Jaco's anthology review from Allmusic

[jerry]

The C.D. comes out next tuesday...here's a review from Allmusic....should be cool!




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Label: Warner Brothers
Release date: 4/22/2003


Thankfully, there is finally a definitive Jaco Pastorius anthology that offers an accurate portrait of the breadth and depth of his innovative artistry beyond what his contributions to Weather Report and his own Word of Mouth and Trio of Doom (which many would argue are sufficient in and of themselves) would suggest. This two-CD, 28-track collection ranges across the fretless bass inventor's earliest recordings, documented by a live appearance with Wayne Cochran's C.C. Riders and home playing the Cochran standard "Amelia," to his work with underground R&B act Little Beaver and such artists as Pat Metheny, Mike Stern, Joni Mitchell in and out of the studio, Paul Bley, Airto and Flora Purim, Michel Columbier, Brian Melvin, and his diverse projects -- including "Birdland" with Weather Report. There are three unreleased cuts -- "Amelia," an unreleased home demo of "The Chicken," and "Good Morning Annya" from his unfinished steel drum project, Holiday for Pans. Two other cuts, "Foreign Fun" and "Okonkole y Trompa," are on CD in the United States for the first time. Pastorius fanatics will no doubt already have everything here in one form or another. Casual listeners will be astonished by the sheer multi-dimensional nature of his limitless musicality and vision. Even those well acquainted with Pastorius will be surprised as to how well the sequencing of these tracks offers such a prismatic view of Pastorius' growth as a bassist -- check out the silky funky grooves on Little Beaver's "I Can Dig It Baby" and the gutbucket greasy R&B of "Amelia," as they give way to adventurous early fusion of "Batterie" with Metheny, Bley, and Bruce Ditmas. Even in abstraction, Pastorius had a groove. The more pop side of Jaco's work is highlighted on the first disc with his contributions to Joni Mitchell's Mingus and Shadows and Light albums, as well as his more exotic, atmospheric work with Airto and Flora. Disc two concentrates on Jaco's innovative work as a composer for his own bands, as evidenced by "Word of Mouth," "Liberty City," "John and Mary," "Chromatic Fantasy," and "Blackbird." Four live tracks with the big band showcase his role as a bandleader and arranger of true authority and vision. The solo "Amerika" offers a more intimate view of Pastorius as a seeker of texture and sonic subtleties. and the set closes with him in trios with Mike Stern and Brian Melvin. In all this is a necessary package for anyone interested in the development of the late musician's work, and in the development of electric jazz in the 1970s and 1980s. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

[Wrong Robot]

neat.

[shon]

Hmmm. THat should be exciting. It should also be whacky and weird.

[Wrong Robot]

I definitely have been wanting to hear that early jaco @16 cut of the chicken.

[BASSnSAX]

MUST...BUY...JACO...ANTHOLOGY!!!!!

[Justin V]

Originally posted by BASSnSAX
MUST...BUY...JACO...ANTHOLOGY!!!!!

What he said.

[DaveBeny]

Tracklisting:

1. The Chicken performed by Jaco Pastorius
2. Amelia performed by Cochran, Wayne CC Riders
3. I Can Dig It Baby performed by Little Beaver
4. Batterie performed by Jaco Pastorius / Pat Metheny / Bruce Ditmas / Paul Bley
5. Continuum performed by Jaco Pastorius
6. Midwestern Nights Dream performed by Pat Metheny
7. Foreign Fun performed by Trilogue
8. Birdland performed by Weather Report
9. Nativity performed by Airto
10. Las Olas performed by Flora Purim
11. Sunday performed by Michel Colombier
12. Layas performed by Michel Colombier
13. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat performed by Joni Mitchell
14. The Dry Cleaner from des Moines performed by Joni Mitchell
15. Punk Jazz performed by Jaco Pastorius
16. 3 Views of a Secret performed by Jaco Pastorius
17. Liberty City performed by Jaco Pastorius
18. Chromatic Fantasy performed by Jaco Pastorius
19. Blackbird performed by Jaco Pastorius
20. Word of Mouth performed by Jaco Pastorius
21. John and Mary performed by Jaco Pastorius
22. Good Morning Annya performed by Jaco Pastorius
23. Invitation performed by Pastorius, Jaco Big Band
24. Soul Intro/The Chicken performed by Pastorius, Jaco Big Band
25. Amerika performed by Pastorius, Jaco Big Band
26. Okonkole' y Trompa performed by Pastorius, Jaco Big Band
27. Mood Swings performed by Mike Stern
28. Out of the Night performed by Melvin, Brian Trio


I'll definitely be getting this, but only the first disc is essential (have everything on the second disc but 'Mood Swings' and 'Out of the Night').

