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Can anyone really play LIKE Jaco?
- Thread starter GodPlayedBass
- Start date
Ape/Mimic: METRIC TONS.
‘Play like’, as in, to broaden the possibilities of the entire instrument AND use these new sonic ‘colors’ (harmonics/rw on fretless, back pickup mid punch) as the ‘palette’ for your unique, once in a (lifetime/millennia?) talent?
Not as many.
Personally I (sometimes) really enjoy when another player picks up some of the ‘Jaco Colors’ and paints the track.
Bassplayer for ‘Squeeze’ is giving me those vibes recently.
‘By Your Side’ and that whole album.
‘Play like’, as in, to broaden the possibilities of the entire instrument AND use these new sonic ‘colors’ (harmonics/rw on fretless, back pickup mid punch) as the ‘palette’ for your unique, once in a (lifetime/millennia?) talent?
Not as many.
Personally I (sometimes) really enjoy when another player picks up some of the ‘Jaco Colors’ and paints the track.
Bassplayer for ‘Squeeze’ is giving me those vibes recently.
‘By Your Side’ and that whole album.
I know people like the mysticism of legendary musicians, but to be really honest, there's plenty of people out there that are even better, than Jaco. Jaco was a pioneer and nobody can ever take that from him. Just like the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Bach, all these people. But with the advant of modern technology, it's really easy to become an amazing musician given enough dedication. And while people with a lot of dedication are somewhat rare, there are still millions of musicians out there. I don't think it's unrealistic to ask for someone who can play all the Jaco stuff, or who studied him immensely, to the degree that you would say "he plays like Jaco!".
I've met a musician with immense dedication before. It was a drummer sub, who played a few shows in our party band. He went to music school, he practiced literally every free second he had, he wrote out charts for tunes he never heard before within seconds, and he actually cared a lot about feel and locking in with me the bassist.
I realized that usually hobby musicians don't pay much attention to others when they're playing. Partially because they are often too busy concentrating on their own stuff. But that guy really paid attention. He would constantly give me feedback after songs and talk to me about what he's thinking....
I've met a musician with immense dedication before. It was a drummer sub, who played a few shows in our party band. He went to music school, he practiced literally every free second he had, he wrote out charts for tunes he never heard before within seconds, and he actually cared a lot about feel and locking in with me the bassist.
I realized that usually hobby musicians don't pay much attention to others when they're playing. Partially because they are often too busy concentrating on their own stuff. But that guy really paid attention. He would constantly give me feedback after songs and talk to me about what he's thinking....
I'm sure lots of bassists can play in his general style well enough to satisfy whatever itch that band is looking to scratch.
Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
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That has to be one of the most weirdly, oddly worded CL ads ever. I would not respond solely based on this
I am old enough to have seen Jaco live several times. WR ( several ), WOM ( twice ), and with PM ( once ). The best was with Joni Mitchel - never going to forget that one.
It doesn't get any better ( than Jaco ), only different. Like Pat said - let's move on, nothing to see here...
There probably aren't a whole lot of bass players that can play LIKE Jaco, but there are also probably a number who can get close enough for what the band is looking for. They aren't looking to do a Jaco tribute band, just someone who can solo.
Jaco did more than just play fast. The man was an improv genius. Most of the live recordings you hear of him is improv. He almost never plays a song the same way twice. Such a big ask
Really?
I feel only anoyance when earing to Jaco, so why should I recognize his talent, it is like saying to a non believer (as I am) that he have to recognise the work of a god.
I respect that he is important for some, but not everyone, and certainly not me.
Nope. Ain't got time for that.
Pro tip: speak more clearly the first time and you won't have to keep explaining yourself.
How about taking one for the team and answering the ad. I'm guessing the back and forth would be quite amusing!Right? I check CL less and less every year because it's a cesspool, but i'm pretty sure every time i've checked since 2014 when i moved back to NYC from the west coast i've seen some form of this ad. And then i moved abroad for a few years, moved back a couple years ago and it's still there.
One of us should put up a copy ad, but translated to what the ad is really saying:
I'm a mid-grade player so i'm going to demand the rest of my band be elite players to pick up my slack and help my band match how good i think i am in my mind. I don't want to get better myself; i need your playing for that.
