Jersey History: Scott LaFaro
Scott LaFaro died in a 1961 car crash at 25. At the time, he was looked upon as a pioneer of the bass, having admirably performed and recorded with the legendary Bill Evans Trio. He literally broke new ground on the instrument, eschewing traditional walking basslines for a counter-melodic virtuosity that no one had ever even contemplated, much less put into practice. Born in Newark, he worked with Chet Baker, Stan Kenton, Cal Tjader, Stan Getz, Ornette Coleman and Benny Goodman. Then pianist Bill Evans quit the Miles Davis band to start a trio with drummer Paul Motian. They called LaFaro and it became—to this day—the piano-bass-drums jazz trio to emulate. Despite his youth, Bass Player magazine had him as #16 on its list of the Top 100 Bassists of All-Time.
LaFaro used a restored Prescott stand-up bass constructed in the 1800s. Since his death, it has been maintained by the International Society of Bassists and housed at Finlay + Gage Musical Instruments in Maplewood. It has since been loaned to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) for use in the upcoming 2025 TD James Moody Jazz Festival and the 2026 Milt Hinton Institute for Studio Bass. Christian McBride will play it November 22 at the NJPAC fest. So will Ben Williams, Max Gerl and Gregory Jones.
McBride: “for bassists everywhere, Scott LaFaro’s unique sound and incredible musicianship have been a deep source of inspiration. It’s both humbling and exhilarating to be in direct contact with his instrument.”