Mario Pavone, Hard-Hitting Bassist And Respected East-Coast Educator, Dead At 80
The Connecticut-born bassist was known both for his attack on the fingerboard and the decades he spent nurturing the next generation of players.
Bassist and composer Mario Pavone came to music late, but made a lasting impact as a unique, mostly self-taught player and versatile composer, who led noteworthy ensembles across more than 30 superb albums. Pavone died May 15 in Madeira, Fla. after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Pavone was an enthusiastic and insightful teacher and mentor, and a key figure on the Connecticut jazz educational scene. He was also an organizer, and in the mid-'70s, he, drummer Gerry Hemmingway and trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith formed the Creative Musicians Improvising.
