Hey, anyone from the "Does anyone not enjoy Jaco" thread

[HolmeBass]

Well Fugazi and Weather Report are a few worlds apart musically speaking.
If you like Fugazi I’m not surprised you don’t like Weather Report although, talking about bass playing, I didn’t hear any particularly noteworthy lines of phrases played by their bass-player.
In Weather Report Jaco’s years, you can basically listen to pieces of bass and music history in almost every tune, but your hears and your mind must be open to appreciate them.

I love Jaco and have extremely warm positive feelings for Fugazi. While the bass on Fugazi is a little buried in the mix, the lines are solid and creative. Like the beginning of Waiting Room, pretty cool stuff. I mean yeah, it’s no Havona or A Remark You Made, but I do dig the bass on it.

 

[Fender_Bender]

I only like his more straight forward RnB stuff like The Chicken, Come on Come over etc. So most of his catalog doesn’t do it for me, just not my style.

 

[HolmeBass]

OP you really don’t like Birdland? To me it’s so accessible, so killer. I remember being in high school and wondering who played the guitar part in unison w/ the sax at the beginning.

There is no guitar credited on the Heavy Weather album.

A buddy of mine at school said it was the bass! I didn’t have notes that high on my bass. Then my buddy’s teacher - my bud was and is a stellar saxophone player — said it was “artificial harmonics”. Without the internet it took a few years to finally unravel that mystery.

 

[Timmah]

You don't have to like Jaco! Nothing in the bass player handbook says "thou shalt adore Jaco Pastorius" or jazz or anything like that. For what it's worth, I spent a lot of years not understanding the appeal of that sort of thing, and have only recently come around to enjoying it. Still don't "get" it all but the effort is fun.

IMHO the best way to be with stuff like that is to approach it sort of clinically- ask yourself "a lot of people think this music is great, but I don't see it. What things do they like about it- why is it good?" and be genuinely curious about the answer. Sometimes after learning about something you'll start to develop an affinity for it. Sometimes you'll understand why it's so revered and still decide that it's not for you, and that's plenty fine too!

 

[Winslow]

On the advice of my attorney...

 

[ebo]

On the subject of being misunderstood, I think it’s harder to read a person online, and sarcasm, humor, irony can be interpreted as something completely different like arrogance. Stick around, keep posting, keep learning bass, keep your mind open about music. I’ve liked all kinds of music at different points in my life, you probably will too.

 

[john_g]

Im in my 50s and started playing in 1986. I heard of Jaco for years but never heard any of this music, or cared, until much later. I love his tone and his playing. I do know that when I was younger I wouldnt have appreciated it the way i do now. I would have just looked at everything that came after and thought...this player is better or hes not that special compared to this person 20-30-40 years later.

 

[sunnpeg]

Jaco has a niche, but so does John Paul Jones, Jonathon Maron, Ray Brown, and Flea. They all have something to say and I enjoy listening to all of them.

 

[MCS4]

I didn't read the other thread, but in my experience, it is rare for a public online discussion that starts from the perspective of "I don't really like/understand this thing that other people seem to like" to end up being very fruitful. That's not to say that there is anything wrong with having the underlying opinion, but I don't think it is well suited to producing civil online discourse in a public forum where people are mostly anonymous -- although it might lead to interesting discussions in a smaller group of people (whether in person or online) who ideally are familiar with one one another to at least enough a degree that it makes them more inclined to be thoughtful and civil in considering the issue.

 

[Altitude]

Jaco was revolutionary as a bass player but much of his music, especially the stuff he wrote, isn’t super accessible. You sort of have to have a certain level of understanding to realize what he was doing - which I realize sounds elitist and not what I intend. It’s just double black diamond music and maybe not enjoyable for a person who has only skied blue cruisers up to the point they hear it.

Thundercat is great, but he is (like almost all players) a derivation of a lot of guys you can hear he listens to. Not in the same universe as Jaco with respect to moving the needle in his craft. Super cool player though for sure.

 

[Pyrrho Epoche]

I feel ya. I dislike alot of stuff. Probably, because I like playing aggressive swing and hardcore styles. Not into math rock or fusion...not because, I suck....I just don't strive to play those styles. I like it fast and blunt and to the point. That being said, I get bored really quickly with people that over play and play 30+ second solos. I don't even like slower tempo songs....I have an attention disorder and....oh look a squirrel!! . What was I saying??

