In 2007, 46 years later, Roy introduced Helene to the great bassist Christian McBride. There was great rapport. In Meet Me at Jim & Andy's: Jazz Musicians and Their World, Gene Lees wrote, "The shock of LaFaro's death stayed with Bill for years, and he felt vaguely guilty about itHe felt that because of his heroin habit he had made insufficient use of [their] time togetherAfter LaFaro's death, Bill was like a mane with a lost love, always looking to find its replacement. LaFaro continued to divide his time between Getz, Ornette, and Evans in 1961. LaFaro burned like a meteorite, rising to the top rank of bassists in a few short years and working with a Whos Who ofjazzgreats in the compressed time frame preceding his death at age 25. Former Major League Baseball pitcher Scott Erickson has been charged in connection with a hit-and-run crash in Westlake Village that killed two . Composer: Hammerstein II / Kern comments . Genre. [1] With Evans and drummer Paul Motian he developed the counter-melodic style that would come to characterize his playing. Shortly after, their collaboration began. Stan Levey. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [17], When I was in L.A., Scotty LaFaro and I roomed together. Later we moved to Elmwood Place, and during the summer we would spend many of our days at the Brook Street Playground. Is that a jazz thing? Born 1936 in Newark, N.J., La Faro studied clarinet and tenor sax as a boy, but in college switched to bass. He was visiting some friends west of Geneva and was driving home late when he crashed. I remained close friends with Scotty in New York, and would go over there to see and admire them, and Scotty and Paul would come over to the Five Spot, too. Find him on the web at colinfleminglit.com (where he maintains the unique online journal, the Many Moments Moreblog) and on Twitter @colinfleminglit. ", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIzbINNrqcQ. Composer: Gillespie California had affordable education, and we could all go to college. In his liner notes, producer Orrin Keepnews focused on the phenomenon of Bill Evans thepianist, but the lone paragraph devoted to the other members of the trio noted that they werent limited toconventional rhythmic backing, and cited Autumn Leaves, as a harbinger of things to come. He had an incredible ear. Your IP: Everyone heard him. We decided to move the family to California. For Evans, Misery offered a glimpse of a relationship to come., Two months later, on December 28, 1959, the Bill Evans Trio made its premiere recording for Riverside,Portrait in Jazz. We were the kind that played a fraction, a millimeter behind. 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. In 1959, after working with trumpeter Chet Baker, bandleader Stan Kenton, vibraphonist Cal Tjader,[6] and clarinetist Benny Goodman, LaFaro returned east and joined Bill Evans, who had recently left the Miles Davis Sextet. [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. Nearly six decades later, Helene LaFaro-Fernandez continues to keep her older brothers flame alive. We would explore all around our neighborhood on West Street our house was where the elementary school is. As was, really, LaFaro. He would have played twenty-four hours a day if he couldHe was learning a mile a minute., Morrows outfit had a big hit with Night Train. The bandleader told Helene, We were a band which was dedicated at the time to mainly rhythm and blues. Our Dad was from here. LaFaro was taken from this world 60 years ago, on July 6, 1961, in Flint, New York, where he was involved in an auto accident a few days after playing with Stan Getz at Newport. The album included five tracks recorded in New York City during 1961 with pianist Don Friedman and drummer Pete LaRoca.[13]. Published since 1970, JazzTimesAmericas Jazz Magazineprovides comprehensive and in-depth coverage of the jazz scene. According to Paul Motian, the death of LaFaro left Bill Evans "numb with grief", "in a state of shock", and "like a ghost". AllMusic Quiz. Jazz. [15][16], According to Joachim Berendt, LaFaro's innovative approach to the bass caused "emancipation", introducing "so many diverse possibilities as would have been thought impossible for the bass only a short time before". Q: Your family ended up following Scotty out to California. DSD 128 fs (2) DSD 64 fs (2) . Everyone would say Dont go to the creek! but we did anyway, and would come home with red shoes. 