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could you please sell me on Jaco?
- Thread starter Rumbledore
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Hey...I appreciate all the help I have gotten over these years. Thank God I had older, cooler cousins...and a very hip drummer uncle!
I like that observation a lot. Never occurred to me to put it that way, but that may be something a guy could say about great musicians of all kinds.
I think that Jaco is largely idolized by most bass players because he had amazing technical playing abilities, he was able to redefine bass as a solo instrument and he popularized the use of fretless basses. He also had that who sad, crazy genius artist who died too young thing, which also enhances his appeal for some. There are a few bass players out there who don't connect to him because he did play really fast (and they can't) and he is probably most known for his work in jazz (also not popular with some bassists).
To me, he's definitely worth studying. I've read his biography, listened to his music, seen his video, attempted to play some of his pieces that have been transcribed, etc. in the hope of improving my own understanding of how to play bass better. That said, most of Jaco's music is pretty challenging to listen to. It's definitely not smooth background music. Honestly, I like all of it a little, but I only really like some of it - I kind of have to be in the mood to hear it.
To me, he's definitely worth studying. I've read his biography, listened to his music, seen his video, attempted to play some of his pieces that have been transcribed, etc. in the hope of improving my own understanding of how to play bass better. That said, most of Jaco's music is pretty challenging to listen to. It's definitely not smooth background music. Honestly, I like all of it a little, but I only really like some of it - I kind of have to be in the mood to hear it.
This is a Weather Report concert from 1976 at the Montreaux Jazz Festival. Prior to Jaco's bi-polar condition.
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Watch the documentary on YouTube. Even Flea said " he raised the bar for what could be done on the base. And it will never be done again."
Yeah, I couldn't follow his jazz stuff either, but I was an Ian Hunter fan, and the lead at 1:20 of All American Alien Boy has me giving the Jaco respect thing. Ian Hunter and producers let that bass lead go probably twice as long as most rockers would give a bassist, and to throw it in as early in the song as they did, at 1:20 in, well, there was respect.
Once in a generation do we get a talent like Jaco. These super talents are synonymous with the greatest minds in all humanity. These talents are game changers. From Bach to Bird, you get people that rewrite all the rules.
Jaco was indeed in that league. His command of rhythm & blues/Stax & Atlantic style bass lines mixed with bee bop & baroque command of jazz harmony, incredible technical skill.... put that in one person and you have an astounding musician, but that's not the whole story. He was a fantastic composer too.
But for me, it was the emotional aspect of his playing, the singing quality of his sound, his beautiful vibrato that makes all the technical prowess mean so much more than just chops and harmonic knowledge alone. A Remark You Made, on the 8:30 Album demonstrates what I am writing about as clearly as anything he ever recorded.
To the OP, you are a shining example of the mindset that is prevalent in the world today. Not getting it is OK, I suppose. In the absence of any critique with any shred of reference to what came before and after Jaco in the world of bass, it points to a glaring lack of intellectual curiosity on your part. Nowhere does it say you have like the guy or his music, but it is your responsibility to educate yourself about how and who he influenced and changed music with his innovation. The answer to who he influenced is, every modern bass player. I find the fact that you are not aware of that to be a little sad for you. IMO - of course.
Jaco was indeed in that league. His command of rhythm & blues/Stax & Atlantic style bass lines mixed with bee bop & baroque command of jazz harmony, incredible technical skill.... put that in one person and you have an astounding musician, but that's not the whole story. He was a fantastic composer too.
But for me, it was the emotional aspect of his playing, the singing quality of his sound, his beautiful vibrato that makes all the technical prowess mean so much more than just chops and harmonic knowledge alone. A Remark You Made, on the 8:30 Album demonstrates what I am writing about as clearly as anything he ever recorded.
To the OP, you are a shining example of the mindset that is prevalent in the world today. Not getting it is OK, I suppose. In the absence of any critique with any shred of reference to what came before and after Jaco in the world of bass, it points to a glaring lack of intellectual curiosity on your part. Nowhere does it say you have like the guy or his music, but it is your responsibility to educate yourself about how and who he influenced and changed music with his innovation. The answer to who he influenced is, every modern bass player. I find the fact that you are not aware of that to be a little sad for you. IMO - of course.
I think you had to be a bass player in 1976 to appreciate the impact he had on the bass community, he sort of came out of nowhere and rivaled Stanley Clarke who was already making waves with Chick Corea. I first heard him on the first Al DiMeola album, Land Of The Midnight Sun, and just loved his groove from the first listen. When I looked at the credits and saw his name I thought he was some French dude or something
I'll answer this for real now, knowing that this thread is most likely just a sarcastic reaction to the Lemmy thread (which seemed sincere).
