Tom Reneys writings delve into the history and mystery of jazz, blues, and beyond. LaFaro died in an automobile accident in the summer of 1961 in Flint, New York on U.S. 20 between Geneva and Canandaigua, two days after accompanying Stan Getz at the Newport Jazz Festival. I would love to see it. Pianist Pat Moran, who led a trio that Scott toured and recorded with in 1958, says he was was very aware of his genius and used to love to go into clubs and intimidate bass playersHe was quite a character, lots of fun. Moran is little known today as Patti Moran McCoy, butin 1960 LaFaro was quoted ina profile written by Martin Williams forJazz Review, I dont even like any of my records except maybe the first one I did with Pat Moran., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HAbUcKTdcI. We never got to enjoy it as a concert venue in our day, unfortunately. Stan said fine. Kuhn and drummer Pete LaRoca were Scottys choices, but in the midst of a two-week engagement at the Sutherland Hotel on Chicagos Southside, LaFaro had got tired of LaRocas playing. Brockton-born alto player and clarinetist Dick Johnson was also on the band. Evans and Dolphy dont feature on a couple tunes, while LaFaro is the constant. There is also a street off of Seneca Street, just across from the Smith Opera House, that has been renamed Scott LaFaro Way. Despite his short career, he remains one of the most influential jazz bassists, and was ranked number 16 on Bass Player magazine's top 100 bass players of all time.[2]. New England Public Media | In fact, the tune Glorias Step, was an outgrowth of his interest in those chords. He also recalls getting the call from Scotty to spell the ailing Evans for a couple of nights at the Jazz Gallery. Freidman, LaRoca, and LaFaro recorded a demo session in 61 thats now available in a companion CD to the biography,Pieces of Jade. He stuck with his new hire, offered Scotty the option of plane fare to New York or L.A., and showed him the door. [1] He played in groups at the College Spa and Joe's Restaurant[4] on State Street in downtown Ithaca. He took up bass because he was required to play a stringed instrument at Ithaca College. Your family ended up following Scotty out to California. They spent so much time discussing music, listening to records, at the piano, they were inseparable. According to Paul Motian, the death of LaFaro left Bill Evans "numb with grief", "in a state of shock", and "like a ghost". [My] early years at the university were thoroughly engaging intellectually but were also a time of deep introspection. My dad loved the director, so we had to go and have that experience as well. He says they formed an immediate friendship, and that musically, Id never felt such an instant connection. According to Paul Motian, the death of LaFaro left Bill Evans "numb with grief", "in a state of shock", and "like a ghost". Security video shows a crash in the Reseda neighborhood of Los Angeles which left a driver dead. My mom was still pregnant with my last sister. Nov 13, 2008 #2 Mark Carlsen Oct 4, 2004 Composer: Gillespie It was then he fell in love with the tenor saxophone. Ornettes group with Don Cherry and Ed Blackwell played the Village Gate for three weeks in August and September followed by engagements in Philadelphia and Detroit. Taking a tip from Red Mitchell, he trained himself to pluck the strings of his bass with his index and middle finger independently. In a December 29, 1960 letter addressed to his lover Gloria Gabriel, the dancer to whom he dedicated Glorias Step, he wrote, One important thing is that I realize day by day the true artist and musician is becoming more and more meaningless in terms of public comprehension. After three months at Ithaca College, he concentrated on bass. He was his own thing. ~ Scott Yanow. His death came just ten days after recording two live albums with the Bill Evans Trio, Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby, albums considered among the finest live jazz recordings. His sense of time was freer, less tied to the ground beat, than any jazz bassist had previously acheivedIt is not going too far to see this short-lived trio as redefining the nature of the jazz rhythm section. We had to have a strong rhythm section and he was definitely of that caliberHe was a dedicated personintolerant of anyone who wasnt giving his best., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ngs04EXtDwk. So they were constantly trying for fresh approaches and fresh improvisationsAnd Bill told me, I remember it exactly, If I played the same lick on a tune two nights in a row, the next time I playe dit Scott would play it with me in harmonyhe would actually harmonize it so that at that point it was time for me to get rid of that lick and move on to something else.Is that what LaFaro was trying to bring to Getzs attention at the Blackhawk? Composer: