| I still remember back a few years before his death; when I was still a little guy. I remember being in a music store and seeing him on the cover of a magazine with a big "JACO" behind him in bright yellow letters. I didn't pay much attention because I didn't know who he was (I was in the store for my weekly drum lesson). Sadly, I didn't find out about him until after he died. But I always remembered seeing him on that magazine cover. I don't why it stuck out so much in my mind. But when I heard him play for the first time I instantly knew that I was right to suspect that there was something about him.
I would spend the rest of my formative years cursing the bass and Jaco and everything musical while I tolled for hours on end in my bedroom every night struggling to learn "Portrait of Tracy" and "Donna Lee." Not to mention a hell of a lot of other songs. I knew I could never be Jaco. I knew that I could never play like him. I just wanted to be able to play something of his. Learning Steve Harris licks were no problem. Geddy Lee? Only slightly challenging. Cliff Burton, Flea, Claypool...all great players. But learning their stuff was simple compared to Jaco. The way he blended chords and harmonics and it flowed so smoothly and naturally. Whenever I tried to play it, I mostly butchered it.
Now, after twenty years of trying; after more bass lessons than I can count; after graduating from BIT; I'm still struggling to be a billionth of the talent that Jaco was. I'm still struggling with playing Donna Lee.
Here's to you Jaco...hard to believe he's been gone twenty years today.
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Tough times don't last. Tough people do.
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