The NEW weekly "Does anybody else LIKE Jaco" thread

ras1983 · #1 05-20-2006, 09:35 AM

Ok, this is for us jaco fans. post in this thread if you like kis music, and maybe give a reason as to why you like it.

there are several reasons for me,

i - his fretless playing was obviously pioneering, but it had such a lovely vocal quality. Jaco could literally make the fretless sing.

ii - his use of harmonics still astounds me, and im sure many others. and its not just portrait of tracy either, there are a few video clips of jaco with joni mitchell floating around youtube in which jaco manages to utilise harmonics in the bass lines.

iii - his phrasing was unparallelled. really, his phrasings are what completely blow me away, his knowledge of the scales and intervals was astounding.

iv - the man could groove. he could walk the bass like the best of them, he could solo better than all of them, his chops were as good as anyone's when he wanted to showcase them (with maybe the exception of Stanley, but who can touch that guy?)

theres much more, but i haven't figured them out yet, its still at the stage where i don't actually understand much of what he does. its still waaayyy above my head.

oldfclefer · #2 05-20-2006, 11:43 AM

Musically, he was on the edge at all times--unafraid to take a chance.

Gotta love that.

zombywoof5050 · #3 05-20-2006, 11:57 AM

It sounds good, and if it sounds good then it is good.

Bass. · #4 05-20-2006, 12:46 PM

I just got one of the "reissue" cd's as a present on wednesday. "the word is out" the second of the two.
and it's amazing. my favourite album to date! (next to the originals)
his work is never dull and ALWAYS throughout the entire song has such a vibe to it. where even us ADD children can't think of something else. it's enthralling!

64jazzbass · #5 05-21-2006, 09:54 AM

His composition skills set him apart from most other jazz musicians of his era, but that 16th note groove.......

Mojo-Man · #6 05-21-2006, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 64jazzbass

His composition skills set him apart from most other jazz musicians of his era, but that 16th note groove.......

+1

Baryonyx · #7 05-21-2006, 04:00 PM

His phrasing and tone are what do it for me, but I much prefer Stanley.

fretless Bob · #8 05-21-2006, 04:56 PM

all of the above, only recently have i heard guys that i think come close to his time feel and groove, and note choice.... well you cant fault that, even when it was a bit excessive it was still prefect.

Dave

Akami · #9 05-21-2006, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldfclefer

Musically, he was on the edge at all times--unafraid to take a chance.

Gotta love that.

I like that in a musician and I really like his sound when he was playing with the band.

Jaco Pastorius, pioneer bassman!!

He lived with no fear and followed his own path too, for which I also admire him.

ryco · #10 05-21-2006, 05:19 PM

What's not to like? The guy could play!

Also a big Stan fan, and let us not forget Prestia's 16th note groove!

*actually I'm rather skinny

thephilosopher · #11 05-21-2006, 05:55 PM

His music was above and beyond what his contemporaries were doing, imo. Jaco had the whole package.. you get some guys that can shred, but cant write songs, you get some guys that can write great songs but cant groove. He did it all.

Essexbass · #12 05-23-2006, 03:21 AM

I remember when I first started playing bass guitar over 20 years ago & my first bass teacher advised me that Jaco was worth checking out.

Although "Heavy Weather" was the first album I bought with Jaco on it, I eventually got his first solo album. I remember putting it on the turntable (yep - good ol' vinyl!) and as soon as I heard "Donna Lee" I thought - "I may as well give up now...."

How many other people here felt the same when they heard this track?

That was probably the moment when Jaco became my all-time favourite bassist. That was reinforced when I bought three of the Joni Mitchell albums with Jaco on. Great tone, phrasing, feel - the whole package, right there...

I know I'll never be able to play as well as Jaco, but I'll always be a great fan of the guy.

RHFusillo · #13 05-23-2006, 04:22 AM

I cannot forget what a kick in the head it was to hear Jaco Pastorius in 1976. I was studying at Berklee and was a big fan of Stanley Clarke. I had heard bass players do some of the things that Jaco was doing -- a friend of mine, for example, had taught me how to do all the natural and false harmonics. I had heard another bass player (NHOP) play bebop heads on bass. I was well familiar with Rocco Prestia's 16th-note grooves. But I never heard anybody put it all together like Pastorius.

I imagine it was like being a saxophonist in 1944 and hearing Charlie Parker.

Mr_Dave · #14 05-23-2006, 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ras1983

Ok, this is for us jaco fans. post in this thread if you like kis music, and maybe give a reason as to why you like it.

there are several reasons for me,

i - his fretless playing was obviously pioneering, but it had such a lovely vocal quality. Jaco could literally make the fretless sing.

ii - his use of harmonics still astounds me, and im sure many others. and its not just portrait of tracy either, there are a few video clips of jaco with joni mitchell floating around youtube in which jaco manages to utilise harmonics in the bass lines.

iii - his phrasing was unparallelled. really, his phrasings are what completely blow me away, his knowledge of the scales and intervals was astounding.

iv - the man could groove. he could walk the bass like the best of them, he could solo better than all of them, his chops were as good as anyone's when he wanted to showcase them (with maybe the exception of Stanley, but who can touch that guy?)

+1

Jaco was the first bassplayer that i was amazed by. I remember getting his first album having never heard him but it was recommended to me so i bought it. I couldn't comprehend what he was doing. It made me sell my ibanez atk and get a fender because i had to have that sound!!! then i think i started to copy him too much so i avoided listening to him for a fair while. but i've come back, i can't resist! For anyone who hasn't heard it out, check out his playing on 8AM by herbie hancock, from the album 'mr hands'. Its herbie on keys (and overdubs) jaco and harvey mason on drums. Groove, Chops, Melodic fretless work, its all happening. I also second his composition work, 3 views of a secret is such a beautiful tune...

Blunt · #15 05-23-2006, 07:00 AM

My favourite Jaco album is actually by Michel Colombier. (sp_.

An awesome performance by Jaco on all tracks. Dreamland has become its own little classic. And if you listen hard Jaco slaps on one of the tracks. Essential Jaco. Just as good as the Mitchell albums as a sideman.

heath_the_great · #16 05-23-2006, 07:19 AM

who's this jaco?

mike sancho · #17 05-23-2006, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 64jazzbass

His composition skills set him apart from most other jazz musicians of his era, but that 16th note groove.......

+1 Amen

**j-raj** · #18 05-23-2006, 12:08 PM

I have always dug Jaco's phrasing and recently my teacher has brought out Portrait of Tracy and Teen Town to work on .... What walk down memory lane, maybe this time I'll nail them both.

BassManPatsFan · #19 05-23-2006, 03:35 PM

Jaco w/ Joni...a match made in heaven.
I'm a big fan of what the man did with her as well as pat metheny. Weather Report's also great. His big band definitely had an unusual, out-there kind of sound, but it was still for the most part enjoyable IMO.
-Alex

markjazzbassist · #20 05-23-2006, 04:17 PM

i love jaco. i have his solo stuff and i love it. I really dig the stuff with weather report, they are one of my favorite bands of all time. And i love joni mitchell so of course i love the stuff with jaco on it. that cat could groove like a mother and solo too. wow.