Jaco's "crazy" distortion solos?

[s3lggiW]

Anyone have a recording of one? I'm reading through the Jaco book, and numerous times, apparently, he cranked everything to 11, distorted the **** out of his bass and went to town. I'm interested in hearing this. I can't find this on the internets though. Anyone know where an example would be?

[pfschim]

don't have a recordings for you, but your post is timely - I have been reading the Milkowski Jaco book and just posted about it.

let me know if you find any of these "crazy distortion" recordings. Outside of the fairly limited official releases, there must be some bootlegs around somewhere, there were so many shows/performances that Jaco was part of.

You know, the book I'm reading seems to suggest that, at least some of these instances where Jaco would push his amp to 11 and play crazy , were considered real embarrassments and disasters by the rest of the players he was on the stand with at the time (Weather Report, Word Of Mouth band, etc.). seems so weird to me that he would do these things.

[ZanaZulu807]

I'd like to hear one these as well... I heard he did it quite frequently during performances where he "joined" in with a band he enjoyed during his last months alive. From what I hear though, they weren't that great...

[ggoat!!!]

Originally Posted by pfschim

seems so weird to me that he would do these things.

[s3lggiW]

Originally Posted by pfschim

don't have a recordings for you, but your post is timely - I have been reading the Milkowski Jaco book and just posted about it.

let me know if you find any of these "crazy distortion" recordings. Outside of the fairly limited official releases, there must be some bootlegs around somewhere, there were so many shows/performances that Jaco was part of.

You know, the book I'm reading seems to suggest that, at least some of these instances where Jaco would push his amp to 11 and play crazy , were considered real embarrassments and disasters by the rest of the players he was on the stand with at the time (Weather Report, Word Of Mouth band, etc.). seems so weird to me that he would do these things.

Not really. Remember the old saying, there's a fine line between genius and crazy? He played hopscotch with that line.

[pfschim]

Originally Posted by s3lggiW

Not really. Remember the old saying, there's a fine line between genius and crazy? He played hopscotch with that line.

I hear you, but I have never subscribed to the "fine line" theory. I think its a trope that has been incorrectly used for too long. There are so many examples of genius that were not regularly diving over the crazy line, that it makes this idea that creative geniuses are naturally somehow mentally crazy too, a non-starter in my view.

I would have to go with the previous post about his drug/alcohol use, plus a possible manic/depressive disorder, as being the cause of the episodes where Jaco would destroy a performance by playing (and behaving) totally inappropriately.

Of course, this is just my own view, and driven by my current reading of the Jaco book.

[Mojo-Man]

I think Weather Reports 8:30 album has one of Jaco's wild solo's on it.
It was his nod to Jimi Hendrix.

[bassbrad]

go to youtube and search "Jaco Slang"

[s3lggiW]

Originally Posted by pfschim

I hear you, but I have never subscribed to the "fine line" theory. I think its a trope that has been incorrectly used for too long. There are so many examples of genius that were not regularly diving over the crazy line, that it makes this idea that creative geniuses are naturally somehow mentally crazy too, a non-starter in my view.

I would have to go with the previous post about his drug/alcohol use, plus a possible manic/depressive disorder, as being the cause of the episodes where Jaco would destroy a performance by playing (and behaving) totally inappropriately.

Of course, this is just my own view, and driven by my current reading of the Jaco book.

I understand. How far in are you?

I once read an article, or watched a movie, or something, talking about this. Creativity in music. The guy basically made the point that people adapt an ear for the music around them, and they want to hear music that's like that. People who push the boundries of music take what they hear and go in a different direction with it. It's new, but still familiar. But those that completely dismiss what they hear, and go completely outside of the box are often dismissed as too avant-garde, or too over the top.

As for what you say, i mostly agree. In this sense, i think it's more musically based (the line between genius and insanity). Jimi Hendrix was completely sane, except the massive amounts of acid he took as inspiration, and he did more with guitar than anyone. Cliff Burton, completely sane, but was taking the bass in a whole new direction. Mozart....i don't know about that guy.... Beethoven either for that matter either. lol. But the personality that made Jaco want to be the best; that personality of taking something over the limit, then going completely beyond that point, is what got him to where he was. It's only logical that he would keep in up whenever he could, with his drinking and drug use, with his wives and with his lies. Everything that he was, he took beyond his limits. It's a mindset, not a switch that can be turned on and off.

