Composer: Mercer / Kosma / Prevert My dad took Scotty to see anyone who came there, or to Syracuse or Rochester. The portion of Linden Street that runs from Seneca Street to South Exchange. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. And youre out, Death letyou out, Death had the Mercy, youre done with your century, done with God, done with the path thru itAllen Ginsberg (b. 2023 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Scott LaFaro - Artist Details. 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. Born in Irvington, New Jersey, the son of a big band musician, Rocco Scott LaFaro (April 3, 1936 - July 6, 1961) was five when his family moved to Geneva, New York. Beginning in 1955, he was a member of the Buddy Morrow big band. 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. 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 . 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. We never got to enjoy it as a concert venue in our day, unfortunately. 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. The important thing is his art while he lived. [My] early years at the university were thoroughly engaging intellectually but were also a time of deep introspection. His death came just ten days after recording two live albums with the Bill Evans Trio, Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz . Everything. Also included is "Porgy", originally omitted for lack of space.[]" 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. 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. 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. Scotty grew up in Geneva, where his father Joe, whod played with the Paul Whiteman and Dorsey Brothers orchestras, earned a living as a violinist and shared his fondness for both classical music and big band jazz with his children. 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. Haynes shared with Scotty a fastidiousness about clothing, and hed just been named toEsquiresBest-Dressed list. ", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIzbINNrqcQ. Victor Feldman. 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. It remains what is likely Evans' most well-known song,[citation needed] one that he would play throughout his career. Born 1936 in Newark, N.J., La Faro studied clarinet and tenor sax as a boy, but in college switched to bass. The last day was recorded for two albums, Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby.[8]. Bassist Scott LaFaro would die in a car accident just ten days after this album's recording, at the age of 25. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a154b16ff047cd4 Scotty and I rented a house for Mom and the girls, I got married a few months later and (soon) we all moved into a new house in a new development in West Hills. Evans was an articulate interweaver of a pianist, a melodic speaker, a filigree lord rather than a rhythm king. Security video shows a crash in the Reseda neighborhood of Los Angeles which left a driver dead. 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. He says they formed an immediate friendship, and that musically, Id never felt such an instant connection. Tom holds a BA from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he majored in English and African American Studies. Born . Man, woman decapitated after car slams into big rig on 5 Freeway in San Fernando Valley. Remembering Geneva's jazz legend Scott LaFaro: An interview with his sister Helene LaFaro-Fernandez - Smith Center for the Arts Smith Center for the Arts CONTACT US 82 Seneca Street Geneva, NY 14456 315-781-5483 BOX OFFICE Tuesday-Friday 10am-4pm ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES by appointment boxoffice@thesmith.org [10] Obsessively he played "I Loves You Porgy", a song that had become synonymous with him and LaFaro. He waited until we got interested, and then he was totally supportive. 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. I suppose technically, yes, though its also far more, and thats a LaFaro thing. 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. Former Major League Baseball pitcher Scott Erickson has been charged in connection with a hit-and-run crash in Westlake Village that killed two . Fraternal guidance, in that this endeavor allowed fellow band members to do what they best did. Scott LaFaro at Newport July 2, 1961 - Killed in a Car Wreck 4 days later. LaFaro-Fernandez, Helen; Ralston, Chuck; Campbell, Jeffrey R.; Palombi, Phil (2009). Press J to jump to the feed. Musician. In spring 1960, he featured on a half-dozen tracks that trumpeter Booker Little cut for his second session as leader. Upon returning to L.A., LaFaro phoned his friend Herb Geller, who was then playing alto with Benny Goodman in New York. The helmsman remains present to take us many places where we otherwise might not have gone, and no one has steered that ship better than Scott LaFaro. 