Jaco Pastorius - Modern Electric Bass

[king_biscuit]

Originally Posted by Marty Forrer

There are players who can play faster, there are players who can play eleventy string basses fluidly

You are talking about gymnastic technique which any ape can develop. Jaco was a complete musician and fluid on piano and drums too; very few bass players before or since have had his ability as a musician and his ability to write killer songs and killer bass lines! His touch and tone were also amazing and something most bass players will never get close to!

[chuck norriss]

Originally Posted by king_biscuit

You are talking about gymnastic technique which any ape can develop. Jaco was a complete musician and fluid on piano and drums too; very few bass players before or since have had his ability as a musician and his ability to write killer songs and killer bass lines! His touch and tone were also amazing and something most bass players will never get close to!

I'm pretty close. (Yeah right.)

[DONZI97]

Wow, where does one find the exercise book that goes with it?

[Mike M.]

Originally Posted by DONZI97

Wow, where does one find the exercise book that goes with it?

Have you checked out "Jaco Pastorious Bass Method" from Hal Leonard publishing? It's a book/CD pack that was written by Ray Peterson who was one of Jaco's students.

I've got it and it's going to keep me busy for a very long time!

[DONZI97]

Yeah, I'll probably end up getting that book, but I did find the booklet that goes with this.....

http://it.scribd.com/doc/9850552/Jac...Electric-Bass1

[Mike M.]

Originally Posted by DONZI97

Yeah, I'll probably end up getting that book, but I did find the booklet that goes with this.....

http://it.scribd.com/doc/9850552/Jac...Electric-Bass1

Cool! I just saved that myself!

[chuck norriss]

His sweater is rad.

[TBAR Shane]

Originally Posted by WJGreer

The internet is amazing. I used to have to go to the fine arts library at the University of Texas, where I could check this video out to watch there in the library for no more than 30 minutes at a time. Now you can just watch it on YouTube.

Great video. Based on Bill Milkowski's biography, which is not without controversy, Jaco was in very bad shape at the time this was shot, essentially homeless IIRC. I only mention that because it illustrates what a wonderful player and insightful person Jaco was all the way through his jounrey.

You can certainly see some of his frustration leaking out with his comment "Give me a gig!", in response to the praise he's received.
This video never gets old though. It makes me want to cancel a weeks worth of life so I can just shed.

[Melamel]

What scale does he base his first arpeggio on? He uses what seems to me an augmented C chord here as well as at 22:41. How does this relate to the D minor pentatonic bass line? Is thie arpeggio based on the whole tone scale? But he also has a B as the first note - pickup note-of the improvisation - this is not part of the C whole tone scale. Much of his solo seems based on d minor pentatonic licks, but then he breaks out in these spots to get out of that key. What scale does he get those "out" notes from? I hope I am asking a legitimate question here.

I am referring to the duet he does with Jerry Jermott that starts around 21 minutes into the video.

[Joe Ricardo]

A legendary cat and video!

[gimmeagig]

Obviously I have the video Here's my take:
I suppose that "gimmeagig" comment could be taken in a number of different ways.
The question was something like: "people are saying that you are the greatest player that has ever lived, what do you have to say to that?
And Jaco just said "Gimmeagig!".
I'd like to think that comment wasn't tragic, he wasn't begging for a gig. I think the message was more like " Gimmeagig and I'll show you why people say that about me."
Granted, at that point he was already way past his prime and couldn't back it up anymore. But for a long time he was the guy and he changed the world with his music.
Then on the other hand ,there are are those guys who talk the talk,who have the lingo and the mannerisms of a real player down cold. Some of them are here on this board. But when you hear them play or check them out on youtube to see what they are all about more often than not they can't live up to their own hype.
So Jaco to me was all about cutting through the BS, strapping on that bass and getting down to what really matters

[gimmeagig]

Originally Posted by WJGreer

The internet is amazing. I used to have to go to the fine arts library at the University of Texas, where I could check this video out to watch there in the library for no more than 30 minutes at a time. Now you can just watch it on YouTube.

You could have bought the video when it came out. I know I did and I was broke at the time too...
It obviously didn't keep Jaco off the streets but it might have put a little money in his pockets.
We get music or videos for free online and the guys who are actually creating that stuff are left holding the bag.We should think about that!
That ain't right!!!

[chuck norriss]

Yeah that's why I buy **** from bands I like.


You know what else stands for me as the Easter island statues is jaco & Trilogue, Berlin 1976.

[WJGreer]

Originally Posted by gimmeagig

You could have bought the video when it came out. I know I did and I was broke at the time too...
It obviously didn't keep Jaco off the streets but it might have put a little money in his pockets.
We get music or videos for free online and the guys who are actually creating that stuff are left holding the bag.We should think about that!
That ain't right!!!

I'd be shocked if Jaco got any back end off of that video.

I was a broke bass student, my first year in a jazz program - I had to watch and listen to scores of recordings each week; no way I could have bought them all.

I understand your sentiment, but I don't think I am the guy you're talking to about buying versus "borrowing" music. At least I wasn't in 1989.

[MrFrancis]

The thing that suprised me the most was his piano playing at the end..

Inspired

[chuck norriss]

Originally Posted by MrFrancis

The thing that suprised me the most was his piano playing at the end..

Inspired

I think he was playing "Birdland."

[Essexbass]

Originally Posted by chuck norriss

I think he was playing "Birdland."

It sounds like the changes to"Liberty City" to me?

Still a great video - bought it when it first came out here in the UK, watched it countless times when I was younger and was totally awestruck with the content. I really need to dig the DVD out and watch it again.

JP is still my all time favourite bass player, one of a kind.

[Youngspanion]

A lot of praise for Jaco in this thread. Cool.. What I'd like to know is this. Is this a good instructional DVD in combination with the book?

[Essexbass]

Originally Posted by Youngspanion

A lot of praise for Jaco in this thread. Cool.. What I'd like to know is this. Is this a good instructional DVD in combination with the book?

I'd say it is a good instructional DVD, but definitely for the more advanced intermediate player upwards. If your harmony & theory are relatively together, you'll get a lot out of it.

[JTE]

It's great instructional material, but it is NOT "here's how to play some cool Jack bits". That's why it's great teaching. He and Jemott talk about where the building blocks come from and how you turn theory into music.

John