It was there his career exploded. [10] Obsessively he played "I Loves You Porgy", a song that had become synonymous with him and LaFaro. He says they formed an immediate friendship, and that musically, Id never felt such an instant connection. Gloria Gabriel was one of the dancers. Scott LaFaro was born 64 years ago today. Includes Obituary, Biography, Discography, Photo, and Links. We spoke with LaFaro-Fernandez by phone to give us a glimpse on her brothers formative years in Geneva. Q: What happened to your brother after Ithaca College? Yes, the Evans dynamic provided him with a perfect setting. 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? Celebrating the life of Genevas legendary jazz bass hero Scott LaFaro has become an annual event at the Smith Opera House, ever since the City of Geneva declared April 3, his birthday, as Scott LaFaro Day in 2014. LaFaro continued to play this bass until his death. 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. Ted Gioia, in his 1997 survey,The History of Jazz, said, "LaFarotook far greater chances, departing markedly from the traditional walking line, instead offering countermelodies and guitar-like phrases. 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. 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. In his playing you can hear how happy Evans is to have this helmsman at the back of the boatI think it helped him see better at the front. 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. The 25-year-old Scott LaFaro's death in a car accident shortly after was a major shock to the jazz world. 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. The top of the instrument is a three-piece plate of slab-cut fir; the back is a two-piece plate of moderately flamed maple with an ebony inlay at the center joint; the sides are made of matching maple. 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. [citation needed], By late 1960, LaFaro was in demand as a bassist. LaFaro started his professional career playing a German-made Mittenwald double bass but it was stolen in the Spring of 1958. This was Scottys home, and he would practice bass facing the corner in the living room because he could better hear the sound quality. 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. Born 1936 in Newark, N.J., La Faro studied clarinet and tenor sax as a boy, but in college switched to bass. His death came just ten days after recording two live albums with the Bill Evans Trio, Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz . 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. 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. 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. 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. Following the Vanguard engagement, LaFaro played with Getz, Steve Kuhn, and Roy Haynes at Newport on July 2. Scotty sat in. Sign in to continue reading, Sixty years after the bass greats untimely death, a look at his musical legacy beyond the Bill Evans Trio. Composer: Gillespie When Evans returned to the trio format later in 1962, it was with Motian and bassist Chuck Israels.[2]. A driver was killed when a car crashed into a home in the Hancock Park . 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. At age 12 he was recommended for the Ithaca Conservatory of Music, where he was classically trained in violin. He heard what I was doing at the piano, and I heard what he was doing. According to Paul Motian, the death of LaFaro left Bill Evans "numb with grief", "in a state of shock", and "like a ghost". 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? The music of Jazz Abstractions proceeds as a series of shadings, which tend to be called variants on the finished LP. We decided to move the family to California. Colin Fleming writes fiction and nonfiction on myriad topicsart, film, music, sports, literature, current eventsfor a wide range of publications, and talks regularly on radio and podcasts. It was an idyllic childhood. 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. Performers: Bill Evans, p; Scott LaFaro, b; Paul Motian, d. 28 Dec 1958. Often controversial, always entertaining, JazzTimes is a favorite of musicians and fans alike. 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. 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. [1] He played in groups at the College Spa and Joe's Restaurant[4] on State Street in downtown Ithaca. And how does it go? Evans and Dolphy dont feature on a couple tunes, while LaFaro is the constant. He was his own thing. LaFaro originally played clarinet and tenor before settling on bass while in college. The important thing is his art while he lived. He quoted Evans, who said, Im hoping the trio will grow in the direction of simultaneous improvisationIf the bass player, for example, hears an idea that he wants to answer, why should he just keep playing a background?, Scotty, of course, heard and answered plenty of ideas. [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". According to Paul Motian, the death of LaFaro left Bill Evans "numb with grief", "in a state of shock", and "like a ghost". All that listening to the trio had another effect on me. He became a professional musician in New York City during the Roaring 20s. 