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could you please sell me on Jaco?
- Thread starter Rumbledore
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Jaco was a major influence on my playing as a younger guy learning as much as I could. He was my introduction into jazz and the language that is spoken on that plane. While the music wasn't as earth shattering as some spin, it was unique as his vehicle was the electric bass. Before Jaco, melodic content was not associated with the electric bass (at least as a true lead instrument) and his experimentation with harmonics and other forms of unique sounds stopped a lot of traditional artists in their tracks. On his debut album, he mostly cops a horn solo, just transposing it to the electric bass. He was an innovator, and he simply was able to show the masses a different light on the electric bass.
What impressed me about Jaco in his prime was his absolute mastery of intonation on the fretless, and his fearless abandon to walk into uncharted territory taking musical risks. Some of his work was amazing, other less than his capability.
These days when thinking about Chuck Berry, we think of an old guy that played sloppy licks and leads, plus strutted around the stage. In reality, he was one of the first to play lead on the guitar, bringing it from a background instrument into the limelight, forging a new style of sped up blues called rock and roll. While nothing really sensational in the blues circles, he put the mainstream music world on its head with this new and exciting form of music. He was an innovator.
I guess it's all relative. What these masters have brought to us has been implemented into the fabric of modern playing so deeply that the unique and exciting playing of the artist has worn off, and they are seen as rudimentary, or less than what they actually were.
I will be the first to say some of Jacos stuff was out there and overbearing, but he brought so much to the table. To think of a world without being touched by Jaco, that would be a tragedy. Long live his influence.
What impressed me about Jaco in his prime was his absolute mastery of intonation on the fretless, and his fearless abandon to walk into uncharted territory taking musical risks. Some of his work was amazing, other less than his capability.
These days when thinking about Chuck Berry, we think of an old guy that played sloppy licks and leads, plus strutted around the stage. In reality, he was one of the first to play lead on the guitar, bringing it from a background instrument into the limelight, forging a new style of sped up blues called rock and roll. While nothing really sensational in the blues circles, he put the mainstream music world on its head with this new and exciting form of music. He was an innovator.
I guess it's all relative. What these masters have brought to us has been implemented into the fabric of modern playing so deeply that the unique and exciting playing of the artist has worn off, and they are seen as rudimentary, or less than what they actually were.
I will be the first to say some of Jacos stuff was out there and overbearing, but he brought so much to the table. To think of a world without being touched by Jaco, that would be a tragedy. Long live his influence.
I don't particularly enjoy everything he did, but his prowess improvising over complex harmony and keeping a groove are pretty undeniable regardless of taste. He doesn't make the same choices I would make while playing but he did change the instrument in terms of role and technique forever.
I totally agree.. yes, he had chops, & was a pioneer.. but so was Stanley Clarke, (who also is amazing on DB)
& id much rather listen to Stan the man, than pastorius. Jeff berlin arguably had better chops than jaco.. I do enjoy the heavy weather album, but beyond that, Im not a fan.
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To be honest I did and I didn't care for him even more...
Sorry not hater but not a fan.
Great at what he did sure...
Hellborg to me is a completely different story.
If you don't get Jaco, thats a personal problem. The broader your knowledge and appreciation of musical stylist are, the better your bass playing will be.
Goodness. What a stark contrast between the two versions. JB had a monster groove and soul. The Jaco version removed all that and added more horn, bass, and steel drum solos and gave it a Barney Miller vibe.
His first record is a milestone in jazz. The combination of his playing, arranging, and writing was mind blowing then and still is now. His licks have been integrated so much into the modern player consciousness that a lot of us take them for granted and forget he blazed the trail. There's no reason for you to force yourself to listen to something you don't connect with but for me the first time I heard that record was an ear opener. Very few guys that have chops like that can write great tunes and vice versa.
Stop worrying about what you’re supposed to like or what other people think. Just go with your own vibe and be content.
