The "Jaco Effect"

oniman7 · #1 01-31-2013, 07:51 PM

When being introduced to musicians (particularly those older than me) I've found something strange. If I I'm talking about my influences and happen to say that I've done some study on Weather Report "Yeah, I'm influenced by bands like Pink Floyd, Tool, Dream Theater, etc. and I've done a little study of bands like Weather Report." I'll hear from other people later that say "Well, he said if you've heard of Jaco, you're obviously pretty serious about the bass."

All this without any in-depth discussion or them ever hearing me play.

Anyone else notice this?

ma4rk · #2 01-31-2013, 08:07 PM

Yes!
Last time it happened the guy I was talking to then went on about how he saw him in Europe 30 years ago & how he did a 30 min bass solo but kept adjusting his amp throughout. Then they cut the power to the stage so he'd stop.

micgtr71 · #3 01-31-2013, 08:29 PM

I remember hearing that there was before Jaco bass and after Jaco bass. I remember when I first heard his solo album...from a guy who actually employed him in the early 70s. I was blown away. Then I heard Weather Report. I don't Like them. Never could warm up to it. Bass players would tell me that it was sacrilege to say I didn't like it. I remember listening to Jaco's solo with the chorus pedal. I do not like chorus on bass. Again, sacrilege.

Give me his first solo album. Invitation. Word of Mouth. I still don't like Weather Report. Zawinul and Shorter with Miles, wonderful. Weather Report...well,...

esa372 · #4 01-31-2013, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oniman7

I'll hear from other people later that say "Well, he said if you've heard of Jaco, you're obviously pretty serious about the bass."

So, if I've heard about Carl Sagan, then I'm "obviously pretty serious about" astrophysics?

two fingers · #5 01-31-2013, 08:54 PM

I'm sorry. Who is this Jaco you speak of?

Cool story. Quick as possible.

Steve Bailey told this story at Victor Wooten's bass camp.
Steve and Jaco jamming in Jaco's apartment. Jaco on drums, Steve on bass. Jaco without skipping a beat yells "Teen Town!" and keeps playing. Steve just looks confused. Jaco again yells "TEEN TOWN!" Steve is just staring like a deer in the headlights. Jaco stops playing and yells "Play Teen Town dude!" Steve says "I don't know how to tell you this man, but I don't know any of your songs." Jaco comes out from behind the drums a hugs Steve and says "That's why I like you man. You're not out there trying to be me."

Even Jaco didn't want everybody to play like him.

Jaco Taco · #6 01-31-2013, 08:59 PM

That's an amusing story, I would posit that 99.99% of bass players who have "heard of Jaco" can't play like him.

oniman7 · #7 01-31-2013, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by esa372

So, if I've heard about Carl Sagan, then I'm "obviously pretty serious about" astrophysics?

A better example would be if I understand the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle then I'm pretty serious about chemistry, but yes. People just make the syllogism on their own. It's very weird.

TBAR Shane · #8 01-31-2013, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaco Taco

That's an amusing story, I would posit that 99.99% of bass players who have "heard of Jaco" can't play like him.

Nope, but a lot of them "try" to.

oniman7 · #9 01-31-2013, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TBAR Shane

Nope, but a lot of them "try" to.

I don't but I guess I realized mentioning it had that effect early on, so I've tested it out a lot since then.

JamesGoodall · #10 02-01-2013, 12:03 AM

Contrarily, if you haven't heard of him, or don't like him, you must not be very serious about bass... Another thing I don't get. The man had chops of a god, no denying that, but it just didn't do it for me. I can still respect mad skill in music I don't like though.

tayal01 · #11 02-01-2013, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by micgtr71

I remember hearing that there was before Jaco bass and after Jaco bass. I remember when I first heard his solo album...from a guy who actually employed him in the early 70s. I was blown away. Then I heard Weather Report. I don't Like them. Never could warm up to it. Bass players would tell me that it was sacrilege to say I didn't like it. I remember listening to Jaco's solo with the chorus pedal. I do not like chorus on bass. Again, sacrilege.

Give me his first solo album. Invitation. Word of Mouth. I still don't like Weather Report. Zawinul and Shorter with Miles, wonderful. Weather Report...well,...

I was the same about WR until Zawinul passed away a few years ago and they played Birdland and Barbary Coast on the radio. I suddenly realised what a treasure trove of Jaco awesomeness I'd been missing out on. Now I have all their albums and I listen to them all the time. I now appreciate Zawinul for the gifted harmonic and melodic genius that he was. I was too young and/or stupid to recognise it at the time.

Einherjar · #12 02-01-2013, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesGoodall

Contrarily, if you haven't heard of him, or don't like him, you must not be very serious about bass... Another thing I don't get. The man had chops of a god, no denying that, but it just didn't do it for me. I can still respect mad skill in music I don't like though.

+1. I listen to his stuff to try and figure out how he's doing it without looking it up. And I enjoy that. Most of the songs don't do anything for me emotionally though. Same way I feel about Tool. I respect them as artists and musicians but by the time I'm on track five of their album I just want to tear my hair out cause it all sounds the same.

BrandonBass · #13 02-01-2013, 12:40 AM

Hey guys, you know afew years back those 'shred series' videos were pretty popular on youtube? Like, if you typed in 'coldplay shreds'. If will show the band's music being dubbed over with the band playing random notes etc.

One day, I decided to check out the 'Jaco shreds' video. The funny thing was, I couldnt really tell if it was real or if it was dubbed over with the intention of humour. : XXX

okcrum · #14 02-01-2013, 12:46 AM

Like him, learn him, or not, Jaco changed the game for everyone who played EB. That's a rare thing, hence the effect.

cnltb · #15 02-01-2013, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by okcrum

Like him, learn him, or not, Jaco changed the game for everyone who played EB. That's a rare thing, hence the effect.

But why then does the same not happen when mentioning jamerson?

TBAR Shane · #16 02-01-2013, 01:56 AM

Speaking of Jaco. This just came up in my youtube feed. Jonas Hellborg playing around with Jaco's bass at NAMM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74hDLVIfpoA

Hobobob · #17 02-01-2013, 02:15 AM

I actually walked by the Warwick booth while this was happening. Had no idea it was the actual bass of doom tho.

Jaco Taco · #18 02-01-2013, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tayal01

I was the same about WR until Zawinul passed away a few years ago and they played Birdland and Barbary Coast on the radio. I suddenly realised what a treasure trove of Jaco awesomeness I'd been missing out on. Now I have all their albums and I listen to them all the time. I now appreciate Zawinul for the gifted harmonic and melodic genius that he was. I was too young and/or stupid to recognise it at the time.

Weather Report was the greatest of the fusion groups, the writing skill of both Zawinul and Shorter was amazing, in addition to them both being legendary jazz players. Add Jaco to the mix and you've got three unbelievable jazz gods playing incredibly tuneful music.

Clark Dark · #19 02-01-2013, 06:50 AM

...poor Miroslav and Alphonso. There was great bass playing in Weather Report prior to Jaco and with Zawinal Syndicate after Jaco. Linley Marthe was doing more than just trying to copy Jaco.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wj7Qo...ayer_embedded#!

nightingale · #20 02-01-2013, 06:55 AM

Hmm.. I've heard of him, listened to him, and watched old tapes of him playing, but I don't like the music he plays therefore I don't try to "be like Jaco".