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.. During World War II the club scene changed and he came back to Geneva where he could find work. Styles. Scotty also befriended the pianist-composer Victor Feldman, and recorded with him and drummer Stan Levey in January 1958. 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. I was 19 and working. It was released in 1962. We never got to enjoy it as a concert venue in our day, unfortunately. Haynes shared with Scotty a fastidiousness about clothing, and hed just been named toEsquiresBest-Dressed list. My father passed away (from a heart attack) in 1957. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Man, woman decapitated after car slams into big rig on 5 Freeway in San Fernando Valley. See all our current specials here. Bassist Scott LaFaro would die in a car accident just ten days after this album's recording, at the age of 25. Jan. 30, 2021 1:47 PM PT. Performers: Chet Baker, tp; Phil Urso, ts; Francy Boland, p; Larance Marable, d; Scott LaFaro, b. Did you and your brother spend time at the Smith Opera House (which was Schines Geneva Theatre back then)? They spent so much time discussing music, listening to records, at the piano, they were inseparable. He recorded with pianist Don Friedman as well. 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. 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. On March 5, 2014, the Geneva (New York) City Council approved making April 3 Scott LaFaro Day. Tom holds a BA from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he majored in English and African American Studies. Scottys death was hard on my Mom. 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. Here is a verbal snapshot of that conversation, edited for clarity. 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. 1998 Kevin Crosby. I dont blame him, said Morrow. I get 10 to 12 emails a day asking about Scotty. 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. 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. LaFaro-Fernandez: Scotty and I were born in New Jersey but we moved back to Geneva in 1942. 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. Later we moved to Elmwood Place, and during the summer we would spend many of our days at the Brook Street Playground. For many, that Evans association, with drummer Paul Motian, is the LaFaro legacy. 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. 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. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. Each year during the first week of April, The Smith hosts the Scott LaFaro Day Celebration concert that features a contemporary bass player. He emphasized high notes, could play with great speed and his interplay with Bill Evans in their trio was mutually stimulating and influential. Composer: Mercer / Kosma / Prevert In Jade Visionshe says, Scott wasnt what one would consider a big band bass player. "Route 66" songwriter Bobby Troup was the show's host. Scott was already playing like that with Bill., Recorded on November 29, 1960, the four-song session wasnt officially released until 2005. Other birthdays Monday: Jimmy McGriff, 64; Harold Vick, 19361987; and Eric Kloss, 51. My mom was still pregnant with my last sister. Nearly six decades later, Helene LaFaro-Fernandez continues to keep her older brothers flame alive. While driving home late one night his car went off the road and struck a tree. But LaFaro had a pronounced Dolphy streak too, in that both musicians were playmakers, facilitators, helping others to raise their games by playing theirs at the highest level. Advice and guidance to those interested in building a library of jazz recordings. 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. A jazz musicians legacy can be a multifarious slope. After Scotty played at the Newport Jazz Festival with Stan Getz (July 1961), he went to Geneva to try to convince the people who had been renting our house to buy it. Such is the legacy of bassist Scott LaFaro, though I would suggest that what was was more than we often think. ", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIzbINNrqcQ. 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. What a natural setting for a multi-ecosystem guy like LaFaro, the dream bassist for a project of this nature, which is jazz, classical, painterly, open yet demonstrative. It remains what is likely Evans' most well-known song,[citation needed] one that he would play throughout his career. Labels. Today would be the 78th birthday of the great Scott LaFaro, who died in a car accident in 1961. These two albums, recorded less than two weeks prior: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ_rZZusz90 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbTEgBEaEM4. But he was best known for his collaborations and recordings with the Bill Evans Trio. Tonight Show, 14 Feb 1957. Later in high school, kids would go to the movies with their friends, or boyfriends, or girlfriends. Your IP: Cool Modal Music Post-Bop. Bill Evans Trio. Nov 13, 2008 #2 Mark Carlsen Oct 4, 2004 You can read our interview with Holland. Youre freeboomto lock in on LaFaro, and I do that quite a bit. 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. What happened to your brother after Ithaca College? 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