Yes we have Jaco, and Victor, etc....but what about Scott LaFaro? His body of work is small due to his early death, but his work was groundbreaking for it's time. It still is. I don't think he gets the credit he deserves. Thoughts?
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Why not Scott LaFaro?
- Thread starter misterCRUSH
- Start date
He is one of the most renowned jazz bassists of his time, and he is still a revered figure among those who know anything about jazz bass. I would say he gets the credit he deserves.
Christian McBride called Scott LaFaro "The Bible of the bass"--that's awfully high praise.
He was a game changer for sure, one of the major links in the bass chain. You would probably get a bigger response down in the double bass forums!
This is your answer. Scott LaFaro was trailblazer on double bass, not bass guitar. He died at 25, he lived 12 fewer years than Jaco, in a era with much less media. At the time he died, James Jameson was still recording R&B sessions on double bass, so his influence on bass guitarists is indirect.
I wonder how much Jaco is discussed in the double bass part of Talkbass?
Easily the most influential player to me. My meme is even him.
FWIW...I have listened to Double Bassists a lot (since '75).
You wanna learn how to walk/swing?
Carter, Brown, Chambers, Mingus, Holland, NHOP, Milt Hinton, etc.
Latin-Jazz?
Cachao, Andy Gonzalez, etc.
Or listen to the electric guys that probably checked out the guys above...so, why not go to the source?
You wanna learn how to walk/swing?
Carter, Brown, Chambers, Mingus, Holland, NHOP, Milt Hinton, etc.
Latin-Jazz?
Cachao, Andy Gonzalez, etc.
Or listen to the electric guys that probably checked out the guys above...so, why not go to the source?
Back in the earliest daze of TB, I ventured down there...IIRC, Jaco 'the composer' was OK with those guys.
Jaco 'the bassist'? Don't recall them being that impressed.
I'm digging thru some stuff...I have mags with electric guys talking agout LaFaro. Cannot locate what I'm thinking about. So, here's something until I recall where I stashed the stuff.
Beyond Jazz: Scott LaFaro’s Impact on Rock Music
Sorry, I needed to edit. There were enough spelling errors to indicate a drunken stupor.
Alas, this Pad (or stylus) is merely on its last leg.
Beyond Jazz: Scott LaFaro’s Impact on Rock Music
Sorry, I needed to edit. There were enough spelling errors to indicate a drunken stupor.
Alas, this Pad (or stylus) is merely on its last leg.
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FWIW...I have listened to Double Bassists a lot (since '75).
You wanna learn how to walk/swing?
Carter, Brown, Chambers, Mingus, Holland, NHOP, Milt Hinton, etc.
Latin-Jazz?
Cachao, Andy Gonzalez, etc.
Or listen to the electric guys that probably checked out the guys above...so, why not go to the source?
When I was young, I really ignored most double bass. The music I loved did not feature double bass, and so many double bassists were utterly negative towards the bass guitar. Even worse, was the attitude of Wynton Marsalis. Marsalis is a year younger than I am, and I get how a young man who is really good, can be judgemental. I've been there and done that. Looking back, I wonder if he has ever realized that he probably turned off many young music lovers and musicians because he was so utterly condescending towards music that other people loved?
To make a long story short, by the early Nineties, I accepted that
acoustic bass has a wonderful sound and it works better than bass guitar for certain styles of music, or at least we are accustomed to hearing it in certain styles. Now I have been studying bass seriously with teacher for the last two years, and I am getting so much more into playing that my legendary (around TB) GAS has really died down because I simply love feeling myself becoming a better musician. At first, I was depressed because I had so much regret for the years I was just buying basses, but now, I realize that by studying now, I am setting myself up for a great retirement if my health is good.
I did not mean to post so much about myself, my point was that I bet there were a lot of players like me who ignored double bass, but many of us are now in a place where we can appreciate a legend like Scott Lafaro.
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I played double bass when I was studying jazz music. It is still a touchstone or foundation for how I approach the bass. Even in my experimental rock projects.
Scott LaFaro was a so heavy for being so young.
Scott LaFaro was a so heavy for being so young.
I haven't knowingly heard Scott LaFaro but I know who he is so he must be getting good praise. I also HAVE heard Carter and Reid but I couldnt tell you who they plyed with ofd the top of my head. Seems about even. Let's talk about Niels Henning Orsted Petersen, though. Also known as NHOP and talked about far less, I suspect. Maybe the name...
I'm difgging thru some stuff...I have mags with ele tric guys tslking agout LaFaro. Cannot locate what I'm thinking about. So, here's something until I recall where I stashed the stuff.
Beyond Jazz: Scott LaFaro’s Impact on Rock Music
That makes sense. All of the players mentioned in that article came of age before Rock, as we know it, existed.
This is a good album...IMHO.
BTW, Ron Carter?
Check out Miles' 2nd Great Quintet. All those albums + the Live ones are classics.
Same thing could be stated as to many DB players.
Eddie Gomez snaps to my mind, JEEEsh.
Reginald Veal
Buster Williams, who I believe plays Fender Bass as well...
Scott LaFaro gets props from anyone who knows what Bass- Electric or upright is about.
Don't Matter!
Eddie Gomez snaps to my mind, JEEEsh.
Reginald Veal
Buster Williams, who I believe plays Fender Bass as well...
Scott LaFaro gets props from anyone who knows what Bass- Electric or upright is about.
Don't Matter!
Just listen to the song he wrote - Gloria's Step - and how he played it, and WHEN he played it, and you will know...
I hear both Gene Simmons and Steve Harris are bigtime LaFaro fans. 
But seriously I was reading about Percy Jones of Brand X and the interviewer was asking him why his fretless electric bass playing was so different than others and he said it was probably due to Charles Mingus being his main influence.
But seriously I was reading about Percy Jones of Brand X and the interviewer was asking him why his fretless electric bass playing was so different than others and he said it was probably due to Charles Mingus being his main influence.
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Pick up the Bill Evans at the Village Vanguard recordings for some awesome LaFaro playing!