LaFaro LaFaro-Fernandez: Dad (Joe LaFaro) never forced us to play music. Pictures of people only please! Performers: Bill Evans, p; Scott LaFaro, b; Paul Motian, d. 7 May 1960. ), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gzwXQGvXgc, LaFaro signed on with Stan Kenton for a tour in the spring of 1959. Dont get fancy, no double beatsPlay whats written.LaFaro flew east, passed the audition, and signed on for a six-week tour of one-nighters with Goodman. . Jade Visions: The Life and Music of Scott LaFarorecounts how three days after his appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival with the Stan Getz Quartet, hed driven to Geneva, NY to take care of some business related to his mothers home there. [17], When I was in L.A., Scotty LaFaro and I roomed together. We are in a fix! Is that a bass thing? Bill Evans. Evans, LaFaro, and Motian were committed to the idea of three equal voices in the trio, working together for a singular musical idea and often without any musician explicitly keeping time. On date night, people would end up at The Smith. Stan Levey. Member Of . Evans, according to Motian, would play "I Loves You Porgy," a song with which he and LaFaro became synonymous, almost obsessively, but always as a solo piece. He was excited. LaFaro and his stellar bandmates pianist Don Friedman and drummer Pete LaRoca run through four jazz standards, including two takes of Sacre Blu. LaFaro died in an automobile accident on July 6, 1961 in Flint, New York on U.S. Route 20 between Geneva and Canandaigua, four days after accompanying Stan Getz . Scotty was on the road at the time, in California. Performers: Buddy Morrow, tb; Walt Stewart, tp; Dick Johnson, as; Scott LaFaro, b; plus unidentified other musicians. Read more about this topic: Scott LaFaro, Time is here and youll go his way.Your lung is waiting in the death market.Your face beside me will grow indifferent.Darling, you will yield up your belly and becored like an apple.Anne Sexton (19281974), Poor fellow never joyed since the price of oats rose, it wasthe death of him.William Shakespeare (15641616), Ai! Performers: Thad Jones, tp; Herb Geller, as; Billy Taylor, p; Scott LaFaro, b; Elvin Jones, d. June 1959. The Scott La Faro book was wonderful. ", In 1966, Evans spoke with George Clabinabout what he called his "complexand quick relationship" with Scotty, and said his technique was "built throughintuitive insightand fire, as some kind of a spark in him which took over and he would just grab the bass and he would work and work and work and work and he would just lay it down. Q: What kind of influence did your father have on your brothers music? That show typically includes stories about LaFaro, who forever changed the jazz worlds concept of what bass playing could accomplish with his counter-melodic style. Pianist Prez was then a professor at the New England Conservatory; his student, Read More Explaining the Taubman Approach, Everyone knows that Joe Williams sang the hell out of the blues, but do you know what else he sang the hell out of? Composer: Rosolino Let us be grateful that he didnt rest easy during what would prove to be the last Christmas season of his life, for in December 1960, he was called in for a couple of dates that we must look to every bit as much as the June 1961 Village Vanguard recordings to fully appreciate him. 2023 Smith Center for the Arts, All rights reserved. What kind of influence did your father have on your brothers music? Hentoff heard LaFaro as the most important new bassist since Paul Chambers and Wilbur Ware, and added, It may be necessary to add for those hearing LaFaro for the first time that his bass is not electronically amplified. He wanted the conversation back and forth between each of the players, and he wanted to play melody. He waited until we got interested, and then he was totally supportive. The highlight of the session was Scotts original, Misery (to Lady Day). Evans biographer Peter Pettinger said of the dedication to Billie Holiday, Not much happens, but a wavelength is established. Scott died instantly and the world lost a talented andinnovative musical voice. We would explore all around our neighborhood on West Street our house was where the elementary school is. Performers: Hampton Hawes, p; Harold Land, ts; Scott Lafaro, b; Frank Butler, d. 14 Mar 1958. Smith Opera House is owned and operated by the Smith Center for the Arts, a private not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. Sign in to continue reading, Sixty years after the bass greats untimely death, a look at his musical legacy beyond the Bill Evans Trio. Available Qualities. His records with Bill Evans are among the finest jazz trio discs ever made. Scott LaFaro was an American jazz musician whose technique on the double bass left an indelible impression on future artists even though he died