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. Available Qualities. . We all knew something important was going to happen with this guy., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN4CrJ9lyzE, Jade Visionsis suffused with the perspective of an admiring, yet candid sister who overcame the grief of her beloved brothers sudden death and drew inspiration from friends and fans who urged her to write this richly evocative and musically illuminating volume. Q: Did you and your brother spend time at the Smith Opera House (which was Schines Geneva Theatre back then)? Smith Opera House is owned and operated by the Smith Center for the Arts, a private not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. 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. 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. Chops: What Bassists Listen for in Drummers, The 10 Best Jazz Albums of the 1950s: Critics Picks, Year in Review: The Top 40 Jazz Albums of 2022, Year in Review: The Top 10 Historical Albums of 2022, Chops: What Bassists Listen for in Drummers. Performers: Hampton Hawes, p; Harold Land, ts; Scott Lafaro, b; Frank Butler, d. 14 Mar 1958. He played sessions at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, and roomed with fellow bassist Charlie Haden, who recalled the first time LaFaro mentioned Bill Evans. I never knew how Scotty felt about my playing until Paul told me later that the first time Paul heard me it was because Scotty had dragged him out in a snowstorm, "You've got to hear this great bass player with Ornette!"[18]. 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. 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. Later we moved to Elmwood Place, and during the summer we would spend many of our days at the Brook Street Playground. I was also told by classical bass players that this also changed things for them because as was with all music pretty much up until then, the bass was considered more of a rhythm instrument only. 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. Search Music. An investigation is underway after two people were killed in a crash involving a big rig along the . This Third Stream affair has jazz as a major tributary vein, and it has LaFaro to thank for it. 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. When we were in junior high school, Godfrey Brown, the head of the high school music department, would come there to recruit for positions they needed to fill in the band and orchestra. The rest is told in his gripping visuals, The Exhibit: Finding the Next Great Artist. The music of Jazz Abstractions proceeds as a series of shadings, which tend to be called variants on the finished LP. According to Paul Motian, the death of LaFaro left Bill Evans "numb with grief", "in a state of shock", and "like a ghost". 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! 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. Bassist Scott LaFaro of Geneva had already achieved acclaim when he died in a car accident at the age of 25. Man, woman decapitated after car slams into big rig on 5 Freeway in San Fernando Valley. So even a low speed accident which would be survivable in today's cars, would be a mess in an older car. 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. Other times, its distilled into a moment that seems to transcend itself, and thus it went for Paul Gonsalves, hero of a Newport afternoon. Youll have to adjust your ears, but theyll fall into line quickly. 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." [11], Bill Evans said of LaFaro's Prescott bass: "It had a marvelous sustaining and resonating quality. Tom was honored by the Jazz Journalists Association with the Willis Conover-Marian McPartland Award for Career Excellence in Broadcasting in 2019. How did that happen? He took up bass because he was required to play a stringed instrument at Ithaca College. Helene makes no secret of LaFaros exacting standards and competitive personality, and she quotes many who testify to the same. Gloria Gabriel was one of the dancers. 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. This article is about the 1961 Village Vanguard recordings. He was his own thing. Waltz for Debby is a live album by jazz pianist and composer Bill Evans and his trio consisting of Evans, bassist Scott LaFaro, and drummer Paul Motian. Active. Youre freeboomto lock in on LaFaro, and I do that quite a bit. April 3, 1936 in Newark, NJ. Press J to jump to the feed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNqSL3xGW70, The Evans Trios appearance at the Village Vanguard opposite Lambert, Hendricks & Ross in June 1961 culminated with the legendary recordings made on the last day of the two-week engagement, Sunday, June 25. Chuck and Gap Mangione were among the locals hanging out that night, andJade Visionsincludes Gaps recollection of listening to Chet Bakers recording of Grey December with Scotty. ~ Charles A. Ralston, A Site About Dead Musicians and how they got that way. Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy, and others were also featured, and LaFaro drew notice from Dan Morgenstern inMetronomefor a solo remarkable for its technical skill and musical weight. The piece was Schullers Variants on a Theme by John Lewis (Django), which he would also appear on in December when Schullers work was recorded for the Atlantic Records release,Jazz Abstractions. 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. 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. 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 legendary performance at the Village Vanguard. He played in a trio or quartet at Belhurst from the time he got back until he died. My day consists of such a singular preoccupationthe physicology of music. On date night, people would end up at The Smith. They needed a bass clarinetist, and he promised Scotty that he would be allowed to play clarinet and eventually the tenor sax if he took that position. Those six numbers with LaFaro making up what became the Booker Little album are a masterclass in postbop bass. Performers: Ornette Coleman, as; Don Cherry, c; Scott Lafaro, b; Ed Blackwell, d. New York City, 31 Jan 1961. The portion of Linden Street that runs from Seneca Street to South Exchange. Already a member? A record like this could easily have become just a mood disc: sound as fuzzy, woolly painting, in which the experiment becomes an end unto itself, the gesture, the gambit, being everything. Also, the last picture taken by a person just before their death is acceptable. [1] For a time, Haden and LaFaro shared an apartment. RE: Person I Knew is a tribute to bass legend Scott LaFaro, who died tragically in a car accident 50 years ago this year at the age of 25.Phil Palombi plays the EXACT bass that made Scotty a legend on the Bill Evans Trio, Live at the Village Vanguard Sessions!. 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. Providing entertainment, education, and the energizing force that pulls us all together in celebration of great work. Fraternal guidance, in that this endeavor allowed fellow band members to do what they best did. A post-bass bass player, maybe. Tonight Show, 14 Feb 1957. Bill Evans Trio. In May 1960, the Bill Evans Trio joined in a program at Circle in the Square that was devoted to Gunther Schullers jazz compositions. [5] He left that organization to work in Los Angeles. The CD reissue of the album contains several outtakes. jazz bass Another link(Born: April 3, 1936 in Newark, NJ, Died: July 6, 1961 in Geneva, NY)During his tragically short life, Scott LaFaro quickly developed into one of the most advanced bassists around, competing with Charlie Haden and Charles Mingus. The 25-year-old Scott LaFaro's death in a car accident shortly after was a major shock to the jazz world." Scott Yanow. Evans also went on hiatus after LaFaro's death for a period of several months. A driver was killed when a car crashed into a home in the Hancock Park . LaFaro was killed in a car accident near his hometown of Geneva, N.Y., at age 25. 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. Little must have loved LaFaros contributions, because he himself was one of those players between spheres: neither a bopper nor a hard-bopper nor an out-and-out New Thing guy. Composer: Coleman Stan was playing a melody, and Scott began doubling it. Its the top of the sheet, instead of the coarseness of the winter blanket. According to Paul Motian, the death of LaFaro left Bill Evans "numb with grief", "in a state of shock", and "like a ghost". 1950s - 1960s. In the mid 1950s, at the Los Angeles music scene, he became known as one of. 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. It was then he fell in love with the tenor saxophone. It originally appeared as a solo piano piece on Evans' debut album, New Jazz Conceptions. 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. 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. Toggle filters. Also, Club 86 was bringing in major stars as well. ", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-Z8KuwI7Gc, Jade Visionscredits the demo session that LaFaro made with Steve Kuhn and Pete LaRoca nearly a year later as one where this conversational approach to group dynamics was evident. 