What would someone have to do to surpass Jaco in history?

[gweimer]

The funny thing is that I may have seen Jaco live way back when. I just can't be sure - I walked in on Wayne Cochran and the CC Riders back around '73. The bass player was using an Acoustic 360, and was funky as all get out. Tight and cohesive, too. Wearing a tux.

[morf]

Originally Posted by gweimer

Wearing a tux.

Theres your answer.

[davec]

Living 'till 36 would be a good start.

Other than that, Jaco's rep will go the same way every other great player's rep has. More and more people will become less and less familiar with him as new players emerge. Until, at some point, he'll be considered nothing more than one great player in a long continuous line of great players--each with fans arguing over their individual merits and accomplishments.

Guess what I'm saying is that no one has to do anything to surpass Jaco, time will take care of that on it's own.

Wow I completely agree and disagree at the same time.

Does Barry Bonds lessen what Babe Ruth did ? how about Henry Aaron ?

I never saw Hank Aaron swing a bat other than on highlight film, I don't like Barry Bonds, but, I now have a better idea just how good Hank and the Babe were.

[MyUsernameHere]

Originally Posted by davec

Wow I completely agree and disagree at the same time.

Does Barry Bonds lessen what Babe Ruth did ? how about Henry Aaron ?

I never saw Hank Aaron swing a bat other than on highlight film, I don't like Barry Bonds, but, I now have a better idea just how good Hank and the Babe were.

I get what you're saying but with baseball you judge accomplishment by the stats players put up.

Bass playing isn't judged by how many notes a guy can cram into four bars or how long a player can stand on stage and play until he falls over from fatigue. Accomplishment in music is always judged subjectively.

If you want to think of it like a sports metaphor, I think football (or armored American wanker ball for all you euros) is a better analogy. Do we look back at Chuck Forman in the same light as we look at LT now? Nope, although he was LTs equivalent in the 70s.

[Billy Low]

Once again, I say it goes to marketing. Since sports analogies have been given, Michael Jordan has been heralded as the greatest basketball player of all time. He had been marketed that way since the enception of his pro career. There were several players before him who had greater impact on the game, or had greater stats, but you hear their names much less than MJ. He simply got more exposure because he had a great agent who made sure his face was on everything from SUV's to underwear! So by default and length of exposure he is now the GOAT. I say this not to diminish the talent level of MJ; clearly he is exceptional.

Simularly w/Pastorious (but with no agent). He has been given exposure on a level that few attain. Great player, but the greatest??? I'm sure that as I stated in my original reply there are members and former members of TB that if given the same level of exposure could've easily competed for the acclaim that JP gets. Unfortunately some may have to be dead before they get the acclaim they deserve!

[bradjonesbass]

I refuse to treat music like athletics competition. There is no "greatest". There may well be a "my favorite". I consider Jaco a strong influence and an important piece in the development of the bass guitar. Same for Stanley. Though neither really is very noticeable in the way I play now I certainly went through my phases, just like everybody who's been playing long enough. By the time I head Victor and Oteil I was well on my way to developing my own voice, but I still learned allot from them, especially Oteil. Pino's probably a bigger influence on my fretless playing than anyone else. My fretted playing varies from a Rocco, Oteil and Jamerson influenced finger funk to Bootsy and Larry influenced thumb/pluck on the funk and JPJ meets Geddy meets Jeff Ament on rock. My favorite thing to do is play in a jam band where I get to throw everything into a mix and do my own thing.