• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

For Jaco Pastorius Fans

I just found an old photo of the great late Jaco Pastorius and me (Jaco, center with juggling balls in hand, myself on the right and an older gentleman just passing by), chatting by the sidewalk of the Hotel Bauen, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Weather Report, The Stanley Clarke Band, John McLaughlin, George Duke and others were staying there for a few days after their concerts in Rio.

I had the privilege of acting as an English interpreter for those musicians and was granted the opportunity to hang with them during their visit to Argentina, playing some music in their rooms, taking them to Chinese restaurants and to specialty leather shops (Wayne Shorter was very interested in leather goods).

Stanley and George (Duke) were adamant about trying Argentine beef so I treated them to lomito (tri-tip kind of sandwich) at a nearby joint well known for that specialty. Stanley was great, so open and genuine. Great man, awesome player.


It was a magical time that I will never forget as I had a chance to interact with maestro Pastorius on a one on one basis, from bass player to bass player.

This took place in August, 1980 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

I hope you enjoy this emblematic and extremely rare photo.
 

Attachments

  • Jaco and John Buenos Aires 1980.jpg
    Jaco and John Buenos Aires 1980.jpg
    28.4 KB · Views: 398
Last edited:
Wonderful -- thank you for sharing the photo (more rare, when not everyone had a cell phone/portable camera/social dissemination device in-hand) and the background.

So true. What I would've paid to have Jaco carve his signature on my Fender bass with an accompanying photo and video ;). It's really a miracle that this photo is still around. In those years carrying photo equipment was only reserved to the pros.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MarkA
I will try to explain why I think it's an emblematic photograph. It contains several icons that define what Buenos Aires was and still is: "El Sesenta" which is the bus in the background is there. That 60 line of buses is part of the Argentinian heritage. It's been running since the early years of the 1900s. There's also a Ford Falcon, the quintessential Argentinian car, cherished by all local motorists and lastly, the black and yellow taxis whose livery has been unchanged for almost a century. The fact that Jaco is adorning the composition just gives the photograph a whole new dimension. Whoever took this picture knew how to capture his candid, playful and cordial ways while at the same time giving an unquestionable geographic context to it. A real gift!

Later on, I will try to describe what I remember of that unforgettable performance of Weather Report playing the "Luna Park". I was very lucky that Jaco and his crew gave me a backstage pass so I could watch and enjoy the show very close to where the action was. More coming up.
 
Yeah man. The late Jeff Andrews gave me a bunch of cassettes too transfer to digital, when we were working together. I lost the flash drive & have too redo it but I found a few files, this being one of them.

That recording is yours? Uau.

Do you have more? Is there a way you could share those Jaco recordings to download?
 
Send me your email & I can share the file.
This recording is pretty amazing. I've heard tons of these club recordings and this is one that easily tops most in terms of Jaco's playing. I hope you share more if you have more, especially considering these were probably part of Jeff's private collection and are not widely available.