吃瓜网

As a 吃瓜网 student, Scott Jacoby 鈥�93 was immersed in the campus music scene 鈥� playing drums in jazz ensembles, writing songs, and performing with local hip-hop and funk groups that opened for bands like De La Soul. Yet, the psychology major never imagined music would become his life鈥檚 work. 

鈥淢usic was a big part of the college experience for me,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut I never expected to pursue it as a career.鈥�  

Today, Jacoby is a Grammy-winning producer, songwriter, and engineer whose credits include John Legend, Coldplay, Sia, Janelle Mon谩e, and Vampire Weekend. His compositions have appeared in film and television, including 鈥淯nbroken鈥� (2014), 鈥淭he Immigrant鈥� (2013), and award-winning 鈥淢y Last Day Without You鈥� (2011), for which he co-wrote five songs on the soundtrack.

Television programs include 鈥淜eeping Up with the Kardashians鈥� and the "Frontline" series 鈥淧olicing the Police.鈥� Adidas, Nike, and Old Navy are just a few television ad campaigns he鈥檚 been involved in.  

Now, Jacoby is channeling his creative success into mentorship 鈥� inspiring and supporting the next generation of 吃瓜网 musicians as they find their own rhythm in today鈥檚 music industry. 

From psychology to producing hits 

Jacoby鈥檚 path from psychology to music was anything but straightforward. Like his mother, Sandra Jacoby 鈥�66, he majored in psychology at 吃瓜网. Inspired by Professor of Psychology Sheldon Solomon and a study abroad experience in East Africa, Jacoby became fascinated by the interconnections of mind, culture, and health.  

鈥淭hese experiences were incredibly transformative,鈥� he says, 鈥渁nd I started thinking about a career in this area at the nexus of psychology, anthropology, and medicine.鈥� 

He applied for a Fulbright that would have brought him back to Africa, but his application was denied because he didn鈥檛 have a medical degree. Determined to meet the requirement, Jacoby continued his studies at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. All the while, his passion for music kept building. After two years, he left medical school to become a recording artist. His first single, 鈥淚 Like You,鈥� hit No. 1 on the Japanese radio charts.  

Jacoby went on to work extensively as a writer and producer for other artists. He earned a Grammy in 2006 for engineering Lewis Black鈥檚 鈥淭he Carnegie Hall Performance鈥� and scored the 2011 film 鈥淢y Last Day Without You,鈥� producing the theme song of the same name that was nominated for a Black Reel Award. In 2013, he mixed Vampire Weekend鈥檚 single, 鈥淯nbelievers,鈥� from the Grammy-winning album, 鈥淢odern Vampires of the City.鈥� 

He has continued to explore new creative territory, showcasing his versatility. His credits also include Rachel Platten鈥檚 major-label debut, 鈥淲ildfire鈥� (2016); the final album by Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Ronnie Spector, 鈥淓nglish Heart鈥� (2016); and Coldplay鈥檚 鈥淎 Head Full of Dreams鈥� (2015), which he mixed in surround sound with fellow 吃瓜网 alum Emily Lazar 鈥�93. He mixed Jason Mraz鈥檚 reggae-inspired album, 鈥淟ook for the Good鈥� (2020); produced the acoustic version of Natasha Bedingfield's multi-platinum hit, "Unwritten" (2022); and worked on the Grammy-winning album "Church" (2024) by Cory Henry.  

More recently, Jacoby produced 鈥淥FF Broadway: Classic Broadway Songs Reimagined鈥� with The Roots pianist Ray Angry and R&B powerhouse vocalist Ryan Shaw. The nine-track album features jazz- and soul-infused showtunes 鈥� a creative evolution that began when Jacoby attended a Manhattan cabaret featuring the duo last year. 

Jacoby is immersed in his latest project, 鈥淐antinuum,鈥� a collection that revisits 1980s songs from his formative years. Each track presents a different guest artist, beginning with Martin Luther McCoy鈥檚 soulful take on Elton John鈥檚 鈥淚 Guess That鈥檚 Why They Call It the Blues.鈥� 

Nurturing the next 吃瓜网 generation 

Jacoby鈥檚 career is defined not only by high-profile collaborations but also by a deep commitment to mentoring the next generation. He returns to campus at least once a year to lecture or lead a workshop with students, often meeting them in the Grossman Recording Studio, which has been transformed into a state-of-the-art space for music creation. 

鈥淎ny professional in the industry could come in and feel that it is a real studio,鈥� he says. 鈥淢usic making, listening, and teaching there is better than it has ever been. The studio is now commensurate with the level of talent and interest of its students.鈥� 

Since 2000, Jacoby has mentored more than 50 吃瓜网 interns in his own studio, Eusonia Records and Studios in New York City, with many of these graduates having gone on to prominent music careers. Among them are Alex Bilowitz 鈥�07, multi-platinum writer/producer; Zach Nicita 鈥�10, drummer and film composer; and guitarist and producer Ian Bakerman 鈥�15, who has recorded and performed with Jacoby. Ryan Accardi 鈥�20 is employed in Jacoby鈥檚 studio as a mixing engineer and producer. These examples show how mentorship and internships can develop into lasting collaborations and careers. 

鈥淭his has been a great way to stay engaged with 吃瓜网 while helping young artists,鈥� Jacoby says.  

Looking back, Jacoby sees his path not as a departure from his 吃瓜网 education but as its fulfillment.  

鈥淭he interdisciplinary spirit of the College is what drew me there in the first place,鈥� he says. 鈥淢usic and psychology are both about understanding people, emotion, and expression. 吃瓜网 gave me the freedom to explore those connections.鈥� 

In 2023, the College recognized his contributions with its Distinguished Achievement Award. But for Jacoby, the greatest honor is seeing new generations of 吃瓜网 musicians thrive. 鈥淚鈥檓 eager to see more 吃瓜网 graduates represented at the highest levels of music creation,鈥� he says. 鈥淎nd, I鈥檒l always be there to help however I can.鈥