Professional players can see right through me and won't put up with my BS. They often have input on how to improve our songs or my playing, and i take any suggestion for improvement as a personal threat. Ergo, you can't be a "veteran player." You need to be young and inexperienced so i can tell you what to play, and then you need to exceed my expectations, and then shut up and smile.
Pocket/Rhythm bassists won't cut it for us because i actually have no idea about Jaco's playing and don't realize every melodic line or blazing fast solo Jaco played had immense pocket and rhythm. I just want you to overplay all the notes as fast as possible.
Must have pedals for lead because i don't understand playing a lead line is more about a musical focal point of the song than turning on distortion.
jaco is a "bass god" but he shouldn't be worshipped at all, he's an innovator-teacher on so many levels (not just playing) and it's better just to learn something. if you don't think jaco is/was a "great player" you're kidding yourself. and if you can't take away something from a great player's performance = you're not listening.
FullumMusic
Commercial User
- Oct 13, 2022
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Tempting but i don't know if i wanna open up pandora's box like that. I am having fun imagining what my email would say:
Yo!!!111!!!!one!!!! Wazzuuup? I'm pretty much Jaco times 2. I always play everything faster with twice as many notes! I have both fretted and fretless basses, and i play them both, sometimes at the same time! I'm completely unreliable, am never on time, have substance abuse and mental health issues, and if you want me to make it to rehearsal, you have to track me down at one of the basketball courts in the Village. I have a pedal for lead. I've never served in the military.
Do u hav any music up on YouTube? I wanna make sure the drummer is at least as good as Erskine or Acuña; the guitarist needs to be Metheny/Scofield level; And the keys need to be Corea at a minimum.
Again, it’s not a matter of opinion or taste. Jaco was hands-down one of the most influential electric bass players of all time. Aside from James Jamerson, it’s hard to even name anyone else with a similar level of influence.
In many ways, Jaco is like the Louis Armstrong of bass. He changed the way people approach the instrument, especially in jazz. I prefer to listen to Freddie Hubbard on trumpet usually, but that in no way diminishes the breakthroughs and influence Louis achieved.
That’s fine.
I was first exposed to Jaco when his first solo album released. At the time, I was coming off of mainly listening to King Crimson, Yes, Genesis etc. I had just been exposed to Return to Forever when they did the Soundstage performance with Herbie Hancock. Stanley Clarke blew my mind, in terms of technique, agility, and tone.
My first impressions of the Jaco solo album were a) I wasn’t really familiar with that kind of music, b) the earthy bass tonality was a stark contrast to the HiFi Prog and Fusion I had been listening to, and c) there was no way on this earth I could ever hope to play at that level. So, I kind of put that record on the shelf for a while.
Jaco cut his teeth sitting in a lot of Southern R&B and Blues open mic sessions and gigs. Aside from his natural talent, he was coming from a deep R&B and Blues thing. That kind of music is somewhat orthogonal to Prog music, which is much more “arranged.” It was probably a little more than a decade later for me, when I was holding down a Blues open mic house position that the lights went on in that room.
I suppose what I’m getting at is that Jaco represented a somewhat particular American cultural thing. A lot of musicians aren’t necessarily hip to that sector of pop music. Blues, for example, gets a really bum rap, IMO. Most people who say negative things about Blues music are not speaking from a well informed perspective. But, people know what they know.
Vive la difference.
The last time I suggested that bass is not only about playing in the pocket (which I feel has become a buzzword and a bit of a meme), I was met by a shitstorm by a bunch of old farts stating that playing in the pocket only means playing on time and why shouldn't you play on time (********, and by the way, even then, lots of rock or punk is imprecise and it is good also or sometimes exactly because it is imprecise).
It’s more in the attitude .. the quest for elevating the bass guitar’s role to a more melodic one not just something to accompany the other band members playing but an instrument attracting the people’s attention owing to an innovative clean sound, making a fantastic use of the jazz bass’ bridge pickup, and to a very articulated and precise playing technique, in unison with a precise will to change the instrument’s perception.
At least .. when he was himself …
At least .. when he was himself …