I remember an interview with Danzig years ago. I think it was around the Circle Of Snakes release---He said something to the phrasing of; he is NOT heavy metal and he hates those guitar solos that last too long and go up and down the scales.

I can appreciate and listen to a few songs of fusion or bop, or metal, but it's just not what I wanna play or who I want to be.

We were talking about Nickelback at work yesterday and somebody said; "but they have like millions of hits on spotify!" My reply was; "the masses are asses". Everybody laughed and we all just kept smoking cigars.

Here's another joke:
How many tour busses did the Eagles have? Five!
One for Don Henley and one for his ego. One for Glen Frey and one for his ego and one for all the other guys.

 

[bassbrad]

I feel like I worded it wrong and probably should of said it differently. I have gotten a bit of feedback. I am not trying to start any crap. I really just want to know what people think. I haven't really had much discussion with people able bass since I live in a small town where (most) people don't really enjoy the music I listen to, or if they do they don't play bass. I have had thoughts and ideas and questions that's I've been eager to get out and I apologize if I worded them wrong. I honestly really just want people to talk to about the thing I'm passionate about and I understand how people could be upset. If anyone has read any of my threads

I like Jacos playing (sometimes) not the tone or him really as a person.

I think aggressive playing is good for the music it's good for. I used to be a big fan or Fugazi.

I think Thundercat is the Jimmy Hendrix of bass, although, I really don't care for his music a ton. And no, I'm not just saying that because I'm young and am picking a modern musician.

And no, I'm not trying to make anyone upset by my thoughts or opinions. I actually want the opposite. I try to be positive on things, the threads I've started haven't really showed that. For that Im sorry. I'll post different things and word then differently. Thanks!

We all have players that we like, others we don't favor as well and will likely go through periods of changing tastes. For myself I have a huge admiration for Jaco while also appreciation for as many others as my head can cast an ear upon. I feel that I can learn from every player even if I don't necessarily enjoy or regularly listen to them or their band. By learn I mean good and bad, as learning from their mistakes can be just as important as their strengths and successes.

As for Jaco I was a fiend on his playing in Weather Report, solo albums and his other collaborations seeking out as many recordings, books & articles as possible. Now I revisit those recordings and videos occasionally and am still moved by his powerful presence and influence on my own playing as well as others.

 

[Dr. Keebs]

I like some Jaco, especially his ballad work and more melodic compositions. I’m not a 16th note player, so I listen to those tunes sparingly.

 

[Harper]

Nothing to apologize for, everyone has different tastes and opinions. Sacred cows make the best steaks.

 

[Dust2Dust]

[Deleted]

 

[TristanFunky]

Well Fugazi and Weather Report are a few worlds apart musically speaking.
If you like Fugazi I’m not surprised you don’t like Weather Report although, talking about bass playing, I didn’t hear any particularly noteworthy lines of phrases played by their bass-player.
In Weather Report Jaco’s years, you can basically listen to pieces of bass and music history in almost every tune, but your hears and your mind must be open to appreciate them.

I don't listen to much punk anymore but I gave them as an example. I was talking about previous threads.

 

[azureblue]

Mostly what you got pushback from is the non jazz guys. They don't like or understand jazz in the first place.. Or have chops enough to play jazz.

 

[jthisdell]

Sad state of affairs when people get so upset over a player who has been gone for decades. I guess we've moved on past arguing over mixing different cabs or the need for a compressor or replacing speakers in a cab! or whatever other stupid topic that people will get so bent out of shape about.

 

[seescottrock]

While I greatly appreciate your vulnerability and candor, I would advise you that life is not that serious, this is a forum where discussion takes place and not everyone will agree on all matters. Welcome to TB, hope you'll stick around.

 

[salmon256]

OP you are fine.

TB has always had sour plums who come out of the woodworks to be angry, and some users on here are just passive aggressive and toxic, and when challenge they do not reply back.

I literally had a debate on here about tattoos, many users agree with me many just do not want to fight back, simply sometimes the ignore button is best.

I am also a big fan of Thundercat, you have the right to like who you want. I have my thoughts on Jaco on that thread and like one user nicely said, it should be simple as "I like him or don't like him for these reasons musically." The end