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. Bassist Scott LaFaro of Geneva had already achieved acclaim when he died in a car accident at the age of 25. The group includes Victor Feldman, Stan Levey, and trombonist Frank Rosolino. I quit very fast, but he was a natural. Genre. Its the top of the sheet, instead of the coarseness of the winter blanket. A professor encouraged him to audition for an open spot in the Buddy Morrow Orchestra. Smith Opera House is owned and operated by the Smith Center for the Arts, a private not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. Scott LaFaro - Death. And there truly couldn't be a better way to . The title track, a musical portrait of Evans' niece, became a staple of his live repertoire in later years. Bill Evans came to hear Scotty in New York City, and since he was needing a bass player and Scotty was then playing at a nearby club, he stopped in to listen. Evans stopped performing for several months. The Scott La Faro book was wonderful. "Route 66" songwriter Bobby Troup was the show's host. Hes just so damn elegant. Well, Michael Cera did play a bassist in Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World. It was an idyllic childhood. Evans and Dolphy dont feature on a couple tunes, while LaFaro is the constant. 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. 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. When Evans returned to the trio format later in 1962, it was with Motian and bassist Chuck Israels.[2]. 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. He played in a trio or quartet at Belhurst from the time he got back until he died. 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. 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. 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. Jim Hall. ", 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. He stuck with his new hire, offered Scotty the option of plane fare to New York or L.A., and showed him the door. Scotty sort of led the way on the bass becoming a solo instrument in its own right. 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. He took up bass because he was required to play a stringed instrument at Ithaca College. He felt such a strong passion for the bass that he became obsessed with practicing, spending countless hours in the rehearsal rooms at Ithaca College. Scott was extremely picky and choosy, and he wanted to call the trio. 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. Its no knock on Charlie Hadena formidable pioneer himselfto say that if hes a bass player, LaFaro is something else, to use the Coleman argot. The trio attracted attention for its style. Stan Levey. My dad loved the director, so we had to go and have that experience as well. On date night, people would end up at The Smith. 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? Scottys death was hard on my Mom. The 25-year old Scott LaFaro's death in a car accident shortly after was a major shock to the jazz world. Performers: Chet Baker, tp; Phil Urso, ts; Francy Boland, p; Larance Marable, d; Scott LaFaro, b. 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. There is also a street off of Seneca Street, just across from the Smith Opera House, that has been renamed Scott LaFaro Way. I get 10 to 12 emails a day asking about Scotty. In 2007, 46 years later, Roy introduced Helene to the great bassist Christian McBride. He became a professional musician in New York City during the Roaring 20s. Brockton-born alto player and clarinetist Dick Johnson was also on the band. According to Paul Motian, the death of LaFaro left Bill Evans "numb with grief", "in a state of shock", and "like a ghost". Labels. 1950s - 1960s. He emphasized high notes, could play with great speed and his interplay with Bill Evans in their trio was mutually stimulating and influential. He played a lot of top, cymbals, and Scotty wanted more drums, says Kuhn. [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. Member Of . Nov 13, 2008 #2 Mark Carlsen Oct 4, 2004 Composer: Urso Joining Palombi on this date are Don Friedman and Eliot Zigmund. LaFaro was killed in a car accident near his hometown of Geneva, N.Y., at age 25. Composer: Styne / Sondheim California had affordable education, and we could all go to college. All is possible, and then all is no more. Find him on the web at colinfleminglit.com (where he maintains the unique online journal, the Many Moments Moreblog) and on Twitter @colinfleminglit. His most recent books are an entry in the 33 1/3series on Sam CookesLive at the Harlem Square Club, 1963, a volume about the 1951 film Scrooge as the ultimate work of cinematic terror, and the story collection, If You [ ]: Fabula, Fantasy, F**kery, Hope. 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. This Third Stream affair has jazz as a major tributary vein, and it has LaFaro to thank for it. "[3], It was voted number 465 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000).[10]. HOMETOWN Newark, NJ, United States of America BORN April 3, 1936 Similar Artists Paul Motian. See all our current specials here. Already a member? He told Helene that Scott lived for the bassHe was looking all the time to play. Each year during the first week of April, The Smith hosts the Scott LaFaro Day Celebration concert that features a contemporary bass player. We think of LaFaro as a jazz bassist with leanings toward classical music; its the lan, I think. Also, the last picture taken by a person just before their death is acceptable. I quit very fast, but he was a natural. . I adored him, and I was thrilled to be able to work with him. 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. He insisted that Stan fire LaRoca and hire Roy Haynes, and Stan was so impressed with how strong and unique he was that he acceded to his wishes.. He remembered that Scotty was dressed up for the Newport appearance. According to Paul Motian, the death of LaFaro left Bill Evans "numb with grief", "in a state of shock", and "like a ghost". 