Jaco's Best Album

[in_exile]

I am new to the world of Jaco. And I would like a few suggestions of which album(s) to pick up.

"I can't never stop working hard." -Bootsy Collins

[JimK]

I'm sure you'll get a few recommendations ;-)

You gotta have JP's FIRST solo album...it's very diverse & is the essence of Jaco's musical "mutt-dom"; there's Bebop, Latin, R&B, Funk, Soul, "Orchestral" stuff,...best news? You can pick it up cheap(about $8 here at the Beach).

Others I like(in no particular order)...
1)Joni Mitchell-Shadows & Light(amazing, dominating LIVE performance...Jaco was at the top of his game).
2)Joni Mitchell-Mingus("Dry Cleaner From Des Moines" wipes me out!).
3)Weather Report-Night Passages
4)Weather Report-self titled(Jaco's final one w/ the band)
...I know most folks prefer WR's Heavy Weather-personally, I like these better(on a whole).
5)Jaco Pastorius-30th Birthday Concert(...happenin')
6)Jaco Pastorius-Word Of Mouth
7)Joni Mitchell-Heirja
8)Joni Mitchell-Don Juan's Reckless Daughter

...whatever you do, avoid the LIVE IN NYC cds-Jaco was NOT all there for these(if you get my drift).

[Blackbird]

I agree with Jim's choices but would like to narrow it down to these:

Jaco's self-titled debut
Word of Mouth
Invitation (a way better live album than the Birthday concert, in my opinion)

For his sideman work, two good choices would be:

Pat Metheny, Bright Size Life
Weather Report, Heavy Weather

Hope this helps.

Will C.

[JimK]

BigWheel-I've got INVITATION(vinyl & import)...TWINS, which is the "Invitation" concert in its entirety, is out(TWO cds, as an import...kinda high $$$, though).
...for some reason, Metheny's BSL never did anything for me.

Anybody know when the "OFFICIAL" Jaco site comes on-line?
Check out www.jacopastorius.com
...basically, it's "Been Coming Soon" for a few months now.

[dryan]

exile
Pat Metheny's Bright Size Life is a great record, it was his first and it has Bob Moses and Jaco (just a trio). I always thought that some of Jaco's best playing was with Joni Mitchell. I just got a copy of the Shadows & Light video, the bass solo, as well as the rest of the concert, are amazing.
D

[blipndub]

I agree entirely with all others who have made suggestions but there is one Jaco recording that to this day gives me shivers and i play it at least twice in a row and that's Teen Town from Weather Report 830 live. To me it's Jaco at his most honest and triumphant.

[dynis]

The one I listen to most often is....
"Curtain Call". I believe that it was one of his last performances. He plays some wicked stuff on it!

[gustat]

Self Titled, debut release. It sparkles!

[BillyPat]

The debut album is indispensible, but "The Birthday Concert" has got to be one of the all time great live records...so much energy. Jaco's playing is brilliant, as well.

[jerry]

i pretty much agree with everybody's pick's,
but i also like [standards zone] with the
brian melvin trio. it's jaco in a piano trio
setting doing standards(duh), and jaco rules
on it! it's from '86 but jaco sounds lucid on
it.(around the time of curtin call) its also
a little hard to find lately, but worth it.
same with [all american boy] by rocker ian
hunter. it's early jaco in a rock contex,its
pretty cool to hear jaco rock out a little!


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aloha, jerry

[JHMAVRO]

NO NO NO NO NO THE BIRTHDAY CONCERT IS THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pedro]

>i pretty much agree with everybody's pick's,
but i also like [standards zone] with the
brian melvin trio. it's jaco in a piano trio
setting doing standards(duh), and jaco rules
on it! it's from '86 but jaco sounds lucid on
it.(around the time of curtin call) its also
a little hard to find lately, but worth it.
same with [all american boy] by rocker ian
hunter. it's early jaco in a rock contex,its
pretty cool to hear jaco rock out a little!

jerry, I'm intrigued by both your selections. I've heard of his work with Melvin trio but Ian Anderson one is a complete surprise to me. Is it readily available? I've had a tough time locating 'Curtain Call'.

[JimK]

Pedro-
It's Ian HUNTER of Mott The Hoople; ALL-AMERICAN ALIEN BOY was recorded in the same time frame as Jaco's debut on Epic records. For years, I searched used LP stores hoping to catch a glimpse of this "rarity". Finally, about 4-5 years ago, I succumbed & bought it as an import cd(not cheap!). I think www.audiophileimports.com
carries it. Really, I'm glad to have it as a "historical" piece; as far as the playing/writing...I'm not too KO'd(BTW-I said that at some jazz site & some posters jumped on me 'cause they said I was expecting Weather Report with vocals! ;-)

Brian Melvin's STANDARDS ZONE is cool; I always kinda forget about that one(I think it's one of the few projects outside of Weather Report where Jaco is actually playing with a pianist).
I also like Melvin's NIGHTFOOD-Only because it's the only album with Jaco's tune "Dania"(not counting the tribute album)...a real swingin' burner that the Word Of Mouth band sometimes played as an opener.

