Chuck Israels, Marc Johnson, and Eddie Gomez on stage at Clowes Hall, Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana, Saturday evening, 9 June 2001
(photograph by Michele Ralston)
Some after-concert photographs and other images.
A short report on the Saturday 9 June 2001 International Society of Bassists (ISB) Convention's recital entitled, The Bassists of Bill Evans: Chuck Israels, Eddie Gomez, Marc Johnson -- with a Special Tribute to Scott LaFaro:
Indianapolis weather was perfect with sun, low humidity, and cool temperatures in the low 80s. And there was no automobile traffic comparable to Atlanta anywhere in sight. Clowes (pronounced 'clues') Hall, on the campus of Butler University, although under renovation (looks like a roof overhaul), gave the performers every advantage in terms of rehearsal room, stage baffling for sound, and the audience every comfort in terms of seating and acoustics. The setting was relaxed and informal.
This program was the finale to a week filled with bassists at every skill and artistic level from all over the country (and probably the world). The audience looked to be about 200 strong (the ISB conference had about 600 registrants I understand). Each musical ensemble performed about 45-50 minutes.
Chuck Israels with Bill Mays, piano and Tim Froncek, drums, played:
'Laverne Walk' by Oscar Pettiford
'Shenandoah' based on a similar approach Bill Evans took when he worked with Swedish singer, Monica Zetterlund (comment of Chuck Israels)
'Dameron's Ghost' by Tadd Dameron
'All the Pretty Little Horses' by Aaron Copeland
'One More Kiss' from the Broadway show Follies by Stephen Sondheim
'??' a Count Basie tune that Israels said he learned from bassist Red Mitchell
Marc Johnson with Wolfgang Muthspiel, electric guitar
'Nardis' attributed to Miles Davis (but written by Bill Evans)
'Solar' by Miles Davis
'Tourist' by ??
'Samurai Hee Haw' by Marc Johnson based on a motif from Scott LaFaro's 'Jade Visions'
Eddie Gomez with Stefan Karlsson, piano; Jeremy Steig, flute; Jimmy Cobb, drums
'We Will Meet Again' by Bill Evans
'Turn Out The Stars' by Bill Evans
'Twelve Tone Tune' by Bill Evans (from The Bill Evans Album)
'Theme from "Spartacus''' by Alex North
'Five' by Bill Evans (Bill Evans's exit stage theme)
After two and one half hours of musical performance, Ms. Helene Fernandez, Scott LaFaro's oldest sister, took the stage to say thank you for this tribute to her brother. Then Clowes Hall was filled with an excerpt of the sound recording of Bill Evans and Scott LaFaro rehearsing 'My Foolish Heart'. Concurrently, still photographs of LaFaro taken by photographer Ray Avery, were displayed on a large screen. After this moving audio-visual remembrance, Messrs. Israels, Johnson, and Gomez came on stage (along with pianist Mays and drummer Froncek) to play LaFaro's 'Gloria's Step'. After a brief commentary by the Master of Ceremonies, the three bassists came back to the stage to play Evan's 'Your Story' and 'Peri's Scope'.
Back stage, I took a couple of photographs of the three bassists with Helene Fernandez and will post these here soon as I get them developed (no digital camera yet!).
On display at the tribute was a 24-by-38-inch (53-by-84-centimeter) poster of Scott LaFaro. The image above is a scan of this poster crafted by Manny Fernandez, Helene LaFaro's husband. This is a polychromatic painting based on a Gene Gammage photograph of Scott. This poster is available for purchase from the International Society of Bassists (http://www.isbworldoffice.com/).