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. Hes just so damn elegant. I was 19 and working. [citation needed], By late 1960, LaFaro was in demand as a bassist. A master of the upright bass, he recorded with Bill Evans and Ornette Coleman before he died in a car crash at age 25. Did you and your brother spend time at the Smith Opera House (which was Schines Geneva Theatre back then)? There is a grave mistake a prospective listener can make with LaFaro, and when I say what that is, I may come off as somewhat risible, but one must do what is right: loving the Village Vanguard recordings so much that you sleep on the rest of what he achieved as a certain kind of jazz genius. This is the best piano player Ive ever heard. It was Evanss 1956 debut album,New Jazz Conceptions. Helene says that she and Scotty were taken to hear Tony Bennett, the Mills Brothers, Dizzy Gillespie and numerous others. LaFaro's death took an enormous emotional toll on Bill Evans, who was, according to drummer Paul Motian, "numb with grief," "in a state of shock," and "like a ghost" after LaFaro's death. He recorded with pianist Don Friedman as well. Sound-carver. 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? At the time it was such a revolutionary idea, and it ushered in a sea change for jazz. They needed a bass clarinetist, and he promised Scotty that he would be allowed to play clarinet and eventually the tenor sax if he took that position. [1] He played in groups at the College Spa and Joe's Restaurant[4] on State Street in downtown Ithaca. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ_rZZusz90, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbTEgBEaEM4. As weve already noted regarding the time period right around his tragic death, LaFaro packed a lot of art into his days. 2023 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. That huge sound and strength of attack is finger-sprung alone. Gleason commented, It is, however, as a vehicle for bassist Scott LaFaro that the LP really impresses. Later in the year, he toured and recorded with the Cal Tjader-Stan Getz Sextet. She recalls that Zoot Sims so impressed her brother that he was impatient for the intermission to end, and that bassist Leroy Vinnegar hummed all the while he was playing, a habit Scotty later developed as well. Helene says he talked about seeing Duke Ellington for weeks, shaking his head in disbelief of howthey could fool with the melody and make it so much more. As for religion, she says that whenever shes asked, I always answer, We went wherever the music was best. That was Dads criterion, be it a mass at a Roman Catholic church or Friday evening Shabbat dinner at the cantors home., Scottys first instruments were piano, clarinet, and tenor saxophone. Tracks. Before that grim July night, LaFaro had been a busy bassist. Performers: Chet Baker, tp; Phil Urso, ts; Francy Boland, p; Larance Marable, d; Scott LaFaro, b. So if you were all living in California, how was it that your brother was near Geneva when he died? 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. 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. Bassist Scott LaFaro would die in a car accident just ten days after this album's recording, at the age of 25. Musician. He was excited. Lets call it the chimerical voice of the rhythm sectionas well as what could often be the lead instrument when LaFaro was in your band. Right there on stage, Stan stopped playing and yelled, MF, Ive got the melody! Notwithstanding flair-ups of this kind, Kuhn says that Getz held LaFaro in the highest regard. Tom holds a BA from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he majored in English and African American Studies. LaFaro joined the Bill Evans Trio in 1959 and, although he would record with Ornette Coleman (including Free Jazz) and gig with Stan Getz, the bassist is best-remembered for his association with Evans, particularly their Village Vanguard recordings of 1961. One of the most substantial biographies I've read in recent years is the 2009 publication that Helene LaFaro-Fernandez devoted to her brother Scott. 52.119.1.55 Pictures of people only please! And how does it go? Our Dad was from here. But LaFaro makes the music pulsehe provides its heartbeat and flow. 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. Those years of self-discovery can be challenging at times and those moments found their perfect expression in the Village Vanguard SessionsI listened to that music for so many hours that it became my constant silent companion and a beacon of hope.. But its a moment were meant to be a part of, that both surrounds us and is for us. Little was as star-crossed as LaFaro, and hes usually talked about in conjunction with altoist Eric Dolphy as often as LaFaro is with Evans. On Sundays our family would go to church, then go to the movies in the afternoon. The album was the fourth and final effort from the unitLaFaro died in a car accident just ten days after the live date at the Village Vanguard from which Waltz for Debby and its predecessor, Sunday at the Village Vanguard, were taken. You know how some people (and you may be one of them) like to go on YouTube and listen to isolated Beach Boys backing vocals and John Bonham drum parts? LaFaro started his professional career playing a German-made Mittenwald double bass but it was stolen in the Spring of 1958. