[17], When I was in L.A., Scotty LaFaro and I roomed together. Mr. Berg, whose career encompassed free jazz, soul jazz, jazz rock, and straight-ahead playing, was driving east on Route 27 with his wife when I quit very fast, but he was a natural. The 25-year-old Scott LaFaro's death in a car accident shortly after was a major shock . To top it off, the old cars didn't have self-sealing gas tanks and as in the case of LaFaro's accident, if they ruptured, frequently resulted in fire. Active. This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 08:03. Youll have to adjust your ears, but theyll fall into line quickly. Bud Powell. 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. 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. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a154b16ff047cd4 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.. You may additional context in comments. 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. Today would be the 78th birthday of the great Scott LaFaro, who died in a car accident in 1961. Bassist Scott LaFaro of Geneva had already achieved acclaim when he died in a car accident at the age of 25. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. 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 young bassist was friends to other artists and art during his all-too brief sojourn upon the mortal coil. Scotty also befriended the pianist-composer Victor Feldman, and recorded with him and drummer Stan Levey in January 1958. 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. Mangione remembersLaFaro calling Baker an American tragedy, and says, Over the years, [Scotts] using the term an American tragedy still strikes me as incredibly ironic and portentous [given what happened] that night., At about 1:45 on the morning of July 6, LaFaro apparently fell asleep at the wheel and veered off Route 5-20, hitting a tree and killing himself and Ottley instantly. This brings about the situation of whether I should spend these hours and months developing what I seem to be able to foresee, or should I dump it and get another job as an entertainer again. Beginning in 1955, he was a member of the Buddy Morrow big band. On March 5, 2014, the Geneva (New York) City Council approved making April 3 Scott LaFaro Day. Q: What were Scotts childhood and teen years like here in Geneva? Scott Yanow, All-Music Guide Scott LaFaro's life and career were cut short in July of 1961. Death. Composer: Coleman In sum, LaFaro visited Geneva, his home town, spent some time with some local friends, drove one of them to visit a mutual friend, left to return to Geneva, fell asleep at the wheel, hit a tree near Flint, NY, seven miles east of Geneva, and burned to death. [1] He played in groups at the College Spa and Joe's Restaurant[4] on State Street in downtown Ithaca. Fellow bassist Red Mitchell taught him how to pluck strings with both the index and middle fingers independently. He recorded with pianist Don Friedman as well. Mom needed the money. 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. How did that happen? New England Public Media | Performers: Hampton Hawes, p; Harold Land, ts; Scott Lafaro, b; Frank Butler, d. 14 Mar 1958. It remains what is likely Evans' most well-known song,[citation needed] one that he would play throughout his career. [5] He left that organization to work in Los Angeles. 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. Scotty sort of led the way on the bass becoming a solo instrument in its own right. Scotty was on the road at the time, in California. Later we moved to Elmwood Place, and during the summer we would spend many of our days at the Brook Street Playground. Bassist Scott LaFaro would die in a car accident just ten days after this album's recording, at the age of 25. Such is the legacy of bassist Scott LaFaro, though I would suggest that what was was more than we often think. This was Scottys home, and he would practice bass facing the corner in the living room because he could better hear the sound quality. Evans was an articulate interweaver of a pianist, a melodic speaker, a filigree lord rather than a rhythm king. 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. The 25-year old Scott LaFaros death in a car accident shortly after was a major shock to the jazz world. 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. Free Jazz did that kind of splicing and segmenting for you, as part of, neatly enough, its original integrated sonic package. Tom Reneys writings delve into the history and mystery of jazz, blues, and beyond. LaFaro-Fernandez: Dad (Joe LaFaro) never forced us to play music. Bill Evans. Such is the legacy of bassist Scott LaFaro, though I would suggest that what was was more than we often think. 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. Q: Did you and your brother spend time at the Smith Opera House (which was Schines Geneva Theatre back then)? See all our current specials here. Places to dine, drink, stay near the Smith Opera House, A word of caution about buying tickets on the secondary ticket market. That is what so many families Sunday ritual were like. A post-bass bass player, maybe. Then wed go home and have dinner and ice cream. 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 waited until we got interested, and then he was totally supportive. 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. So if you were all living in California, how was it that your brother was near Geneva when he died? 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." So help yourself to his more, if you will. Q: When did your brother start getting interested in music? I remember one time Scotty came home with an LP under his arm. He played a lot of top, cymbals, and Scotty wanted more drums, says Kuhn. My dad took Scotty to see anyone who came there, or to Syracuse or Rochester. LaFaro left Morrow and settled in Los Angeles in 1957. HOMETOWN Newark, NJ, United States of America BORN April 3, 1936 Similar Artists Paul Motian. 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. It is LaFaros bass that makes this thing go, such as it does go. Composer: Hammerstein II / Kern He wanted the conversation back and forth between each of the players, and he wanted to play melody. The group attended the funeral in Geneva, which Kuhn adds was closed casket., LaFaro's death was devastating to Bill Evans. Also in 2009, the University of North Texas Press published Jade Visions, a biography of LaFaro by his sister Helene LaFaro-Fernandez, with an extensive discography. More on his story here. Jan. 30, 2021 1:47 PM PT. Not long after he arrived on campus, he gave his clarinet away to a classmate. Youre freeboomto lock in on LaFaro, and I do that quite a bit. 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. . Later in high school, kids would go to the movies with their friends, or boyfriends, or girlfriends. Also included is "Porgy", originally omitted for lack of space.[]" He says they formed an immediate friendship, and that musically, Id never felt such an instant connection. Composer: Rosolino And how does it go? He was a musician from age 4. He remembered that Scotty was dressed up for the Newport appearance. 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! Little, another ill-fated star of the period who died at 23 in October 1961, described LaFaro in the liner notes as distant, but closea paradox that resolves only for those who were simpatico. He also recognized Scottys distinctiveness as an innovator who was much more of a conversationalist behind you than any other bassist I know[Hes] technicallyabout the greatest bassist we have. Remarking on the solo LaFaro plays on Bee Tees Minor Plea, the trumpeter said, The bass is a crude and rude instrument, but Scott makes it into something else. Helene says Scotty would have loved being described as something else, since I could remember how excited [he] was when he brought around to play for me the first record of Ornettes he owned,Something Else.. Yes, the Evans dynamic provided him with a perfect setting. Is that a bass thing? Bassist Marc Johnson, who was with Evans between 1978 and his death in 1980, wrote in the liner notes forPieces of Jadethat the Vanguard performance was the highest measure of Scotts musical vision. 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