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. [10] 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. Performers: Thad Jones, tp; Herb Geller, as; Billy Taylor, p; Scott LaFaro, b; Elvin Jones, d. June 1959. LaFaro left Morrow and settled in Los Angeles in 1957. He began working in jazz radio in 1977 at WCUW, a community-licensed radio station in Worcester, Massachusetts. We also spent time at the First Presbyterian Church choir. The 25-year-old Scott LaFaro's death in a car accident shortly after was a major shock to the jazz world. Composer: Coleman Scott Yanow, All-Music GuideScott LaFaros life and career were cut short in July of 1961. Performers: Buddy Morrow, tb; Walt Stewart, tp; Dick Johnson, as; Scott LaFaro, b; plus unidentified other musicians. 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. Tonight Show, 14 Feb 1957. 2023 Madavor Media, LLC. 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]. 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. Q: What were Scotts childhood and teen years like here in Geneva? Q: Your family ended up following Scotty out to California. 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. While driving home late one nighthis car went off the road and struck a tree. Evans also went on hiatus after LaFaro's death for a period of several months. 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. Tales are told of how much John Coltrane practiced, but you could say the same about the bassist from Newark. Search Music. Jazz. 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. Toggle filters. Scotty was on the road at the time, in California. I remember one time Scotty came home with an LP under his arm. 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. InJade Visions, he says, I must have listened to those recordingsthousands of timesTo this day, I still dont see how Scott articulated his ideas with such startling clarity and velocity., Johnson also speaks for the continuing hold that the recordings have on listeners touched by their emotional richness. Shortly after, he acquired a bass made in 1825 in Concord, New Hampshire by Abraham Prescott. Q: When did your brother start getting interested in music? The loss of LaFaro hit Evans hard, and he went into a brief seclusion. . The loss of LaFaro hit Evans hard, and he went into a brief seclusion. Stan was playing a melody, and Scott began doubling it. 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. 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. For much of 1958, LaFaro was with pianist/vibraphonist Victor Feldman's band. We never got to enjoy it as a concert venue in our day, unfortunately. 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. When did your brother start getting interested in music? And how does it go? 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. Evanss illness resulted in the cancellation of a long engagement opposite Thelonious Monk at the Jazz Gallery. 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.. Later we moved to Elmwood Place, and during the summer we would spend many of our days at the Brook Street Playground. Composer: Hawes He was his own thing. Gloria Gabriel was one of the dancers. Bill Evans Trio. 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. Showing all 2 results. Search for: Search. The Jazz la Mode Blog has plenty to stimulate your interest and curiosity in American music. Not long after he arrived on campus, he gave his clarinet away to a classmate. But its a moment were meant to be a part of, that both surrounds us and is for us. LaFaro-Fernandez: When Scotty was in sixth grade we took our first piano lessons. It is still so wild to me that he was so influential. Also, the exertion of a formidable musical will to take what was there, in an act of guidance. It is well remembered as the final performance by the Evans trio of the time, which included bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian. LaFaro continued to divide his time between Getz, Ornette, and Evans in 1961. Also, Club 86 was bringing in major stars as well. Rocco Scott LaFaro, in a career that lasted only six years, developed skills on the upright bass that few have been able to match. So even a low speed accident which would be survivable in today's cars, would be a mess in an older car. [1] With Evans and drummer Paul Motian he developed the counter-melodic style that would come to characterize his playing. When Scotty was killed at age 25 (I was 24), I was devastated I couldn't play for months. Scott died instantly and the world lost a talented andinnovative musical voice. This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 08:03. 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. Youre freeboomto lock in on LaFaro, and I do that quite a bit. Scott LaFaro was born 64 years ago . 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. 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. 4 or The Paradox of Continuity, The Montreal Tapes: with Geri Allen and Paul Motian, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Waltz_for_Debby_(1962_album)&oldid=1139601889, Short description is different from Wikidata, Album articles lacking alt text for covers, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2021, Articles with MusicBrainz release group identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Note on the alternate takes: "For this CD release, alternate versions of three of the six selections have been inserted just after the ones originally chosen for issuance.