As far a Jaco goes, I respect what he brought to the party and how he raised the bar for bass technique. Not being much into most jazz music myself, I’m not overly wild about the bulk of his music. But that doesn’t prevent me from acknowledging he is one of the significant names in the history of electric bass.
I don’t have to be in awe of him or join the cult church that has grown up around his name. But credit where credit is due. I don’t have to personally enjoy something to know it’s brilliant just the same.
As far a Jaco goes, I respect what he brought to the party and how he raised the bar for bass technique. Not being much into most jazz music myself, I’m not overly wild about the bulk of his music. But that doesn’t prevent me from acknowledging he is one of the significant names in the history of electric bass.
I don’t have to be in awe of him or join the cult church that has grown up around his name. But credit where credit is due. I don’t have to personally enjoy something to know it’s brilliant just the same.
I can't sell you on Jaco. I'm not even going to try. There's been a run of posts similar to this with the poster asking the TB community to explain a player, sell them on a player, or convince them a player is as good as their popularity indicates.
You already know there's something special about Jaco, because you essentially asked the question, "why do so many of you like him and I don't?" The thing to remember is that it's OK if you don't.
The reason many like Jaco and you don't is simply a difference in taste / preference. The same thing applies to any other player; some like them and some don't. It's always OK not to join the majority unless you actually like the player.
You already know there's something special about Jaco, because you essentially asked the question, "why do so many of you like him and I don't?" The thing to remember is that it's OK if you don't.
The reason many like Jaco and you don't is simply a difference in taste / preference. The same thing applies to any other player; some like them and some don't. It's always OK not to join the majority unless you actually like the player.
Jeff Berlin had better chops than Jaco, but only after Jaco was in his severe decline. The video with him and Jaco needs to be understood in that context.
JeezyMcNuggles
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I don't know man. That all sounds pretty basic to me. If you watch some live solo stuff where he's just turning dials and jamming, he gets pretty dope. Like this
I guess it's really just the way he's in tune with, like a part of, his instrument. Not really what or how he's playing that really makes him great. Something like that.
Jaco. One of the 5 greatest players ever to pick up an electric bass.
Just go listen to his first solo album. Heavy Weather by Weather Report And Shadows And Light Joni Mitchell. Just to start.
He introduced the world to fretless Bass. He is on the Mount Rushmore of electric Bassists.
If your not a fan of his style of music, ok cool. But his command of the bass still has impact 40 years later.
Just go listen to his first solo album. Heavy Weather by Weather Report And Shadows And Light Joni Mitchell. Just to start.
He introduced the world to fretless Bass. He is on the Mount Rushmore of electric Bassists.
If your not a fan of his style of music, ok cool. But his command of the bass still has impact 40 years later.
I dig him a lot, but only when he’s reigned in a little. The big band stuff and R&B stuff were his best. When he was in Weather Report or other small fusion combos, it’s just too much. It never seems to hit a groove.
One bassist's favorite is another's least favorite...
Hey.. let me know when the debut Rumbledor solo album comes out, I'll check it out and see if anything on it stacks up to Havona... oh, and let me know when whatever bass maker you prefer makes the signature Rumbledor bass because tens of thousands want to try to cop your tone.
Hey.. let me know when the debut Rumbledor solo album comes out, I'll check it out and see if anything on it stacks up to Havona... oh, and let me know when whatever bass maker you prefer makes the signature Rumbledor bass because tens of thousands want to try to cop your tone.
There’s bass before Jaco and after... You had to be there to fully understand the importance of him.
I think he is considered to be the equivalent of The Beatles in the world of bassdom. You may not like the music of The Beatles, but you can't ignore their impact on modern music. Before them, most rock and roll was just a lot of I-IV-V, Moon/June type of stuff that really had more in common with Louie Jordan's 1940's music than that of the late '60's. While they were active and influencing a generation, popular music went from folk and surf music to psychedelic. A better analogy would be that Jaco was the Bobby Orr of the bass world. It would never be the same game again.