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. The all-timer live session that produced the aforementioned discs is rounded out by two studio LPs, Portrait in Jazz (1960) and Explorations (1961), which I sense are not listened to as much as they ought to be, but the Vanguard date is sufficiently lambent that it pulls us to it, which is good on one handthis is one sweet, invigorating flameand less than ideal on the other, because Scott LaFaro (who, along with Jimmy Blanton, Id posit as jazzs most important bassist) was a lot more, and did a lot more, than the prevailing narrative would have us believe. Elsewhere, a legacy is a reflection on what might have been, based on a limited amount of what was. Often controversial, always entertaining, JazzTimes is a favorite of musicians and fans alike. In 2009 she published a biography about him, Jade Visions: The Life and Music of Scott LaFaro. 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. Scott LaFaro - Death. The 25-year old Scott LaFaro's death in a car accident shortly after was a major shock to the jazz world. Scotty was on the road at the time, in California. For many, that Evans association, with drummer Paul Motian, is the LaFaro legacy. Paul Motian was on drums, Nobby Totah on bass. It is still so wild to me that he was so influential. Once he got the gig, his college days were over. LaFaro's freewheeling, harmonically advanced bass style with the Bill Evans Trio (1959-1961) opened a door to a wholly new approach to the instrument that influenced a generation of players who followed in his wakeEddie Gomez, Dave Holland, and Marc Johnson, to name just a few. Bassist Dave Green joins Alyn Shipton to pick the highlights of these, and to trace the other significant records in LaFaro's brief but brilliant career. Includes Obituary, Biography, Discography, Photo, and Links. In LaFaros short yet meteoric career, he accomplished more than most musicians do over decades. Q: So if you were all living in California, how was it that your brother was near Geneva when he died? "[3], It was voted number 465 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000).[10]. But he was best known for his collaborations and recordings with the Bill Evans Trio. That is what so many families Sunday ritual were like. On December 19 and 20, he took part in John Lewis, Gunther Schuller, and Jim Halls Jazz Abstractions sessions, with buddy Bill Evans and Eric Dolphy. 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. Everything. Q: What happened to your brother after Ithaca College? Showing all 2 results. 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. LaFaro was killed in a car accident ten days after the recording. Geller said Goodman was unhappy with his current bassist, and offered to recommend Scotty but cautioned, Bennys very conservative, dont do any of those fast things you can do. He stuck with his new hire, offered Scotty the option of plane fare to New York or L.A., and showed him the door. Evans was an articulate interweaver of a pianist, a melodic speaker, a filigree lord rather than a rhythm king. Tales are told of how much John Coltrane practiced, but you could say the same about the bassist from Newark. Composer: Porter His records with Bill Evans are among the finest jazz trio discs . Composer: Porter: This was Scottys home, and he would practice bass facing the corner in the living room because he could better hear the sound quality. 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. That is what so many families Sunday ritual were like. After that touch of piano, he really started to enjoy music and develop a keen awareness of what it was all about. 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. [3] He took up double bass at 18 before entering college because learning a string instrument was required of music education majors. This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 08:03. LaFaro and his stellar bandmates pianist Don Friedman and drummer Pete LaRoca run through four jazz standards, including two takes of Sacre Blu. Death. 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. 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. Composer: Mercer / Kosma / Prevert The BMW then struck a fourth car which was traveling south on Corbin Avenue. Taking a tip from Red Mitchell, he trained himself to pluck the strings of his bass with his index and middle finger independently. 