The 1st Annual “Scott Lafaro” Geneva Jazz Festival is presented by FLX Music 247 and FLIMA Productions. In cooperation with The Smith Arts Center’s 6th Annual Scott LaFaro Day Celebration concert with Christian McBride’s New Jawn on Tuesday, March 28th at 7:30 p.m. at the Smith Opera House, 82 Seneca St., Geneva, NY.

Scott LaFaro grew up in Geneva, NY in an active musical family. At 18 he picked up the double-bass and in the course of seven years he redefined the role and approach to jazz bass before his untimely death in 1961 at age 25. His performance with Stan Getz at the Newport Jazz festival and subsequent recordings with the Bill Evans Trio made him the most influential jazz bassist ever and still impact jazz today some sixty years later.

This year’s celebration of Lafaro’s life features Christian McBride on double bass. The 8-time Grammy winner is Artistic Director for Newport Jazz Festival and one of the most recognizable figures in jazz music today.

We decided this was cause for celebration and began formulating a plan to immerse Geneva in Jazz for the whole weekend in support of this concert and our local jazz artists. The Geneva Jazz Festival was born.