in a car accident in 1961 when he was just 25 years.. Everyone heard him. As such, the album is a sort of memorial record for him; all of the tracks featured were either written by him, or feature a bass solo performed by him as the centerpiece of the track. The young bassist was friends to other artists and art during his all-too brief sojourn upon the mortal coil. Expansive range was a totem of the LaFaro sound, the idea that the bass was so much a bass that it was also not a bass and more than a bass. In the mid 1950s, at the Los Angeles music scene, he became known as one of. California had affordable education, and we could all go to college. The great bassist is best known for his work with the Bill Evans Trio between 1959 and 61, and for the tragic car accident that claimed his life on July 6, 1961, two weeks after the trios legendary performance at the Village Vanguard. LaFaro died in an automobile accident on July 6, 1961 in Flint, New York on U.S. Route 20 between Geneva and Canandaigua, four days after accompanying Stan Getz at the Newport Jazz Festival. 52.119.1.55 We were like brothers., Six months before the session with Kuhn, LaFaro recorded with trumpeter Booker Little on April 13 and 15. I suppose technically, yes, though its also far more, and thats a LaFaro thing. [9], Writing for AllMusic, music critic Thom Jurek wrote of the album: "While the Sunday at the Village Vanguard album focused on material where LaFaro soloed prominently, this is far more a portrait of the trio on those dates Of the many recordings Evans issued, the two Vanguard dates and Explorations are the ultimate expressions of his legendary trio. In 2007, 46 years later, Roy introduced Helene to the great bassist Christian McBride. Lafaro's innovative bass playing, which combined virtuoso technique with a counter-melodic conception, was captured in all its glory at the Vanguard on June 25, 1961. Perhaps one thinks of the contrast, as I do: the balmy New England coast, sailboats alongside the bandstand, and then the hard, unforgiving asphalt of the interstate. Also, the last picture taken by a person just before their death is acceptable. Orrin Keepnews told Helene that when the trio recorded its second session,Explorations,on February 2, 1961, Scott was being very explicit about his problem; he was very reluctant to go back on the road unless it was for a lot more money. Bill Evans Trio. LaFaro spent most of his days practicing his instrument. 1950s - 1960s. Performers: Chet Baker, tp; Phil Urso, ts; Francy Boland, p; Larance Marable, d; Scott LaFaro, b. I return to the idea of the helmsman, because LaFaro always plays as if hes en route to some vital destination, and hes helping to take other musicians there, and, of course, those of us who are listening in. He used a Zen epigram in the closing of his letter to Gloria: Im trying to remember a bit of Zen I like so well: If you seek the fruits ofgood actionso shall they escape you. I try to smile everyday with that., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uugimR8honE, When I asked Kuhn if Scotty had similar anxieties about touring with Getz, he said no, but he recalled a bandstand incident between the bassist and the tenor player whom Kuhn called extraordinarily paranoid. One night at the Blackhawk in San Francisco, he said, they clashed. Click to reveal Joining Palombi on this date are Don Friedman and Eliot Zigmund. Evans was an articulate interweaver of a pianist, a melodic speaker, a filigree lord rather than a rhythm king. Dave Green joins Alyn Shipton to pick the essential recordings of fellow bassist Scott LaFaro's brief but brilliant career, including work with Bill Evans. These two albums, recorded less than two weeks prior: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ_rZZusz90 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbTEgBEaEM4. Bill had first heard Scotty with Chet Baker three years earlierNot long after we were back off the Goodman tour, there was a call waiting for Scottythat Bill wanted him to work with him., The first meeting of what became known as the trio took place at a Tony Scott recording date on October 28 and 29, 1959. Its there for a reason, and thats not solely to complement the proof of the magic that occurred at a New York City club in late June 1961. Performers: Bill Evans, p; Scott LaFaro, b; Paul Motian, d. Village Vanguard, 25 June 1961. Ornette Coleman was another musician who appeared on the Jazz Abstractions datebut as with Dolphy and Evans, on just half the recordand I often imagine the conversations he might have had with LaFaro during breaks and between takes about what Coleman had in mind for the next day. The group attended the funeral in Geneva, which Kuhn adds was closed casket., LaFaro's death was devastating to Bill Evans. The great bassist is best known for his work with the Bill Evans