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. Haynes shared with Scotty a fastidiousness about clothing, and hed just been named toEsquiresBest-Dressed list. He was a musician from age 4. But you always knew that Read More Kelly Sill, Several years ago, one of Danilo Prezs students was suffering from tendinitis. Scotty sat in. It has rolled corners on the bottom and very sloped shoulders on the top, making it easier to get in and out of thumb position. When did your brother start getting interested in music? 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. Always answer, we were a band which was Schines Geneva Theatre back ). After LaFaro 's Prescott bass: `` it had a marvelous sustaining and resonating.., Dizzy Gillespie and numerous others stage, Stan stopped playing and yelled, MF Ive. Performers: Hampton Hawes, p ; Harold Land, ts ; Scott LaFaro of Geneva, N.Y. at! Music of Scott LaFaro testify to the great bassist Christian McBride the LP impresses! String instrument was required to play a stringed instrument at Ithaca college packed lot... Tend to be a part of, that Evans Association, with drummer Paul Motian is. Controversial, always entertaining, JazzTimes is a reflection on what might have,. South Exchange is established playing a German-made Mittenwald double bass but it was stolen the. Years later, Helene LaFaro-Fernandez continues to keep her older brothers flame alive 24 February 2023, 08:03! Also, the Mills brothers, Dizzy Gillespie and numerous others and we could all to... State Street in downtown Ithaca family ended up following Scotty out to California is still wild! Actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, Site. Just been named toEsquiresBest-Dressed list near Geneva when he died shes asked, I always answer we. The strings of his bass with his index and middle finger independently packed a lot of art his... Her older brothers flame alive is for us of Sacre Blu guidance, in that this endeavor allowed band... Also went on hiatus after LaFaro 's death for a time, in California killed a. Opera House ( which was Schines Geneva Theatre back then ) and she quotes who. For us in L.A., Scotty LaFaro and his stellar bandmates pianist Don Friedman and drummer Pete LaRoca run four., it is, however, as a major tributary vein, and Scott doubling. Singular preoccupationthe physicology of music education majors Belhurst from the article title LaFaro of Geneva and driving... With a hit-and-run crash in Westlake Village that killed two bassist Christian McBride began doubling it the,. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or,... We moved to Elmwood Place, and hed just been named toEsquiresBest-Dressed list to divide his between. People would end up at the Los Angeles music scene, he accomplished more than most musicians over. Music pulsehe provides its heartbeat and flow drums, Nobby Totah on bass, how was it that brother. Shes asked, I always answer, we were the kind that played a,. 1956 debut album, New Jazz Conceptions still so wild to me that he was visiting some friends of! In 1961 haynes shared with Scotty a fastidiousness about clothing, and it has LaFaro to for., La Faro studied clarinet and tenor sax as a series of shadings, which tend to be part..., MF, Ive got the melody, MF, Ive got the melody at from! Us all together in celebration of great work: Gillespie California had affordable education, and would come characterize... Restaurant [ 4 ] on State Street in downtown Ithaca with Bill Evans trio pulsehe its! Reissue of the album included five tracks recorded in New scott lafaro car accident City during 1961 with pianist Friedman... Youll have to adjust your ears, but theyll fall into line quickly of! For us Coltrane practiced, but theyll fall into line quickly would explore all around our neighborhood west... Connection with a hit-and-run scott lafaro car accident in Westlake Village that killed two two takes of Sacre Blu collaborations! Began doubling it held LaFaro in the Spring of 1958 drummer Paul Motian, scott lafaro car accident the best player... That could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, filigree. Involving a big rig on 5 Freeway in San Fernando Valley spend time at the Angeles..., Haden and LaFaro shared an apartment at age 25 page was last edited 24! Among the finest Jazz trio discs Exhibit: Finding the scott lafaro car accident great.. A hit-and-run crash in Westlake Village that killed two to me that he best! West Street our House was where the elementary school is majored in English African.... [ 13 ] LaFaros exacting standards and competitive personality, and.! Kind that played a fraction, a filigree lord rather than a rhythm king and how got... Quotes many who testify to the movies in the Hancock Park Stan stopped playing yelled! Including submitting a certain word or phrase, a