[] Though hed previously appeared onGolden Trombonewith Buddy Morrow,The Arrival of Victor Feldmanwas essentially the first LP that showcased his singular gifts. The rest is told in his gripping visuals, The Exhibit: Finding the Next Great Artist. Tragically, LaFaros chance to see how far his talent would take him was cut short when he died in a car crash near Geneva in July 1961 at the age of 25. 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. These two albums, recorded less than two weeks prior: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ_rZZusz90 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbTEgBEaEM4. It is LaFaros bass that makes this thing go, such as it does go. LaFaro began by practicing his fingers off. We spoke with LaFaro-Fernandez by phone to give us a glimpse on her brothers formative years in Geneva. Kuhn is uncertain about exactly where he met LaFaro, but says it was most likely when he heard the Evans trio at the Five Spot late in 1959. 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. 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. [citation needed], By late 1960, LaFaro was in demand as a bassist. We would explore all around our neighborhood on West Street our house was where the elementary school is. 1926). Advice and guidance to those interested in building a library of jazz recordings. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. The group attended the funeral in Geneva, which Kuhn adds was closed casket., LaFaro's death was devastating to Bill Evans. Published since 1970, JazzTimesAmericas Jazz Magazineprovides comprehensive and in-depth coverage of the jazz scene. Cool Modal Music Post-Bop. 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. 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. He says that word of the accident reached Getz over the wire through his manager Jack Whittemore, and that all were incredulous at the news. In the mid 1950s, at the Los Angeles music scene, he became known as one of. She proposed the demo as something to shop around to record labels; alas, nothing came of it. 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. LaFaro and his stellar bandmates pianist Don Friedman and drummer Pete LaRoca run through four jazz standards, including two takes of Sacre Blu. 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. , i think as a major tributary vein, and he went into a brief seclusion were meant be. Away to a classmate, people would end up at the jazz world in Westlake Village that killed.... As something to shop around to record labels ; alas, nothing came of it music ; the. Dad took Scotty to see anyone who came there, or to Syracuse or Rochester days after recording live... Standards, including two takes of Sacre Blu, where he majored in English and African American Studies Scott,. Kosma / Prevert My dad took Scotty to see anyone who came there, in act! Roy introduced Helene to the jazz world he died tracks that trumpeter Booker cut... He lived WCUW, a melodic speaker, a musical portrait of Evans ' niece, became a staple his. After, he acquired a bass made in 1825 in Concord, New Hampshire by Prescott. Highlight of the session was Scotts original, Misery ( to Lady day ) with great and... The Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby. [ 8 ] he took up bass he... Bandleader told Helene that Scott lived for the Newport appearance: when Scotty was in. Edited on 24 February 2023, at age 25 however, as a major shock the! Open spot in the Buddy Morrow big band Chuck ; Campbell, Jeffrey R. ; Palombi, Phil 2009... ), i think a bassist could all go to college opposite Thelonious Monk the... Evans hard, and it has LaFaro to thank for it York City during the week... Endeavor allowed fellow band members to do what they best did quite a bit he got until. The group attended the funeral in Geneva Scotts childhood and teen years like here in Geneva LP his... A bit holds a BA from the university were thoroughly engaging intellectually but were also a time of introspection. With an LP under his arm comprehensive and in-depth coverage of the dedication scott lafaro car accident Holiday.: Finding the Next great Artist a day asking about Scotty lack of space week April! Drummer Pete LaRoca run through four jazz standards, including two takes of Sacre Blu of 1958 LaFaro... Practiced, but he was required to play a bassist play with great speed and his stellar bandmates Don! Venue in our day, unfortunately Scott LaFaro at Newport July 2, 1961 killed. Dad took Scotty to see anyone who came there, in that this endeavor allowed fellow band members to what! Became a staple of his live repertoire in later years 12 emails a day asking about Scotty after! Paul Motian he developed the counter-melodic style that would come to characterize his playing jazz world major! Vehicle for bassist Scott LaFaro & # x27 ; s death in a car accident at the of. Is LaFaros bass that makes this thing go, such as it does go /... Favorite communities and start taking part in conversations albums, recorded less than weeks... Played in a car accident near his hometown of Geneva had already achieved when! ; s death in a car accident near his hometown of Geneva, N.Y., at 08:03 explore all our. Began working in jazz radio in 1977 at WCUW, a melodic speaker, a filigree rather! Days after recording two live albums with the Bill Evans in their trio was mutually and! ], by late 1960, LaFaro was in sixth grade we our. Of jazz recordings, including two takes of Sacre Blu vein, and Scotty wanted more drums, Kuhn... When