-
Chapter 3. Early Influences [Includes Image Plates]
- University of North Texas Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
17 • ChapTer 3 • earlY InFluences “Too bad Dad didn’t make me play strings when I was a kid.Think of how much farther along I could be.” Scotty Philadelphia, 1957 Our music education began as it did for many, with the tambourines, drums, and triangles of our early childhood. Regardless of the fact that music was Dad’s life, when Scotty and I were older we learned why Dad hesitated to give us any early musical education himself.He was trying hard to create for us the “normal”childhood he had sacrificed to his prodigy,a gift that he felt took him out of the family fold. In conversations with percussionistVictor Feldman in the late sixties, I found this same notion.Vic’s career began in England at age seven and not long after,“Kid Krupa,” as he was known, was touring the Continent. But Vic was determined. He tried and succeeded in establishing a wonderful, settled family life in the Los Angeles area, doing studio work along with his jazz. He and his wife, Marilyn, had three sons and he never forced music study on them. Like Scotty and me, they were casually introduced to it. When interest flagged, they were allowed to set music aside and go on to other things. Our formal music training began when Scotty was in the sixth grade and, since most of our other friends were taking pi- 18 JadeVisions:The Life and Music of Scott LaFaro ano lessons, it was agreed that he and I could as well. Mrs.Anna Sampson’s house on Lyceum Street was just a short walk from home.The parlor where she gave her lessons had glass-paneled doors covered with curtains.Scotty and I would take turns sitting in the front hall while the other had their private lesson.While she seemed a frightening figure to me, Scotty never commented about this, so I remained silent.We were encouraged to practice, but we were not threatened with punishment if we slacked off. I can remember only three times in my life that Scotty was less than kind to me, and two had to do with the piano.We practiced our lessons on the piano in our family living room, an upright with a heavy, hinged keyboard cover. During one of my practice times, Scotty came over and said, “Stop—it’s terrible,” then slammed the cover down quite forcefully before I could remove my hands. Mom came running to my cries of pain.The second incident came not many weeks later when, as I practiced, he appeared wielding a table knife. With a hint of mischief, a new approach since he had gotten a stern talking-to about the previous incident, Scotty said,“If you don’t stop that darn noise, I may be forced to make you.”This remark made me bolt from the piano and race through the house to escape my fate,Scotty in pursuit.Although he apologized immediately upon being caught, I got the message. I never played that piano, or any other, again. Later in life it was agreed that this incident was probably precipitated by Scotty’s extraordinary ear—he had perfect pitch. Once he approached music, it seemed to come easily to him and early on he seemed to have little patience for anything he felt was sub-standard. This intolerance stayed with him into adulthood .There were things he found unacceptable and inexcusable, in music as well as in other facets of life. [44.205.2.188] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 12:25 GMT) Early Influences 19 Scotty’s piano lessons continued for a time, until summer and playground activities interrupted and junior high school was on the horizon. The Geneva school system required music to be taught in the seventh grade.They offered a general class where learning to read music was the main goal, and it was mixed with classroom singing to reinforce proficiency.There was also a recruiting tool, a class to prepare students to join the high school band.This was a good alternative for an active, willful kid like Scotty. He had no preference for a particular instrument, which was good since that choice was determined by current and anticipated vacancies in the band. My close friend Gail, whose dad, Godfrey Brown,1 was the high school music director, said he was quite good at convincing students to take up just the instruments needed to flesh out his group,with the...