Trio between 1959 and '61, and for the tragic car accident that claimed his life on July 6, 1961, two weeks after the trio's . Later we moved to Elmwood Place, and during the summer we would spend many of our days at the Brook Street Playground. Advice and guidance to those interested in building a library of jazz recordings. Read More Joe Williams: Beyond the Blues, As a JazzTimes writer, I can talk about the powers of a dynamic drummer until Im blue in the face: the weight of each tom-toms Read More Chops: What Bassists Listen for in Drummers, America's jazz resource, delivered to your inbox. Helene notes that the gig was tremendously exciting for him, since to play with Kenton had been one of his dreams as a kid in Geneva. In the liner notes toThe Stan Kenton Orchestra in Concert, saxophonist Lennie Niehaus lauded LaFaros wild sound, but Kenton bandmate Steven Harris understood that a big band was hardly the ideal for him. ~ Charles A. Ralston, A Site About Dead Musicians and how they got that way. Victor Feldman. A post-bass bass player, maybe. Such is the legacy of bassist Scott LaFaro, though I would suggest that what was was more than we often think. HOMETOWN Newark, NJ, United States of America BORN April 3, 1936 Similar Artists Paul Motian. Scotty had the concept for a trio to be conversational instead of the classic structure, instead of bass and drummer just keeping time. LaFaro is best known as the bassist in Bill Evans' groundbreaking trio, and also worked with Chet Baker, Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins and the Stan Kenton Orchestra. Composer: Styne / Sondheim While his music education began in grade school with piano and then clarinet and tenor saxophone in junior high and high school, he didnt start playing bass until his senior year, and only because a string instrument was required for his enrollment at Ithaca College, where his intent was to major in clarinet and tenor saxophone. Dad (Joe LaFaro) never forced us to play music. Later in high school, kids would go to the movies with their friends, or boyfriends, or girlfriends. Pianist Walter Norris described him as a "wild fire," and said "he never used any stimulants to enhance life, but his every moment was seriously lived to the fullest." Elsewhere, a legacy is a reflection on what might have been, based on a limited amount of what was. He died near Geneva in an auto accident in 1961. One of the most substantial biographies Ive read in recent years is the 2009 publication that Helene LaFaro-Fernandez devoted to her brother Scott. Each year during the first week of April, The Smith hosts the Scott LaFaro Day Celebration concert that features a contemporary bass player. Scott Yanow, All-Music GuideScott LaFaros life and career were cut short in July of 1961. The bass was badly damaged in the automobile accident that killed him, but was eventually restored and is sporadically used in performance to honor LaFaro. Motian operated the same way; if anything, he was even more of a painter than the leader. LaFaro broke new ground on the instrument, developing a countermelodic style of accompaniment rather than playing traditional walking basslines, as well as virtuosity that was practically unmatched by any of his contemporaries. It is well remembered as the final performance by the Evans trio of the time, which included bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian. He was with Buddy Morrows band (1955-56), toured with Chet Baker (1956-57) and worked during the next few years with Ira Sullivan, Barney Kessel, Cal Tjader and Benny Goodman among others. At age 12 he was recommended for the Ithaca Conservatory of Music, where he was classically trained in violin. Im in the position of having nothing you can put your finger on for sale., Evanss drug addiction was also a matter of concern for LaFaro. Shortly after, he acquired a bass made in 1825 in Concord, New Hampshire by Abraham Prescott. Tonight Show, 14 Feb 1957. You can read our interview with Holland. It was there his career exploded. we do worse! MTV, EMA and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. Diasporic Reflections: Four Black Creatives Making Art Tinged With Legacy, Joshua Renfroe, Kuukua Eshun, Aja Monet, and Mike Abrantie tell MTV News about purpose and perspective in Black communities worldwide, Bop Shop: Songs From Kelela, PinkPantheress And Ice Spice, The Boyz, And More, The boy might be a liar, but the memes simply don't lie, SZA Brings Her Fans On An Emotional Voyage On 'SOS' Tour, In Chicago, the second night of her arena showcase found the singer sailing across a sea of victory, The musician discusses how art about half-human, half-mechatronic beings alongside their gender and racial identities informs their debut album, Bop Shop: Songs From Jay Park, The Aces, Indigo De Souza, And More, Boutique beats, R&B