, March 31 (UPI) -- Jazz clarinetist Tony Scott, who helped his instrument break barriers in the bebop scene, has died at his home in Rome of prostate cancer.

Scott's wife, Cinzia, said the 85-year-old musician had lived in Italy for many years before dying of the prostate complications on Wednesday.

Scott and Buddy DeFranco were considered as the only major clarinetists to take on bebop with the instrument that was known to have a soft sweet sound, The New York Times reported.

Since he also played the saxophone, Scott performed and recorded with some of jazz's biggest names, including Duke Ellington, Ben Webster, Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holiday.

The reason the clarinetist may not be widely known in America is partly because he spent his years performing a wide range of music and also roamed the globe and lived abroad since the late 1950s, the Times said.

Besides his wife, he is survived by two daughters, Monica Sciacca and Nina Shaka, and one grandchild.