Jaco was the greatest bass player on the planet. We know this because he said so when introducing himself, and nobody ever cut his head in a shred war. So whether you agree or not, nobody ever actually proved him wrong. (I'm still a Stanley Clarke guy, and it was Stanley that first showed the world that bass could be a solo instrument on live TV I believe.)
Threads like the Lemmy one remind me of somebody saying "Please sell me on drinking whiskey. I only drink juice and water and don't understand why people enjoy alcohol." The point of this analogy is that whiskey is not exactly healthy for you, but it can be if you are the type of person that feels awesome when imbibing whiskey/Motorhead.
In contrast, saying "Please sell me on Jaco/Mozart/Bach/Coltrane/Zappa" reminds me of someone saying "Please sell me on eating my vegetables. People keep telling me that this stuff is good for me, but I don't like the taste." I think it's a valid complaint. Great intellectual music (which defines maybe half of Jaco's) is worth appreciating, but that can never be proved to someone that thinks that listening to music is a waste of time if it does not provide a direct emotional connection. Still, there's a better argument to be made that it's good (healthy?) for a musician to be able to appreciate the compositional or improvisational ideas of a Miles Davis or a Stravinsky even if they're not one's favorite to listen to than the ideas of someone that is more subjectively great for reasons that go beyond pure music (Cobain/Biafra/Skrillex/RZA)
Jaco was the greatest bass player on the planet. We know this because he said so when introducing himself, and nobody ever cut his head in a shred war. So whether you agree or not, nobody ever actually proved him wrong. (I'm still a Stanley Clarke guy, and it was Stanley that first showed the world that bass could be a solo instrument on live TV I believe.)
Threads like the Lemmy one remind me of somebody saying "Please sell me on drinking whiskey. I only drink juice and water and don't understand why people enjoy alcohol." The point of this analogy is that whiskey is not exactly healthy for you, but it can be if you are the type of person that feels awesome when imbibing whiskey/Motorhead.
In contrast, saying "Please sell me on Jaco/Mozart/Bach/Coltrane/Zappa" reminds me of someone saying "Please sell me on eating my vegetables. People keep telling me that this stuff is good for me, but I don't like the taste." I think it's a valid complaint. Great intellectual music (which defines maybe half of Jaco's) is worth appreciating, but that can never be proved to someone that thinks that listening to music is a waste of time if it does not provide a direct emotional connection. Still, there's a better argument to be made that it's good (healthy?) for a musician to be able to appreciate the compositional or improvisational ideas of a Miles Davis or a Stravinsky even if they're not one's favorite to listen to than the ideas of someone that is more subjectively great for reasons that go beyond pure music (Cobain/Biafra/Skrillex/RZA)
Being the first (or among the first) to do something matters. Jaco is very enjoyable to listen to. It's really as simple as that.
Personally, I feel that all bassists (especially those that chose it as their first and only instrument) are lame. That's why I switched from playing keyboards to bass. Couldn't find a single one that was capable.
How on earth has this not been posted here yet. This song changed my life when I heard it....
No-one can sell anyone on whether or not to like a particular artist, but a lot can be taken from the people who list Jaco as an inspiration to their playing.
Watch this clip, and I would highly recommend the whole flick. Robert Trujillo did an amazing job with this documentary. Jonas Hellborg, Sting, Flea, Geddy... they are all in there.. and you can see for yourself what and how Jaco did what he did..
No-one can sell anyone on whether or not to like a particular artist, but a lot can be taken from the people who list Jaco as an inspiration to their playing.
Watch this clip, and I would highly recommend the whole flick. Robert Trujillo did an amazing job with this documentary. Jonas Hellborg, Sting, Flea, Geddy... they are all in there.. and you can see for yourself what and how Jaco did what he did..
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Lots of good thoughts here. For me, he epitomizes how hard you have to work to be really really good at something. He had genius and inspiration, but mostly his talent was fueled by perspiration coming from hard work. His impact on me as a then-young musician had the same impact that Hendrix did (and still does).
This coming from a guy who doesn't particularly care for the "Jaco" tone - in his hands it was brilliant, but it spawned so many bad-sounding bassists (in my opinion). Like others here, I think that his Weather Report work was his finest ensemble playing.
This coming from a guy who doesn't particularly care for the "Jaco" tone - in his hands it was brilliant, but it spawned so many bad-sounding bassists (in my opinion). Like others here, I think that his Weather Report work was his finest ensemble playing.
- Jan 26, 2014
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Beyond his genius level talent and musicality, before-unparallelled technical ability, and awe inspiring creativity, there wasn’t much there.
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- Jun 6, 2012
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So if a particular artist doesn't appeal to someone, they are saying they're better? That's like saying non-musicians aren't allowed to dislike anything.