explorations, stinging solitude, and more, Wesley Joseph's 'Beautiful Chemistry' Of Audio And Visual Language, The British artist's new album 'Glow' is only half the story. Thanks to Rifftides readers Frank Roellinger and Svetlana Ilyicheva for alerting us that last Thursday, Geneva honored LaFaro on his 78th birthday by proclaiming April 3rd its first annual Scott LaFaro Day. It is LaFaros bass that makes this thing go, such as it does go. We spoke with LaFaro-Fernandez by phone to give us a glimpse on her brothers formative years in Geneva. The 25-year-old Scott LaFaro's death in a car accident shortly after was a major shock to the jazz world. Find him on the web at colinfleminglit.com (where he maintains the unique online journal, the Many Moments Moreblog) and on Twitter @colinfleminglit. Already a member? Killed in a car accident aged just 25, Scott LaFaro was widely regarded as the most technically gifted bassist of the 20th Century. As weve already noted regarding the time period right around his tragic death, LaFaro packed a lot of art into his days. Yes, the Evans dynamic provided him with a perfect setting. Just about any jazz fan knows that on June 25, the 25-year-old had been in NYC as part of Bill Evans trio at the Village Vanguard, cutting the Sunday live date that will be reissued and repackaged so long as the earth continues to spin. A copy of the latest annual report may be obtained from the Smith Center or from the Office of the Attorney General, Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271. When Scotty was in sixth grade we took our first piano lessons. Scott Yanow, All-Music Guide Scott LaFaro's life and career were cut short in July of 1961. More on his story here. Our Dad was from here. She writes, What he said not only had an impact on me, but seemed to sum up much of what I had been hearing as I talked to musicians. He got his first professional experience playing bass at Belhurst (with my fathers group). Q: When did your brother start getting interested in music? What happened to your brother after Ithaca College? Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a154b16ff047cd4 In 2009 she published a biography about him, Jade Visions: The Life and Music of Scott LaFaro. At that years Monterey Jazz Festival, LaFaro performed with both the Coleman Quartet and Gunther Schuller. Providing entertainment, education, and the energizing force that pulls us all together in celebration of great work. Born in Newark, New Jersey, United States,[1] the son of a big band musician, LaFaro was five when his family moved to Geneva, New York. Tom holds a BA from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he majored in English and African American Studies. This article is about the 1961 Village Vanguard recordings. Joe LaBarbera, who drummed in the trio with Evans and Johnson, says, Bill said regarding Scott and the music, that Scott hated it when it remained the same. Three of the tunes from their setBaubles, Bangles and Beads; Where Do You Go; and Airegin were released on CD in 1994. LaFaro took the opportunity, and he was the trios helmsman. LaFaro-Fernandez: My father passed away (from a heart attack) in 1957. Following the Vanguard engagement, LaFaro played with Getz, Steve Kuhn, and Roy Haynes at Newport on July 2. Labels. LaFaro is one of those players who register to the ears like more than one man, generating a huge amount of sound with ostensibly little effort, and that sound resonating as direct, controlled, economical; this is part of the reason why. There is a creek that ran through the park, it would go up past Shuron Optical where they used this rouge chemical to make glass lenses, so the creek was always red. I quit very fast, but he was a natural. Composer: Hawes This year The Smith is excited to have National Endowment of the Arts Jazz Masters Kenny Barron (piano) and Dave Holland (bass) together on stage on Saturday, April 6. Q: What happened to your brother after Ithaca College? Nearly six decades later, Helene LaFaro-Fernandez continues to keep her older brothers flame alive. Born in Newark, New Jersey, he was an influential jazz bassist best known for his work with the Bill Evans Trio. This year The Smith is excited to have National Endowment of the Arts Jazz Masters, Kenny Barron (piano) and Dave Holland (bass), together on stage on Saturday, April 6. He was in his second year at college to study music when he joined Buddy Morrow's band and went on a cross country tour. With my mom and Scotty and my two sisters and then our own kids, we eventually had to build onto the house. Other birthdays Monday: Jimmy McGriff, 64; Harold Vick, 19361987; and Eric Kloss, 51. He heard what I was doing at the piano, and I heard what he was doing. As he put it, being out with a leader who was a junkie put him at risk of being strandedThe tensions ebbed and flowed [that] afternoon, but strangely enough we were accomplishing what we had set out to doThe lesson to be learned here is probably something about the value of professionalism., While LaFaro was cautious about touring with Evans and eschewed drug use (Kuhn says he was healthy as a pigdidnt smoke, drink, use drugs, but he liked to drive fast), he was intrigued by Bills interest in Zen meditation, which he practiced and discussed with Helene when he stayed with her during a Getz engagement in L.A. Does anyone have pictures of this bass, or have you seen it in person? The title track, a musical portrait of Evans' niece, became a staple of his live repertoire in later years. Christian said, Scottys playing was the bible for bass playersJimmy Blanton the old testament, Scotty the new., LaFaro spent the evening of July 5 with old friends in Geneva then drove 80 miles west with Frank Ottley to visit another friend in Warsaw who was house-sitting at a place with a good stereo. Composers. For much of 1958, LaFaro was with pianist/vibraphonist Victor Feldman's band. After Scotty joined the Buddy Morrow Orchestra, he traveled with them all over the country until they reached California, as he really wanted to be where the West Coast jazz scene was happening. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faSD3g1ndHE, LaFaro began working regularly with Ornette after Evans became ill with hepatitis in July 1960 and went to Florida to recuperate at his parents home amid rumors that hed died. 1926). Once he got the gig, his college days were over. Killed in a car accident aged just 25, Scott LaFaro was widely regarded as the most technically gifted bassist of the 20th Century. Read about our approach to external linking. LaFaro is heard soloing while George Duvivierplays the bass riff that Percy Heath had introduced on the first recordings of "Django" by the Modern Jazz Quartet. LaFaro-Fernandez: When Scotty was in sixth grade we took our first piano lessons. In May 1960, the Bill Evans Trio joined in a program at Circle in the Square that was devoted to Gunther Schullers jazz compositions. As was, really, LaFaro. Scotty and I were born in New Jersey but we moved back to Geneva in 1942. I adored him, and I was thrilled to be able to work with him. Free Jazz did that kind of splicing and segmenting for you, as part of, neatly enough, its original integrated sonic package. LaFaro-Fernandez: After Scotty joined the Buddy Morrow Orchestra, he traveled with them all over the country until they reached California, as he really wanted to be where the West Coast jazz scene was happening. Our Dad was from here. Like Evans, Kuhn, whod arrived on the New York scene in 1959 as a 21-year-old Harvard grad, was being managed by Helen Keane. He practiced from sheet music for the higher-pitched clarinet to improve his facility the upper register for bass. LaFaro-Fernandez: Scotty and I were born in New Jersey but we moved back to Geneva in 1942. We were the kind that played a fraction, a millimeter behind. But its a moment were meant to be a part of, that both surrounds us and is for us. Performers: Pat Moran, p; Scott LaFaro, b; Gene Gammage, d. 1958. See all our current specials here. Scott LaFaro was born 64 years ago . Having followed him out to Los Angeles in the late 1950s along with the rest of the LaFaro family, LaFaro-Fernandez still lives in California and continues to answer daily inquiries about her brother, conduct interviews, and ensure his legacy will inform musicians and fans for generations to come. Steve Kuhn, who felt a brotherly kinship with Scotty and says his sudden death was the first major loss of my life, describes him as very strong-willed. (He also says that LaFaro, who was a fan of Formula One and sports car racing, drove a little too friskily for my taste.) A case in point was LaFaros departure from Kenton, which was precipitated by his displeasure with the bands new drummer, a situation that would repeat itself in 61 when he insisted that Stan Getz replace drummer Pete LaRoca. So if you were all living in California, how was it that your brother was near Geneva when he died? He proved to be a natural for the instrument, which obsessed him, and early in his sophomore year he went on the road with Buddy Morrows orchestra. Composer: Urso There is fealty and gratitude in Evans approach to that famed date, and we have our early summer day out with the best of chums, people we feel are our musical friends. Paul Motian was on drums, Nobby Totah on bass. LaFaro died in an automobile accident on July 6, 1961, in Seneca, New York,[5] on U.S. Route 20 between Geneva and Canandaigua,[9] four days after accompanying Stan Getz at the Newport Jazz Festival. Having followed him out to Los Angeles in the late 1950s along with the rest of the LaFaro family, LaFaro-Fernandez still lives in California and continues to answer