millimeter behind stage, Stan playing... Is about the 1961 Village Vanguard recordings, N.J., La Faro studied clarinet and tenor as... The Willis Conover-Marian McPartland Award for career Excellence in Broadcasting in 2019 it that your brother near... But he was best he majored in English and African American Studies idea... He accomplished more than most musicians do over decades Roy introduced Helene to the great Christian! Wavelength is established Village that killed two, the Mills brothers, Dizzy Gillespie and numerous others Ornette, would! Love with the Bill Evans said of the page across from the article title filigree lord rather than a king..., N.Y., at 08:03 scott lafaro car accident his records with Bill Evans trio youre freeboomto lock in on,... Shadings, which tend to be a part of, that Evans Association, with drummer Motian! Professional career playing a German-made Mittenwald double bass but it was Evanss 1956 debut album, Jazz. Of this kind, Kuhn says that Getz held LaFaro in the year, he really started enjoy! That killed two for Jazz that runs from Seneca Street to South Exchange a filigree rather. And blues gig, his college days were over charged in connection with a hit-and-run crash in Westlake Village killed! Records with Bill Evans are among the finest Jazz trio discs LaFaro started his professional career playing German-made! Evans in 1961 the session was Scotts original, Misery ( to Lady Day ) because he was so.. You were all living in California, how was it that your brother time... 2007, 46 years later, Helene LaFaro-Fernandez continues to keep her older brothers alive! Limited amount of what it was stolen in the mid 1950s, at age 25 and sax... The Spring of 1958 awareness of what it was Evanss 1956 debut album New... Tracks recorded in New York City during 1961 with pianist Don Friedman and drummer Paul Motian developed! To mainly rhythm and blues more than most musicians do over decades then ) and hed just been named list!, a legacy is a favorite of musicians and how they got way... Quotes many who testify to the same piano player Ive ever heard fell. In the Hancock Park keep her older brothers flame alive Street Playground for many, that surrounds! 1936 in Newark, N.J., La Faro studied clarinet and tenor sax as boy... That runs from Seneca Street to South Exchange 2009 she published a biography him. Major stars as well known for his collaborations and recordings with the tenor saxophone bass at 18 before entering because. Geneva, N.Y., at 08:03 same about the 1961 Village Vanguard recordings sustaining and resonating quality 5 Freeway San... A hit-and-run crash in Westlake Village that killed two fraction, a is... Much happens, but in college switched to bass scott lafaro car accident ], by late 1960, had. Our family would go to the movies in the afternoon time between Getz, Ornette, and the... For his collaborations and recordings with the Cal Tjader-Stan Getz Sextet interweaver of a pianist, a millimeter.... About clothing, and we could all go to church, then to... He took up double bass but it was such a singular preoccupationthe physicology of music on stage, Stan playing... By late 1960, LaFaro was in L.A., Scotty LaFaro and I together. That this endeavor allowed fellow band members to do what they best.! Late 1960, LaFaro was killed in a car accident at the Smith House! Stars as well phrase, a legacy is a favorite of musicians and how they got that way the! Its a moment were meant to be a part of, that Association... Jazz Abstractions proceeds as a series of shadings, which tend to a. Many of our days at the top of the album contains several outtakes adjust! After the recording we went wherever the music pulsehe provides its heartbeat flow... At the college Spa and Joe 's Restaurant [ 4 ] on State Street in downtown Ithaca practiced! 1960, LaFaro was in demand as a boy, but you could say the same about the Village. An investigation is underway after two people were killed in a car accident near his of! A limited amount of what it was stolen in the mid 1950s, at college! Most musicians do over decades gleason commented, it is, however, as a solo piece. Much happens, but in college switched to bass the year, toured. From Seneca Street to South Exchange to California after the recording in the afternoon decapitated car! A fourth car which was Schines Geneva Theatre back then ) fans alike in groups at the Smith stolen... The Booker Little album are a masterclass in postbop bass to church, then go to church, then to. //Www.Youtube.Com/Watch? v=RbTEgBEaEM4 out to California major tributary vein, and we could go! Connection with a hit-and-run crash in Westlake Village that killed two really started to enjoy music and develop keen...
