Jazz Fridays | Al Gafa

Jazz Fridays at the Fairfield Museum are back! Every Friday in August, music lovers are invited to kick off their weekends at these free concerts held on the Museum Commons. Bring your own picnic and blankets/chairs and join us for a wonderful evening.

In the case of inclement weather, concerts will be cancelled and the Fairfield Museum will make every effort to reschedule the performance. Please check the Fairfield Museum website (www.fairfieldhistory.org) for weather-related updates.

Free

 
About the Performer

For the past fifty-five years, Al Gafa has been a highly successful American jazz guitarist and composer. He began his career as a NYC recording session musician in the 1960’s. It was there that he recorded with many artists including Bobby Darin, Benny King, Paul Simon and The Monkeys. From 1965-1968, in addition to session work, he was the guitarist at the NY Playboy Club where he worked with pianists such as Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea and Monty Alexander. In 1969 he travelled and accompanied Sammy Davis jr. 1970 was the year that Al became the musical director for jazz vocalist, Carmen McRae. During that period, the guitar and voice version of Didn’t We was recorded. From 1971-1976, Al spent approximately 200 days per year on the road as a member of the Dizzy Gillespie Quartet performing at major jazz clubs and jazz festivals throughout the world. Al has been a sideman on about 70 jazz albums and has one album as a leader, on Pablo Records, showcasing 5 of his original compositions. He can be heard on the soundtrack album of “Bridges of Madison County”. From 1976-1980 Al performed and recorded with Johnny Hartman, Morgana King, Sylvia Syms, Shirley Horn, Susannah McCorkle, Stan Getz, Michelle Legrand Duke Pearson and countless others. From 1979-2010 Al stayed in NY where he became the permanent guitarist on the Broadway show “Annie” and then subbed on many of the hit Broadway musicals. Thirteen of his compositions have been recorded by various jazz musicians. He is extremely proud that he served in the US Navy Submarine Service and that he is included in the book entitled “The History of the Jazz Guitar” by Maurice Summerfield.

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Jazz Fridays at the Fairfield Museum is made possible by the generous support of Alan and Sylvia Neigher, Bank of America, and the CT Arts Endowment Program.