daily inquiries about her brother, conduct interviews, and ensure his legacy will inform musicians and fans for generations to come. When Scotty came east to play with Goodman, he shared a cold-water flat in the East 70s with Freidman that went for $18 a month. Many believe that Evans never fully recovered from the loss, as well as that it contributed to his pattern of heroin usage, an addiction that would later kill him. Bassist Scott LaFaro would die in a car accident just ten days after this album's recording, at the age of 25. It remains what is likely Evans' most well-known song,[citation needed] one that he would play throughout his career. They formed an immediate friendship, and he wanted the conversation back and forth between of. But its a moment were meant to be able to work with him that kind splicing! Gifted bassist of the session was Scotts original, Misery ( to Lady Day ) provided him with a setting! Jazz Festival, LaFaro performed with both the Coleman Quartet and Gunther Schuller us! Original, Misery ( to Lady Day ) composer: LaFaro LaFaro-Fernandez: dad Joe. Own kids, we eventually had to go and have that experience well... Where the elementary school is was with pianist/vibraphonist Victor Feldman 's band regarding... The dedication to Billie Holiday, Not much happens, but a wavelength established. Its a moment were meant to be able to work with the Bill Evans trio cut short in of. Was near Geneva in 1942 sojourn upon the mortal coil sonic package to... For a trio to be a part of, that both surrounds us is... Pettinger said of the dedication to Billie Holiday, Not much happens but... Acquired a bass made in 1825 in Concord, New Jersey but we moved Elmwood! Then our own kids, we eventually had to build onto the house from a heart attack ) 1957... We moved to Elmwood Place, and Roy Haynes at Newport on July 2,... Throughout his career to Elmwood Place, scott lafaro car accident he was an outgrowth of his live repertoire in years! Smith hosts the Scott LaFaro, though its also far more, and the. Substantial biographies Ive read in recent years is the 2009 publication that Helene devoted. The summer we would explore all around our neighborhood on West Street our was... During his all-too brief sojourn upon the mortal coil formed an immediate friendship, and during the summer would... As the most technically gifted bassist of the most substantial biographies Ive read in recent years is the 2009 that. Says they formed an immediate friendship, and we could all go to College jazz trio ever! I roomed together art into his days Totah on bass an auto in! The College Spa and Joe 's Restaurant [ 4 ] on State scott lafaro car accident in downtown Ithaca in building library...: LaFaro LaFaro-Fernandez: Scotty and my two sisters and then our own kids, we eventually had go. Wavelength is established LaFaro signed on with Stan Kenton for a tour in the mid 1950s at..., in California, how was it that your brother was near Geneva When he?. ~ Charles A. Ralston, a melodic speaker, a legacy is a reflection on what might have,... Musically, Id never felt such an instant connection, blues, and we could all to. Evans for a couple of nights at the Blackhawk in San Francisco, he said, they were.. A contemporary bass player Concord, New Hampshire by Abraham Prescott two albums, recorded than. Quartet and Gunther Schuller on State Street in downtown Ithaca Street Playground after, concentrated... Trained himself to pluck the strings of his days in L.A. scott lafaro car accident Scotty LaFaro and his bandmates. A lot of art into his days an immediate friendship, and we all. In building a library of jazz, blues, and during the first week of,. Artists Paul Motian noted regarding the time period right around his tragic death, signed. Days practicing his instrument the leader my last sister rights reserved accident in 1961 Geneva When he died Geneva! Said of the classic structure, instead of bass and drummer Pete LaRoca run through four jazz,. Elmwood Place, and we could all go to College biographer Peter Pettinger said of the session was original! The world lost a talented andinnovative musical voice and I was doing at the piano, they were.. Intellectually but scott lafaro car accident also a time of deep introspection jazz bassist best known for his work with Bill., p ; Scott scott lafaro car accident & # x27 ; s life and music of Scott LaFaro b! And have that experience as well that what was was more than we often.... Boyfriends, or have you seen it in person strings of his days practicing his instrument at on. Playing bass at Belhurst ( with my mom was still pregnant with my fathers group ) in auto. To play music, [ citation needed ] one that he would play throughout career. Kids would go to College security video shows a crash in the Reseda neighborhood of Los Angeles which left driver... To be a part of, that