Anybody pick up the recent re-issue of Michel Colombier's album w/ Jaco?

[pedro]

>It's Ian HUNTER of Mott The Hoople;

Sorry, did I say Ian Anderson? Sorry if I miss quoted you.

>ALL-AMERICAN ALIEN BOY was recorded in the same time frame as Jaco's debut on Epic records. For years, I searched used LP stores hoping to catch a glimpse of this "rarity". Finally, about 4-5 years ago, I succumbed & bought it as an import cd(not cheap!). I think www.audiophileimports.com
carries it. Really, I'm glad to have it as a "historical" piece; as far as the playing/writing...I'm not too KO'd(BTW-I said that at some jazz site & some posters jumped on me 'cause they said I was expecting Weather Report with vocals! ;-)

I can't imagine why they would say that. Why on earth would you or anyone else think that the combination of Jaco and Ian Hunter would be expected produce Weather Report with vocals? LOL!

But many forget that Jaco loved rock. He routinely threw Hendrix into his 'Slang' bass solo and clearly his rendition of
'Amerika' was Hendrix inspired. On his video, he talks about his r&b influences and mentions playing Beatles (which if not rock is the best pop ever created). He had wide ranging taste. Now that I think of it, doesn't he also mention to Jerry Jemmott during the video that when he first went to NYC that all anybody wanted to talk about was jazz - paraphrasing, 'They didn't want to know about rock, r&b or anything but jazz. Now NY is cool.'?


>Brian Melvin's STANDARDS ZONE is cool; I always kinda forget about that one

I've heard of this and think I have a cut from the record but not the whole thing. Was it difficult to come by? As I said, I'm still looking for 'Curtain Call'.

(I think it's one of the few projects outside of Weather Report where Jaco is actually playing with a pianist).

Recorded with a pianist. But he definately played with many pianist after W.R.

>I also like Melvin's NIGHTFOOD-Only because it's the only album with Jaco's tune "Dania"(not counting the tribute album)...a real swingin' burner that the Word Of Mouth band sometimes played as an opener.


It's funny, I grew up about 5 minutes away from Jaco. It was so interesting to me to read his bio and see all the familiar places and people I knew mentioned. I couldn't help but think of people in Liverpool scratching their heads and wondering why all fuss about
Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, etc. - I mean, they're just streets. I see song titles like 'Dania', 'Liberty City' or references to Dixie Highway, Modern Music, She, etc. and it just makes me smile.

Thanks for all the info Jim.

[Tom7]

I would love to add to my Jaco collection and I appreciate VERY much your recommendation, you guys, but I won't be picking up anything by Pat Metheny any more. I'd hate to think my dollars would go to support a person with such a small and petty mind and thus indirectly help support some pointless, mean-spirited grudge of his.
http://jazz.yahoo.com/jazz/music_new...14/20000614006

[FelixP]

I know my dad wasn’t in tiptop condition on the Live In NY series, but I still think that there is some awesome music going on there, I mean there was no intention at that time by anybody to put it out on a CD and make some money, they were just there to do a gig and have some fun, and that’s what makes it fun for me when I listen to it.

I would have to say that pretty much every album is my favorite, with some exceptions of course.

[Blackbird]

WOW. No, I'm cool. Really.

FelixP: I have a bass named after you! Actually, they're my twin Tokai Jazz basses, one fretted, the other fretless. The other bass is called Julius, of course.

Will C. (told ya)


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You can't hold no groove if you ain't got no pocket!




[This message has been edited by Big Wheel (edited July 01, 2000).]

[Bruce Lindfield]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by FelixP:

I would have to say that pretty much every album is my favorite, with some exceptions of course.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think most of would agree with that sentiment and that JimK is just trying to be helpful to people like the person who put up the original question, who weren't around at the time and are new to all of the incredible musical heritage that exists.

I think each of us has our personal favourites and as bass players we naturally want others to hear them and be inspired, as we were.

[slam]

I enjoy the live in NYC series. It is not all great, but there are definitely some wonderful moments. It is also interesting to hear all the different versions of "Teen Town". They all vary widely in length and tempo. An interesting view of Jaco, IMO.

[JimK]

What I like about the lIVE IN NYC cds are the material(R&B, classic Jazz tunes, some Jaco originals)& the impromtu JAM atmosphere/environment. I can live with the sound being less than stellar...
IF I slagged on these releases it was 'cause TOO MANY HAVE ONLY HEARD JACO IN THIS LIGHT.
At the old site(& this one, too), some have remarked that Jaco didn't really impress them or didn't live up to the fanfare of what they had heard/read. When finally pressed, these posters remarked that they had heard only a couple of the LIVE IN NYC cds...
So, a few of us merely attempted to steer them towards some more, IMO, happenin' stuff.
That's all...