Miroslav Vitous Interview

[mstott25]

Just read this interview with Miroslav.

He doesn't hold back when he talks about Zawinul, Shorter, or the New England Conservatory...!

I can't decide whether I think he's telling it like it is ... or if he's got some penned up bitterness.

I think he stands up there with Zawinul and Shorter as a musician, he's ingenious, I was just surprised to see how he felt.

[VroomVroom]

Wow. Thanks for sharing this. I do remember reading that the bass chair transition in the band wasn't the most friendly of exchanges, but this was a surprising read.

Amazing musician, and in the radio interviews I've heard with him, he seems like a very positive and inspiring fellow.

[Hoover]

Tantalizing interview, thanks.

[markjazzbassist]

guy comes off as a self-knowing mr. know it all jerk IMHO. "sounds aren't from here, they're from the universe". put down the pot miroslav, please put down the joint and come back to earth. if you lost papers to own the band, i'm sure any competant lawyer can help resolve the situation. he's figured out the secret planet where sounds come from, but not how to call a lawyer and correct the band ownership situation.

just left me not wanting to listen to his music.

[bobknowsbass]

Miroslav Vitous is a fantastic bassist and a wonderful musician. A lot of that pent up bitterness must come from being passed over and overshadowed by the phenomenon of Jaco Pastorius. Wayne and Joe loved Jaco and treated him as a younger brother as well as a composer for the band. You don't see a lot of young bass players throwing the name of Miroslav Vitous around, not nearly as much as Jaco's name. It's understandable, you work all your life to be great musician and all of the sudden some young punk who plays like he comes from another galaxy comes and steals your thunder, who wouldn't be upset?

[Hoover]

Originally Posted by bobknowsbass

A lot of that pent up bitterness must come from being passed over and overshadowed by the phenomenon of Jaco Pastorius. Wayne and Joe loved Jaco and treated him as a younger brother as well as a composer for the band. You don't see a lot of young bass players throwing the name of Miroslav Vitous around, not nearly as much as Jaco's name. It's understandable, you work all your life to be great musician and all of the sudden some young punk who plays like he comes from another galaxy comes and steals your thunder, who wouldn't be upset?

...except that Miroslav was replaced by Alphonso Johnson, not Jaco.

[pedro]

Because of the magnitude of his talents I will have to give his statements more thought but my first impressions are similar to markjazzbassist.

[mstott25]

Well what really surprised me was I've only heard about/read about Zawinul and Shorter from people with the utmost repsect for them as people and musicians. Gary Willis adores Wayne Shorter and got to work with him earlier in his career same with Scott Henderson and Joe Zawinul. I mean a lot of band leaders can be abrasive at times, so can most leaders in general.

Miroslav kind of strikes me as a guy that wouldn't be the easiest bandmember to handle on a gig, I wonder how much of that played a part in his being replaced.

I've heard a lot of anecdotal stories about this guy or that guy from different jazz clubs etc. but I'm thinking it's pretty rare to have a magazine actually put this stuff out in print. Not that I agree or disagree, I'm all for the inside scoop, it just seemed like there were some awkward moments between Kot (the interviewer) and Miroslav.

[mattt]

You can certainly hear the strong ego in Vitous and he might have been a difficult person to deal with....like Miles. But....for me Weather Report best work was the early stuff before they went more commercial and pop/rock. Miroslav Vitous signaled a beginning of the bass being an equal instrument. That in it self can make some musicians angry. It still does today. Maybe his ego was needed to stand as an equal with these guys.

I bow deeply to Jaco's great musical ability, but as great as he was he didn't keep Weather Report from going down route that became highly controlled and technical and yet empty of soul. We do remember the late 70's and 80's for jazz. Jaco didn't stand up for the integrity of the music. Maybe he was too young at the time. We as bass players often follow the genius of Jaco, but I'm not interested in following later Weather Report.

[pedro]

Originally Posted by mattt

You can certainly hear the strong ego in Vitous and he might have been a difficult person to deal with....like Miles. But....for me Weather Report best work was the early stuff before they went more commercial and pop/rock. Miroslav Vitous signaled a beginning of the bass being an equal instrument. That in it self can make some musicians angry. It still does today. Maybe his ego was needed to stand as an equal with these guys.

I bow deeply to Jaco's great musical ability, but as great as he was he didn't keep Weather Report from going down route that became highly controlled and technical and yet empty of soul. We do remember the late 70's and 80's for jazz. Jaco didn't stand up for the integrity of the music. Maybe he was too young at the time. We as bass players often follow the genius of Jaco, but I'm not interested in following later Weather Report.

(stares. Rubs eyes.)

[RCCollins]

i'd still rather listen to Miroslav than post-Miroslav WR

[pedro]

Originally Posted by RCCollins

i'd still rather listen to Miroslav than post-Miroslav WR

I got no problem with that.