PS. Does anyone have that Bley/Metheny/Pastorius/Ditmas album? I saw it in a Virgin Megastore a couple of years ago as a very expensive Japanese import. I wish that I'd bought it now, as I've never seen a copy since.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Sounds like a big con, to me - I mean any Jaco fan is going to have the majority of the material already - I certainly won't be buying it !

I think the Portarit of Jaco thing sounded good in theory, but this is just a rip-off!

[JimK]

Originally posted by David Benyahia
PS. Does anyone have that Bley/Metheny/Pastorius/Ditmas album?

Of course!

Unlike Bruce, I will be buying this...

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally posted by JimK


Of course!

Unlike Bruce, I will be buying this...

I'm getting confused though now - wasn't there supposed to be a CD coming out of early Jaco stuff and if so wouldn't it better waiting for this?

On the other hand if this is it - then I am very disappointed indeed!!

There are loads of CDs to buy - I'm not that desparate for new Jaco stuff that I would buy a double CD for maybe one or two tracks decent tracks that I haven't heard before...the enthusiasm for this puzzles me ...

[JimK]

This is NOT the Bobbings' box...I may not live long enough to ever see that one.

I do see your point, though, Bruce.
What can I say...I am a completist-kinda putz.
Example: I wanted "Nativity" for a long while. Not too long ago, I sprang for Airto's album at a premium import price. And I just bought Flora Purim's Everyday, Every Night...guess, in retrospect & 20/20 hindsight, I shoulda been more patient.

[Bassin']

It's kind of interesting that they call it an "Anthology," yet there is only one song from his first solo album on there, only one Weather Report song and the majority of the "Word of Mouth" recording is on there. There are some interesting songs on there, but it doesn't seem very balanced.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally posted by JimK
This is NOT the Bobbings' box...I may not live long enough to ever see that one.

Oh good - I will have to make sure I avoid this one and wait for the Bobbing one - my cynical side says that the Marketing men are hoping people will buy this thinking it is the Bobbing, as Jaco fans are expecting it!

I do see your point, though, Bruce.
What can I say...

Thanks - I am not going mad then and will be quite happy to wait, rather than duplicating large parts of my CD collection!

[DaveBeny]

Originally posted by Bassin'
It's kind of interesting that they call it an "Anthology," yet there is only one song from his first solo album on there, only one Weather Report song and the majority of the "Word of Mouth" recording is on there. There are some interesting songs on there, but it doesn't seem very balanced.

That's because this "anthology" is being put out by Warner Bros, so I guess it's not surprising that most of the contents come from 'Word of Mouth', 'Invitation', 'The Birthday Concert', 'Holiday for Pans', etc.

I'm only really interested in this set for the first disc, most of which I haven't got/heard.

DB

PS. The website for Bob Bobbing's 'Portrait of Jaco' box set is www.jacotheearlyyears.com - it hasn't been updated for some time - don't hold your breath.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally posted by Bassin'
It's kind of interesting that they call it an "Anthology," yet there is only one song from his first solo album on there, only one Weather Report song and the majority of the "Word of Mouth" recording is on there. There are some interesting songs on there, but it doesn't seem very balanced.

I agree, as most of these CDs are heavily discounted now, I think you could probably buy his first solo album, Heavy Weather, Word of Mouth, Bright Size Life, Invitation etc and make up a much more representative anthology for yourself at about the same price!

[JimK]

Originally posted by Bruce Lindfield
Thanks - I am not going mad then...

No, you are quite mad...

[NJL]

man, everything is coming out next tuesday!!!

going to get expensive:

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Tower of Powers latest

and now this!

[jerry]

I think it's good for the people who already have the debut album & Heavy Weather.....the Warner Bros era was a little different for Jaco! I have most of this stuff, but I'll be buying it too.....to keep in the wifes car.....for when I drive that The Bobbings set....I don't know, there is something fishy going on there But any legit Jaco album that gets released and his family gets some money from it......is alright with me!

[BASSnSAX]

I JUST BOUGHT IT!!!!


While I'm only 6 tracks in, it rules! My only other Jaco CD is his debut CD.

And not only that, but I picked up a Niacin CD for only $3.99 too!!

[Yggdrasil]

what we need is a release of the Jaco/Jorma Kaukonen live shows from 1985!