If that makes any sense. It's been a long day lol. But that's why i want to hear these solos that he would just rip in the middle of songs. Changing the tempo and the beat when he wanted to. Maybe he was on to something?

[jgroh]

Originally Posted by ggoat!!!

Worse are mental disorders like Jaco had.

[Bear_Bass]

Jaco Pastorius live 1979 "Berlin Slang" - YouTube somewhere in that video he uses a lot of distortion

[Scobac]

several examples on you tube; run across them all the time!

[shwashwa]

Jaco Pastorius - Bass Solo( Live in Santa Cruz) - YouTube

Jaco Pastorius - Bass Solo( Live In Philadelphia) - YouTube

Jaco Pastorius - Bass Solo(Live in Pistoia) - YouTube

i wouldnt call them "crazy" though. you just have to listen to what he's trying to say. they were part of a long unaccompanied solo that started slow and built tension until the distorted part was the climax followed by a release. totally not crazy if you ask me...

[shwashwa]

Jaco Pastorius solo live in Germany.mp4 - YouTube

[Marty Forrer]

Bi-polar disorder has two forms. One is manic depressive, one is manic (the opposite of manic depressive). A friend of mine is manic, and was in the time when Jaco was alive. They did not know what drugs would treat him, and he did some really crazy things, much the same as Jaco did. It was not until about 10 years ago that they finally got the drug and the doseage right and stabilized him.

[pfschim]

Originally Posted by shwashwa

Jaco Pastorius - Bass Solo( Live in Santa Cruz) - YouTube

Jaco Pastorius - Bass Solo( Live In Philadelphia) - YouTube

Jaco Pastorius - Bass Solo(Live in Pistoia) - YouTube

i wouldnt call them "crazy" though. you just have to listen to what he's trying to say. they were part of a long unaccompanied solo that started slow and built tension until the distorted part was the climax followed by a release. totally not crazy if you ask me...

I am actually referring to the incidents detailed in the book about Jaco where he would start a tune with a band and then completely go out of his way to f**k it up .. either by playing something completely different than rehearsed, or by pushing his amps volume up to "11" and wanking away. These incidents are apparently very well documented and remembered by those who dealt with them from the stand, or in the audience.

I am not referring to a planned solo that happened to get a little outside.

It's very sad to me to read of this kind of stuff as I have great admiration for Jaco. And during this period in his life it was very clear that he was "crazy" (deeply under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and/or manic depressive) and not just following his muse.

[pfschim]

Originally Posted by Marty Forrer

Bi-polar disorder has two forms. One is manic depressive, one is manic (the opposite of manic depressive). A friend of mine is manic, and was in the time when Jaco was alive. They did not know what drugs would treat him, and he did some really crazy things, much the same as Jaco did. It was not until about 10 years ago that they finally got the drug and the doseage right and stabilized him.

The Milkowski book indicates that towards the end of his life, in '86, Jaco was prescribed, and took Lithium, which, while stabilizing his behavior, also caused him other problems like tremors in his limbs and hands (imagine that as a bass player) and a general muting of emotion (all of which are well known side effects of this drug).

According to the book, Jaco did stabilize for a time, and even slowed his use of alcohol and coke, but ultimately the damage was apparently done by that time.

[JimK]

Originally Posted by pfschim

I am actually referring to the incidents detailed in the book about Jaco where he would start a tune with a band and then completely go out of his way to f**k it up .. either by playing something completely different than rehearsed, or by pushing his amps volume up to "11" and wanking away. These incidents are apparently very well documented and remembered by those who dealt with them from the stand, or in the audience.

Thankfully...you may not find any recorded examples.
In the book, IIRC, McLaughlin talks about Jaco playing saboteur during the Trio Of Doom gig in Havana (The Havana Jam)...the Trio Of Doom set is available on disc. I don't recall anything being out of "the norm", however.

[Davo-London]

I think the book dwelled too much on Jaco's illness. For me you finish the book and it's really sad. There seemed far less celebration of his music and his playing.

Davo

[ggoat!!!]

Originally Posted by shwashwa

Jaco Pastorius - Bass Solo(Live in Pistoia) - YouTube

Wow...I never knew that Jaco used a Peavey rig in his later years. Still sounds like his same exact tone that he always used though...gotta give respect to some vintage Peavey.