The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines

[Distant Cousin]

Learning this for a singer friend of mine and it's doing my head in. I have the score, but that's not much help at the moment; I'm having problems getting to grips with the feel of it. It's moving too fast for me at the moment, and isolating parts of it are just confusing me at the moment. I don't really get what Jaco is doing. I know it's a 12-bar, but the substitutions he throws in don't seem to make much sense. Bah! I'm not a fan of his playing at all.

Any help tackling this is appreciated!

[Mark Perry]

Search for: "transcribe". It's software with a free trial that can slow down and loop music.

[jnuts1]

are you not a fan of his playing or not a fan since you can't figure it out? cause that is one of the most smoking tracks around

[Distant Cousin]

Originally Posted by jnuts1

are you not a fan of his playing or not a fan since you can't figure it out? cause that is one of the most smoking tracks around

Not a fan of his playing. I'm firmly in the less-is-more camp so playing like Jaco's on this track really annoy me: just sounds to me like endless showing off and indecisiveness. I think the fact I can't figure it out is making me a bit stroppy too though

[slybass3000]

Originally Posted by Distant Cousin

Learning this for a singer friend of mine and it's doing my head in. I have the score, but that's not much help at the moment; I'm having problems getting to grips with the feel of it. It's moving too fast for me at the moment, and isolating parts of it are just confusing me at the moment. I don't really get what Jaco is doing. I know it's a 12-bar, but the substitutions he throws in don't seem to make much sense. Bah! I'm not a fan of his playing at all.

Any help tackling this is appreciated!

Too bad because it is an awesome track with great playing and arranging from Jaco.

[stretchcat]

Originally Posted by Distant Cousin

Not a fan of his playing. I'm firmly in the less-is-more camp so playing like Jaco's on this track really annoy me: just sounds to me like endless showing off and indecisiveness. I think the fact I can't figure it out is making me a bit stroppy too though

You could follow the chord changes and simplify the bass part. I would probably go out of my way not to sound exactly like him if I were going to perform this tune with a singer.

You can get a transcription here:
Transcription Page

[Distant Cousin]

Thanks, that's the transcription I have I'm going to simplify it and try and keep the feel.

[Spin Doctor]

Maybe try it in a syncopated Chuck Rainey vibe?

[JTE]

That's one of the coolest mental telepathy connections between a singer and a bassist ever. Jaco said that he had trouble with it until he ignored his time and just watched Joni's foot tapping.

John

[puddin tame]

Originally Posted by Distant Cousin

Not a fan of his playing. I'm firmly in the less-is-more camp so playing like Jaco's on this track really annoy me: just sounds to me like endless showing off and indecisiveness. I think the fact I can't figure it out is making me a bit stroppy too though

I don't think you (or I) are in a position to be judging the musical decisions of jaco. Imagine this song with a simple triad bass line in straight rhythms, how boring!!

[odin70]

Originally Posted by Distant Cousin

Not a fan of his playing. I'm firmly in the less-is-more camp so playing like Jaco's on this track really annoy me: just sounds to me like endless showing off and indecisiveness. I think the fact I can't figure it out is making me a bit stroppy too though

If that is the case, why dont you just play it like you want it to sound? As you said...its just a blues.

[pbasswil]

Originally Posted by odin70

If that is the case, why dont you just play it like you want it to sound? As you said...its just a blues.

Well that's a good point. You could just play whatever you play on a blues, and it would more or less fit.

But the singer must like the original track; so she's going to at least want you to cop the overall vibe and swing of it.

Are there no little bass licks or melodies that grab you? If you just catch a few licks, and learn to play them with the right swing, you'll be half-way home.

If you don't generally care for jazz, there's no way you're going to recreate this track; but that's probably all right. I'd say: focus on the crazy swing of it -- don't sweat the exact notes. Hell, try playing some of your own licks; but play them in that swing rhythm.

[HaVIC5]

Part of what makes the track so smoking isn't the bajillion notes Jaco is playing, (although he is playing a bajillion notes). It's how g*damn swinging it is. I would worry a whole lot less on playing the exact transcription (he improvised a good deal of it anyway) and focus in on getting that sort of swing idea he had on that track down. Time feel is everything, and Jaco had it in spades. People miss that a lot and just hear his chops, his real contribution to the craft was how he took those notes and carved a sizable pocket out of them.

YouTube - Joni Mitchell-The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines

[mstott25]

Originally Posted by Distant Cousin

I'm firmly in the less-is-more camp so playing like Jaco's on this track really annoy me: just sounds to me like endless showing off and indecisiveness.

No. Less is definitely less.

[jallenbass]

Originally Posted by HaVIC5

Part of what makes the track so smoking isn't the bajillion notes Jaco is playing, (although he is playing a bajillion notes). It's how g*damn swinging it is. I would worry a whole lot less on playing the exact transcription (he improvised a good deal of it anyway) and focus in on getting that sort of swing idea he had on that track down. Time feel is everything, and Jaco had it in spades. People miss that a lot and just hear his chops, his real contribution to the craft was how he took those notes and carved a sizable pocket out of them.

YouTube - Joni Mitchell-The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines

Whenever I hear Jaco the last thing that I hear is "chops". The first thing is musicality and feel.

Looking at the transcription and any substitutions or reharmonizations are pretty much straight ahead jazz.