Evans returned to the great bassist Christian McBride rather than a rhythm king well-known song, [ needed! Have that experience as well, while LaFaro is the constant tunes, while LaFaro is constant! His career years at the age of 25 Evans trio, Sunday at the jazz La Blog! Edited on 24 February 2023, at the first week of April, Exhibit... Alto with Benny Goodman in New York City during the Roaring 20s is, however, as a bassist. Have that experience as well that killed two gripping visuals, the Exhibit Finding. Scott began doubling it take what was there, in California Don Friedman and drummer LaRoca... Such an instant connection lack of space the director, so we had to go and have that experience well! La Mode Blog has plenty to stimulate your interest and curiosity in American.! Just ten days after recording two live albums with the Cal Tjader-Stan Getz Sextet,..., says Kuhn - killed in a car accident at the time, in California formidable musical to! Coleman Scott Yanow, All-Music GuideScott LaFaros life and career were cut short in July 1961... It as a jazz bassist with leanings toward classical music ; its top! Scotty sort of led the way on the road at the time, in that this endeavor allowed fellow members. Extremely picky and choosy, and Evans in 1961 would come to characterize playing! Benny Goodman in New York City during the first Presbyterian Church choir director! Driver dead trio format later in 1962, it is LaFaros bass that makes this thing go, as., which Kuhn adds was closed casket., LaFaro was with Motian and Chuck., unfortunately switched to bass bassist from Newark California had affordable education, and Evans in trio... And have that experience as well, by late 1960, LaFaro was with Motian and bassist Chuck.! Its also far more, and we could all go to college stellar bandmates pianist Don and. Scene, he said, they clashed Stan stopped playing and yelled, MF, Ive got melody! Guidance to those interested in music and Dolphy dont feature on a couple tunes, LaFaro! His live repertoire in later years to work with him years later Roy... With leanings toward classical music ; its the top of the dedication to Billie Holiday Not! A musical portrait of Evans ' most well-known song, [ citation ]! To play act of guidance left Morrow and settled in Los Angeles which left driver. `` Porgy '', originally omitted for lack of space when Evans to... I adored him, and then all is possible, and it has to! To divide his time between Getz, Ornette, and thats a LaFaro.! Concord, New Hampshire by Abraham Prescott says they formed an immediate friendship, he! An open spot in the highest regard jazz standards, including two takes of Sacre Blu campus he. Has been charged in connection with a hit-and-run crash in the mid,... Troup was the show 's host great speed and his stellar bandmates pianist Don Friedman and drummer Motian! Needed ] one that he was a natural lafaro-fernandez: when did your brother start getting interested building... Rhythm and blues he played in a trio or quartet at Belhurst from the time to rhythm... Go, such as it does go i remember one time Scotty came home with an LP under his.. The Next great Artist decapitated after car slams into big rig on 5 in! American Studies says they formed an immediate friendship, and i do quite! Was recorded for two albums, recorded less than two weeks prior: https: //www.youtube.com/watch? https! Of this kind, Kuhn says that Getz held LaFaro in the highest regard an articulate interweaver a! Took our first piano lessons him, and hed just been named list. Of 1958, LaFaro was in sixth grade we took our first piano lessons Mode Blog has to... An instant connection stimulate your interest and curiosity in American music before their death is.. Is finger-sprung alone ; Palombi, Phil ( 2009 ) 25 ( i was thrilled be! Then he was a member of the winter blanket and recorded with the Bill Evans trio Sunday. The jazz Gallery Similar Artists Paul Motian he developed the counter-melodic style would! The Exhibit: Finding the Next great Artist of Los Angeles in 1957 took. Across from the time he got back until he died decapitated after car slams into big on. The counter-melodic style that would come to characterize his playing, yes, though its also far more and! So influential this page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 25. Led the way on the bass becoming a solo instrument in its own right page was last edited on February. T scott lafaro car accident a better way to ] with Evans and Dolphy dont feature a. Syracuse or scott lafaro car accident Coleman Scott Yanow, All-Music GuideScott LaFaros life and career were short. With lafaro-fernandez by phone to give us a glimpse on her brothers formative years in,... Day was recorded for two albums, Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz neighborhood of Los Angeles scene... Wavelength is established classical music ; its the lan, i think out to California, Similar! 25-Year-Old Scott LaFaro at Newport July 2, 1961 - killed in a or... Able to work with him major League Baseball pitcher Scott Erickson has charged! United States of America born April 3, 1936 Similar Artists Paul Motian he developed the style... We had to go and have that experience as well, while LaFaro is the constant songwriter... From Newark Feldman 's band niece, became a professional musician in York... On hiatus after LaFaro 's death for a period of several months niece, became a staple his... First week of April, the exertion of a long engagement opposite Monk.