Jaco Pastorius

[danqi]

Well,
Who is that Jaco Pastorius guy you all talk about so much? Sorry for my ignorance, at least I am not American (in case that's an excuse for not knowing him).
I'm just curious.

thanx

[purple_haze]

Never heard of him.

Just kidding.

Um, long story short, the general consensus is that he's the best bass player ever.

His official website www.jacopastorius.com

[snyderz]

Hi orthanc,
You might do the search thing on this site too. Been plenty of discussions about him. Also a decent biography by Bill Milkowski.
Doc

[MJB]

Run, don't walk, to your closest store that sells CD's and pick up either his self titled CD or Heavy Weather by Weather Report. Then you will know what all the fuss about Jaco is about.

[Bass Guitar]

A decent discography listed here - do get his self-titled debut CD:

http://www.cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver...PASTORIUS*JACO

[melvin]

Exactly what everyone else has been saying.

[Aaron]

the 13th annual Jaco rememberance day is coming up on the 21st, mark it on your calendar.

[adi_myhr]

If you play the bass and do not know who Jaco Pastorius is, then you don't know how well the bass can be played. Jaco Pastorius was the best bassplayer, and if he has lived today, he still would've been the best. He's not just a great composer, but he's solos are incredible. Many of his solos are composed, but they're great compositions. He has this variation over grooves, that's just fantastic. Just listen to Jaco Pastorius & Pat Metheny with Bright Size Life. Jaco plays beautiful. If you want to listen to more funky stuff, try Opus Pocus. Want more discofeeling? Try come on, come over... Jaco has made a lot of different songs, but they're all great in their kinda way. Jaco is my first priotated inspirationsource... Stop listening to Jeff Berlin, listen to Jaco. Jaco is the king! Too bad, he died so young.

[danqi]

thanx,
I guess I'll just go and buy his debut CD.

[Jeff Rader]

I agree with all that's been said. He probably influenced more players than anyone before or since. He had a incredibly unique voice on the bass that, IMHO, still sets the standard very high.

Pat Metheny said:
"Jaco Pastorius may well have been the last jazz musician of the 20th Century to have made a major impact on the musical world at large..."

Practically everything he played on before 1984 is worth listening to, but there are 3 CDs that, in my opinion, would give you examples of his genius:

"Jaco Pastorius" Get the 2000 reissue.

"Heavy Weather" by Weather Report

"Shadows and Light" or "Hejira" by Joni Mitchell.

A great player here in Dallas told me that when "Jaco Patorius" was released, many players at that time either quit or started playing exclusively upright. It sent shock waves through the bass community. It changed the way bass was viewed and what its potenial could be. And, he did it primarily on a fretless.

You may or may not care for his music. It's impossible, however, to deny his contribution.

Jeff

[I.'.I.'.Nakoa]

where, online, can i hear some of jacos songs?

[Jeff Rader]

www.amazon.com and www.mp3.com will give you samples.

You can download mp3s at www.audiogalaxy.com

[Marty Forrer]

Although I have learnt a couple of his tunes for my own amusement, I choose not to sound like him, and not to play like him. However, when I want some inspiration because I'm in a rut, or when I just want to be blown away by some virtuosity, I will play one of the 12 albums I have of him, or maybe one of the several videos I have of him, or maybe I'll re-read Bill Milksowskies (sp?) book. I have some framed portraits of him on my walls, and I sometimes wear a T shirt with his picture on it. Was he the greatest ever? A matter of opinion. To a Korn or Metallica fan...probably not. To me...without a doubt. He was a troubled genius, on the borderline of madness. He was a superb composer and arranger as well as bassist, and he changed the musical world that bassplayers live in.

[Bass Guitar]

Originally posted by Marty Forrer
He was a troubled genius, on the borderline of madness.

Unfortunately, he crossed the border into madness a couple of times precipitating admissions to psychiatric hospitals and required medication. This was undoubtedly influenced by his drug abuse. However, this in no way detracts from his gift.

[Aaron]

Originally posted by Marty Forrer
Although I have learnt a couple of his tunes for my own amusement, I choose not to sound like him, and not to play like him. However, when I want some inspiration because I'm in a rut, or when I just want to be blown away by some virtuosity, I will play one of the 12 albums I have of him, or maybe one of the several videos I have of him, or maybe I'll re-read Bill Milksowskies (sp?) book. I have some framed portraits of him on my walls, and I sometimes wear a T shirt with his picture on it. Was he the greatest ever? A matter of opinion. To a Korn or Metallica fan...probably not. To me...without a doubt. He was a troubled genius, on the borderline of madness. He was a superb composer and arranger as well as bassist, and he changed the musical world that bassplayers live in.

Ditto, except i only have 11 jaco albums (i have all of his weather report ones, plus more), i have two jaco t-shirts, and my pictures aren't framed, . BTW, does anyone know how i could get a picture of jaco, and get it enlarged to standard US poster size?

[Bass Guitar]

Originally posted by PortraitofTracy
BTW, does anyone know how i could get a picture of jaco, and get it enlarged to standard US poster size?

You could just use any photo of Jaco, and get the local photo developer to enlarge it using digital methods (or with a color photocopier if you have access to one).

Fender has a great ad that features Jaco using photos by this Japanese photographer (can't remember his name). Also, the cover of his biography has a cool photo too. You could even use the album covers from his "Live in New York" CDs.

[basstastic]

I think some people are getting a bit brown nosed arent they. Lets not say he was god, he was one of the best, and in his time there is no qestion of his greatness, but i frankly hate all his music and find his style terriblt erribly boring. THe king is dead, long live the king.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Well I like nearly all of Jaco's music - whether with his own big band or guesting with Joni Mitchell and Pat Metheny. I have listened to his playing virtually every week since the late 70s and I find it to be the least boring music I know of - in that it stands up to repeated re-listening and constantly inspires me and gives me new ideas that I can apply to my own playing.

I only wish that Jaco had lived longer, been a bit more appreciated when he was alive and that consequently we had a few more albums - I would buy them without hesitation.

I am constantly indebted to him for getting bass guitar to be taken seriously in Jazz, for his compositions and the way he put our instrument to the forefront of the music.

[JimK]

"Boring"?!
Geez-us...

His style fit into several genres-
1)Straightahead Jazz("Dania", "Crazy About Jazz")
2)Funk("Barbary Coast")
3)Free/Avant Jazz("The Nativity")
4)Rock(Ian Hunter's album)
5)Latin("Used To Be A Cha-cha")
6)Experimental("Crisis")
7)Pop("Free Man In Paris")
8)R&B("The Chicken", "Come On, Come Over")
9)Soul(Little Beaver's album)
10)"Solo Bass"("Portait Of Tracy", "Donna Lee").
11)BALLADIC PLAYING!
...I mean, c'mon, the guy's feel on ballads was the s***! "A Remark You Made", "Three Views Of A Secret"...?!
How many 'lectric bassists(pre-Jaco) played a Blues as funky as "The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines"?


The guy grooved like a drummer & played solos like a horn player; to each his own...what I hear is a player that had attitude. Easily as important to the history of Electric Bass as Lester, Bird, 'Trane, Coleman are to sax-ology.

Was he a god? Hell no...