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Anyone else out there -Not- a Huge Jaco Fan??

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sgtdemeo

sgtdemeo

Dec 31, 2007
80
4
47
NYC, NY, USA
#1
Ok, so I know I am Kinda Swimming against the stream here, But I have listened, and Tried as hard as I can, But I Just cannot get into Jaco's music. Nothing against the man's talent, as he can play much better than I could ever hope to. It's just the style of the music, I guess. I just don't see him as the end all, be all of bassists. Again, this is just my opinion, and I am not telling anyone else what to think, but as I see it, is he better than victor wooten? no, not at all. is he better than les claypool, or flea? no, not really. so, is anyone else out there of the same opinion? thanks!
 
#2
Here here, I totally agree.

But I think he is more revered for his uniqueness and how his style influenced music. Just like, say, the sex pistols. They were a landslide monumental band and after them, (rock) music has never really been the same. But I don't like their music...
 
#3
(flame protection: engaged)

I don´t care for his tone one little bit, IN MY HONEST OPINION it was farty and thin, that alone has steered me away from listening to tons of his music. As for the playing...ohhh that´s another story, that guy had some badass licks, but not enough to blow away Stanley Clarke or Jeff Berlin. Now...Miroslav?...whoa! that´s what i consider a MONSTER.
 
#4
sgtdemeo said:
Ok, so I know I am Kinda Swimming against the stream here, But I have listened, and Tried as hard as I can, But I Just cannot get into Jaco's music. Nothing against the man's talent, as he can play much better than I could ever hope to. It's just the style of the music, I guess. I just don't see him as the end all, be all of bassists. Again, this is just my opinion, and I am not telling anyone else what to think, but as I see it, is he better than victor wooten? no, not at all. is he better than les claypool, or flea? no, not really. so, is anyone else out there of the same opinion? thanks!
Click to expand...

+1
 
#5
I think that jaco's music is without a doubt not listener friendly. It took me a long time to reach a point where i could understand and appreciate jaco's music fully. The man was an absolute genius and there is no way to deny that, however he was twisted and his music is not all that welcoming to the new coming listener.
 
#6
sgtdemeo said:
Ok, so I know I am Kinda Swimming against the stream here, But I have listened, and Tried as hard as I can, But I Just cannot get into Jaco's music. Nothing against the man's talent, as he can play much better than I could ever hope to. It's just the style of the music, I guess. I just don't see him as the end all, be all of bassists. Again, this is just my opinion, and I am not telling anyone else what to think, but as I see it, is he better than victor wooten? no, not at all. is he better than les claypool, or flea? no, not really. so, is anyone else out there of the same opinion? thanks!
Click to expand...

I disagree, but I won't comment on your tastes as I completely understand your decision. I felt that way when I first got into that styl,e of music.

What I will question, however, is you saying that Jaco is not better than Flea. I can understand you saying so for Victor Wooten (which I agree with to an extent) or Les Claypool (though I don't really like his music, he does have skill, again to an extent I might agree. But Flea does not have the skill that Jaco had, nor will he ever. It's not because I'm not a fan of his music. It's not because I dislike him as a person. I can simply observe and point out the fact that he does not have the skill Jaco had.

If that is your opinion? All the power to you, I'm not one to argue about opinions. That's just ridiculous.
But to claim that Flea is "better" than Jaco just doesn't seem right to me.
 
#7
Well, it's my opinion, but I think he had some good taste for playing, and for me he's appealing as a musician, not as an acrobat. He really inspired me to explore bass, since I started out playing guitar (still do), and I kind of liked his approach to bass playing. I know people says he was pretty egotistical, and well, I think one as a musician should not be like that, but, music business is full of myths and fairy tales, anyway. About his music, well, I'm not such a fan of him, and I don't even like all of his music or the music he contributed to, but for sure he blew my head a couple of times. I would be really nice to ever see him playing, for sure.
 
#9
your post was ok (although you shouldve done a search first as jaco haters have always been rpesent on this site) until you decided to mix in your own personal feelings regarding skill and such. you may have a valid point wiht vic, but less and flea are just rock players...neither touch jaco. im pretyt sure even vic would say that he himself cant really touch jaco. it is more than just who can play faster or who can slap and yadda yadda....as your 3 examples seemed to lean towards slap friendly players(no mention of jeff berlin, oteil burbridge, stanley clark...etc)...jaco's brilliance and genius lays in his composing in addition to his playing and chops...understandable if it isnt your cup fo tea as far as musical tastes, but if thats the case, why comment on it at all.
 
#10
Hasn't this been covered a million times before on this forum?

To argue that one persons technique and style is better that anothers is a completely mute point. I would of thought above all else, it is the music that should move you regardless of who is making it, and how it sounds... as technically good as Jaco, Wooten, Claypool, Levin etc are/is/ever shall be... first and foremost it's about the music. Period.
 
#12
not a great fan of Jaco - again, he certainly is technically talented and has an excellent feel for music, but his phrasing to me is similar in places to these guitar shredders - as many notes in to fill the space and in others it seems to me to fit the song.

my opinion, you don't have to like it. you are entitled to disagree.

just one thing I will say, where music is an individual thing, beyond saying I like these and not these, who is to say what is better than something else?

a rhetorical question that needs no answer, just personal reflection.
 
#17
Whether you like someones music or not has no bearing on their skill. The music either appeals to you or doesn't, that simple. I find Les Claypool virtually un-listenable yet I still consider him a talented player. Also, certain music that doesn't entertain you now. you may find you like sometime in the future as your musical tastes change and grow. I too did not get Jaco's music when I was first introduced. Years later I checked it out again and fell in love with it. Maybe it's time for me to get a Primus album!
 
#18
Yeah, I'm not going to go along with the comparisons to Wooten and Flea etc. but I would say that I'm no big fan of Jaco.
The problem is, it's a bit tough to say such things here because even though the vast majority of posters are intelligent and rational, it only takes one idiot to post a hate-filled comment that throws the whole thread into a complete quagmire :D

So, yeah, before this takes that potential turn, I would say I'm with you in that I don't count him as figuring at all on a favourite bassplayers list of mine, even if all my favourite bassists cite him as their biggest influence.
Here's hoping this thread stays polite and rational :)
 
#20
I have no interest in Jaco Pastorius whatsoever. When I first got into bass, I saw that he was referenced constantly as an influence by almost every player, so I checked into his music. Nada.
Not for me.

His style isn't what I like in bass. Looking back on it, this may be one major reason I have no interest in Fender Jazz basses. So not only am I *not* a Jaco fan, it's possible that he helped steer me away from the instrument he favored.

There are many Jaco recordings I have not heard, so it's possible he played something I would like. It's irrelevant to me now. I don't play busy, high-register, nasally "lead bass" lines - ever. I like to play solid, in the pocket groove with deeeep fat tone and lots of wattage.
Jaco probably had the ability to play my kind of bass infinitely better than I ever will, but I don't really care.

OK.
 
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