Sunday, November 22, 2009

Random Notes (but no more than two . . .)

Legendary bassist Scott LaFaro is featured in the Holiday 2009 issue of BassPlayer magazine, as well as the December issue of Jazz Times.


With a life cut way too short (auto accident in 1961, age 25) Mr. LaFaro. nonetheless became a huge influence on future bassists as diverse as Charlie Haden, Miroslav Vitous, Jaco Pastorius, Jack Casady; and is credited by many (like the late SF Chronicle's Jazz Critic Ralph J. Gleason) for giving bass players a "voice," heretofore unheard.

Also released this fall: a book by LaFaro's sister ("Jade Visions: The Life and Music of Scott LaFaro"), and a CD of a Practice Session with Bill Evans (ResonanceRecords.org). The essential record of LaFaro's brilliance as a bassist, and of Evan's trio-work remains the 3CD set: "Bill Evans, The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961."
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Yet another "Dream Date?" (see below) - this video of "29 Palms" in which Robert continues the chase of his desert muse.

From The [not so] Daily Nocturne

("29 Palms / I feel the heat of your desert heart / Leading me back down the road / that leads back to you")

2 comments:

Joe Reifer said...

In addition to his groundbreaking trio work with Bill Evans, Scott LaFaro also played on Ornette Coleman's "Free Jazz," and on a 1961 session with Ornette, Don Cherry, and Ed Blackwell, much of which is on the album "Ornette!" LaFaro was a huge inspiration to me during the 14 years I played upright bass.

Tim Baskerville said...

14 years - What, did you start playing at age three?!

Ornette Coleman and Don Cherry - we're not wo-o-orthy . . .