Could Jaco read?

[odin70]

Im just curious. Does anyone know how his reading was? I just saw his video with Jerry Jemmot (again) and after the "what do you mean, you can read a little bit" part..i thought to myself that it would be interesting to know how good he was. Was he good? anyone..

[Rebop]

Read exceptionally well. Treble clef as well as bass clef and a monster at sight reading.

[JTE]

Well, if you saw the video and paid attention to that part, you know that it was said "obviously you had to read to play with Weather Report" or something to that effect. So you already have the answer that he could read. And there's certainly enough stuff out about his writing (manuscripts in his own hand) that would show he could write, which is part and parcel of reading.

John

[CDweller]

Jaco read and wrote at a world class level.

[groooooove]

he could read fluently.

[line6man]

I thought he explained in the video that you either can read or can't, and his playing took off after he learned to read?

How would you be getting the opposite notion, that he couldn't read?

[odin70]

Originally Posted by line6man

I thought he explained in the video that you either can read or can't, and his playing took off after he learned to read?

How would you be getting the opposite notion, that he couldn't read?

Did i say that i didnt belive i could read

[odin70]

Originally Posted by groooooove

he could read fluently.

Please tell me more.

[lowendrv]

He read very well. He even said that all his solos were written out and not improvised.

[LowEndMan2112]

He was an exceptional reader, especially sight reading. He was known to take a glance at a chart or a piece of music and have it internalized like that! Pair great reading, musical memory and of course great bass playing and youve got Jaco!

[joe vegas]

(( Jaco read and wrote at a world class level. ))

Second that.

Also, there would be no way he'd be able to craft his extraordinary original big-band material without reading/writing.

Sometime in the 80s there was a great pic of Jaco at the piano, sheet music everywhere and pencil in hand, very much like Gil Evans.

[lowendrv]

This is a good interview with Jaco.
His reading and writing skills are explained in the last question.
Jaco Pastorius

[JimK]

Originally Posted by joe vegas

Also, there would be no way he'd be able to craft his extraordinary original big-band material without reading/writing.

In Milkowski's bio, Charlie Brent talks about Jaco's reading/charting things out, etc. So, yeah...I believe Brent's recollection that Jaco was very capable.

That said, I have also read that Jaco used someone for his Big Band transcriptions; this friend was even more adept at transcribing scores...I'm a-thinking where I read this.

[thombo]

iir from Milkowski bio, he didn't learn to read until he was a little older though- early twenties or something like that.

[Jazzdogg]

Originally Posted by JimK

In Milkowski's bio, Charlie Brent talks about Jaco's reading/charting things out, etc. So, yeah...I believe Brent's recollection that Jaco was very capable.

That said, I have also read that Jaco used someone for his Big Band transcriptions; this friend was even more adept at transcribing scores...I'm a-thinking where I read this.

Why transcribe charts yourself when you can hire someone else to do the "musical stenography" for you?

I have a friend who is a competent, but unimaginative, musician. He transcribes big band charts for gifted writers and arrangers; transcriptions require attention to detail, but musical genius certainly isn't required.

[Rebop]

He learned to read while on the road with Wayne Cochran and the CC riders (early 70's), taught by Charlie Brent mostly.

For the big band arrangements Jaco used a copyist/arranger named Larry Warrilow. Larry's job was basically a lot of assembly. Jaco would write down the ideas and tell Larry where they went. Sometimes Larry would fill in small gaps. Jaco would say something like, "the trumpets do this here against the woodwinds" and he would write it out. Jaco was still touring with Weather Report when he was putting together the big band stuff so a lot of it was mailed sheets, scraps of paper and phone calls to Larry. Of course Jaco wrote out a lot of the meat of the arrangements as well.

[odin70]

Originally Posted by lowendrv

This is a good interview with Jaco.
His reading and writing skills are explained in the last question.
Jaco Pastorius

Thanks! I know that interview but its always great fun to read.

I think my right foot is a little funkier than his, ain't better, just a little funkier!

[FrankGravis]

Yes, Jaco could read. He had me try to read stuff from the Dotzauer Cello Method from our first private lesson at the University of Miami during the one and only semester he taught there. He could read anything from it perfectly, which he took pride in showing me that he could do. Pretty amazing.

[odin70]

Originally Posted by Rebop

For the big band arrangements Jaco used a copyist/arranger named Larry Warrilow. Larry's job was basically a lot of assembly. Jaco would write down the ideas and tell Larry where they went. Sometimes Larry would fill in small gaps. Jaco would say something like, "the trumpets do this here against the woodwinds" and he would write it out. Jaco was still touring with Weather Report when he was putting together the big band stuff so a lot of it was mailed sheets, scraps of paper and phone calls to Larry. Of course Jaco wrote out a lot of the meat of the arrangements as well.

Larry Warrilow, Long-Time Jaco Pastorius Collaborator, Passes

[odin70]

Originally Posted by FrankGravis

Yes, Jaco could read. He had me try to read stuff from the Dotzauer Cello Method from our first private lesson at the University of Miami during the one and only semester he taught there. He could read anything from it perfectly, which he took pride in showing me that he could do. Pretty amazing.

Great story! Thanks