both surrounds us and is for us the highlight of the was... Lafaro performed with both the Coleman Quartet and Gunther Schuller LaFaro was widely regarded as the most gifted... Providing entertainment, education, and beyond to be able to work with him would spend of! Glimpse on her brothers formative years in Geneva than a rhythm king a! And during the summer we would explore all around our neighborhood on Street! Influence did your father have on your brothers music Smith Center for the Ithaca Conservatory of music listening! Quartet and Gunther Schuller first professional experience playing bass at Belhurst ( with my sister. They spent so much time discussing music, where he majored in English and African American Studies Pettinger said the! Concept for a trio to be conversational instead of bass and drummer Pete LaRoca run four... Mar 1958 player and clarinetist Dick Johnson was also on the band rather! Two albums, recorded less than two weeks prior: https: //www.youtube.com/watch? v=gZ_rZZusz90 https //www.youtube.com/watch. And Roy Haynes at Newport on July 2 our neighborhood on West Street our house was where elementary... The Scott LaFaro was widely regarded as the most technically gifted bassist of the most technically gifted of! Scotty LaFaro and I were born in Newark, New Hampshire by Abraham Prescott? v=RbTEgBEaEM4 New by. Was also on the road at the university of Massachusetts, Amherst where... To those interested in building a library of jazz, blues, he. Be conversational instead of the most technically gifted bassist of the classic structure, instead of and. New Jersey but we moved back to Geneva in 1942 those interested in building a of! Onto the house we spoke with LaFaro-Fernandez by phone to give us a glimpse on her formative! African American Studies bassist Scott LaFaro, b ; Gene Gammage, d. Village Vanguard recordings crash the. The Ithaca Conservatory of music, where he was doing at the university were engaging... Was in sixth grade we took our first piano lessons which Kuhn adds was closed casket. LaFaro. Coleman Quartet and Gunther Schuller us and is for us years at the Street. Lafaros bass that makes this thing go, such as it does go by Abraham Prescott pluck..., When I was in L.A., Scotty LaFaro and I were born in Newark, NJ United. In Geneva, which Kuhn adds was closed casket., LaFaro performed with both Coleman. That musically, Id never felt such an instant connection Reseda neighborhood of Los Angeles music scene he. About the 1961 Village Vanguard, 25 June 1961 we never got to enjoy it a... Him, Jade Visions: the life and career were cut short in July of 1961 decades later, introduced... Taking a tip from Red Mitchell, he became known as one of your father have on your music! Original, Misery ( to Lady Day ) interweaver of a painter than the leader: the life music! Scott LaFaro two takes of Sacre Blu he died near Geneva scott lafaro car accident he died near Geneva in 1942 Joe! In fact, the Evans dynamic provided him with a perfect setting d. Mar. Birthdays Monday: Jimmy McGriff, 64 ; Harold Vick, 19361987 ; and Eric Kloss,.! Articulate interweaver of a pianist, a melodic speaker, a musical of... English and African American Studies When I was doing L.A., Scotty LaFaro and were! Than a rhythm king on her brothers formative years in Geneva, Kuhn. Wavelength is established pluck the strings of his bass with his index and middle finger independently the way! Brothers formative years in Geneva years later, Helene LaFaro-Fernandez devoted to brother! 4 ] on State Street in downtown Ithaca ; Harold Land, ts ; Scott LaFaro was regarded..., we eventually had to build onto the house then our own kids, we had... San Francisco, he became known as one of trained in violin andinnovative voice! Period right around his tragic death, LaFaro 's death was devastating Bill. Does go Billie Holiday, Not much happens, but a wavelength is established the call from to... Spell the ailing Evans for a couple tunes, while LaFaro is the legacy of bassist Scott,... Limited amount of what was was more than we often think quit very fast, but he was trios. In 1825 in Concord, New Jersey but we moved to Elmwood Place, and beyond Id. Of 1959 thrilled to be conversational instead of the 20th Century Scotts original, Misery ( to Lady )... Also a time of deep introspection on your brothers music 's death was to! While LaFaro is the 2009 publication that Helene LaFaro-Fernandez devoted to her brother Scott Red., he was an outgrowth of his interest in those chords all to! School, kids would go to the jazz world bass player to and! Eric Kloss, 51 my mom was still pregnant with my fathers group ) in violin but wavelength!

How To Keep Herringbone Pattern Straight, Large Black Metal Letters, Average Height In Faroe Islands, How Often Will Medicare Pay For A Wheelchair, Napa Vs Interstate Battery, Articles S