Jaco was a beast

[DAcat]

I wouldn't go that far. He "played" a concert at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, RI. He had to borrow a bass from the opening act. The show started with Jaco playing the "Star Spangled Banner" like Hendrix. Towards the end, he laid the bass out on the floor and kneeled before it. He then started sing happy birthday to his kids while sobbing uncontrollably. Then he walked off stage. My brother, Joe, was at the show. (I missed it unfortunately.) He followed Jaco into the green room to get an autograph. He said Jaco circled the room by jumping from couch to couch while blurting paranoid rants. He wasn't even aware Joe was in the room for several minutes. Mental illness is a B*TCH!

As a Psychiatrist and Bassist....I have such profound respect and empathy for what he went through. IMO, he was truely the Jimi Hendrix or Jeff Beck of bass players who blew the minds, inspired, and caused "Permanent Jaw-drop Syndrome" for most of us bassists who were lucky enough to see or hear him back in the 70's ...because we had never seen or heard anyone play with such Funk, Groove, Slides, Swoons, Creativity, Passion, Aggression, Confidence and Dexterity prior to him...And he did it while suffering through fairly severe Bipolar diorder which was not being treated ...in his early years his episodes were milder and shorter, but later on, the episodic mood swings became severe enouugh that he would lose touch with reality and become very psychotic without much of a break. Bipolar can have remissions on its own even without treatment, and during these periods he would flourish again, but as usual, the episodes became worse as he progressed through his 20s. As many say about Hendrix, just imagine the music he would be doing now if he had survived his inner demons and drug use, the same is often said about Jaco...although many do not know his struggles with mental illness...from the time he started recording, its hard to say how many truly stable years that he had if you add up the months that his bipolar was not affecting him...likely less than a handful of fairly solid years...but his out put and playing during that time still give me goose bumps like no one else. And some of his stuff is hard to get into and I thnk part of that is is because it was colored by his mood swings ...But also by his genius. Sometimes the genius leads by such a great distance that it takes us a long period of listening to realize just how amazing a trip he has taken us on. A Genius Beast of a Player who also Practiced like crazy. RIP Jaco.

 

[Shelflife112]

After trying to play the first 10 notes of portrait of Tracy, I gave up and listened to a live version of Jaco playing it himself. Mind blown.

 

[Roxbororob]

As a Psychiatrist and Bassist....I have such profound respect and empathy for what he went through. IMO, he was truely the Jimi Hendrix or Jeff Beck of bass players who blew the minds, inspired, and caused "Permanent Jaw-drop Syndrome" for most of us bassists who were lucky enough to see or hear him back in the 70's ...because we had never seen or heard anyone play with such Funk, Groove, Slides, Swoons, Creativity, Passion, Aggression, Confidence and Dexterity prior to him...And he did it while suffering through fairly severe Bipolar diorder which was not being treated ...in his early years his episodes were milder and shorter, but later on, the episodic mood swings became severe enouugh that he would lose touch with reality and become very psychotic without much of a break. Bipolar can have remissions on its own even without treatment, and during these periods he would flourish again, but as usual, the episodes became worse as he progressed through his 20s. As many say about Hendrix, just imagine the music he would be doing now if he had survived his inner demons and drug use, the same is often said about Jaco...although many do not know his struggles with mental illness...from the time he started recording, its hard to say how many truly stable years that he had if you add up the months that his bipolar was not affecting him...likely less than a handful of fairly solid years...but his out put and playing during that time still give me goose bumps like no one else. And some of his stuff is hard to get into and I thnk part of that is is because it was colored by his mood swings ...But also by his genius. Sometimes the genius leads by such a great distance that it takes us a long period of listening to realize just how amazing a trip he has taken us on. A Genius Beast of a Player who also Practiced like crazy. RIP Jaco.

A well written commentary on top of a host of refreshingly positive posts. Best thread in a long time. Double likes to all.

 

[Acoop]

The Word of Mouth recordings are brilliant. ... But any of his recording, which there are quite a few for his only 10-years on top, are worth getting.

 

[slagheap]

This is my favorite version of Teen Town, taken from a Midnight Special show in 1977.

What blew my mind, beside the fact it was blazingly fast, was the fact the keys doubled Jacos' fretless bass lines, so his intonation had to be dead on or it would have sounded off.

And of course he nails it, with a big smile on his face.

manolo & a.a. how'd you like to play with that rhythm section every night?

 

[thewildest]

There is little I can add to this thread praising Jaco's indeleble and overwhelming legacy. All I can add is that I am not the emotional type, quite reseved about my feelings.... yet, once a while I listen to "Portrait of Tracy" or "Okonkole y Trompa" and I can't avoid shading a tear of joy.

 

[JGbassman]

A well written commentary on top of a host of refreshingly positive posts. Best thread in a long time. Double likes to all.

Agreed. It's nice to see that he is respected for the body of work he accomplished, and not torn to shreds because of his dark times due to his illness. Maybe as time has passed, there has been more general knowledge of the brilliance he had, despite the barriers he had to work around regarding his illness.

As a man that was married to a woman once that suffered from depression and bi polar disorder, it is truly heartbreaking for all of those close to the person and that care for them.

May his soul finally be at peace.

 

[JimK]

After trying to play the first 10 notes of portrait of Tracy, I gave up...

Truthfully...that's the easy part
(pretty much played in 1 position).

 

[JimK]

The Word of Mouth recordings are brilliant. ... But any of his recording, which there are quite a few for his only 10-years on top, are worth getting.

"Crisis"...Warner Bros. brass hated it, did not even want it on the album.
Knowing what we know now...wow, what a disturbing piece.

 

[JimK]

Hearing the Fusion stuff back when it was first released...yes, ***.

The song, though, that really blew me away?

" In France They Kiss On Main Street"...the 1st tune from Shadows & Light.
Still makes me laugh & shake my head every time.

 

[JimK]

Don't forget the early, early Jaco album with Metheny, Paul Bley, & Bruce Ditmas.
They get a bit "out" but not so crazy that it'll hurt you.

 

[Wiremessiah]

"Crisis"...Warner Bros. brass hated it, did not even want it on the album.
Knowing what we know now...wow, what a disturbing piece.

Thats the one i was talking about. Only time he ever used sequenced synth bass. Sounds not only like a real bass, but like jaco playing it.

 

[Fender_Bender]

I have the book on him and have read it a couple of times. The idea that there's a fine line between genius and madness may have been tailor made for him. He was hospitalized a couple of times and would improve as long as he had nothing to do with music. Once in a while I experience the same sort of thing on a much smaller scale when I'm really flowing and the music is just pouring out of me, that I have to put the brakes on in order not to get a little manic.

 

[Wiremessiah]

I have the book on him and have read it a couple of times. The idea that there's a fine line between genius and madness may have been tailor made for him. He was hospitalized a couple of times and would improve as long as he had nothing to do with music. Once in a while I experience the same sort of thing on a much smaller scale when I'm really flowing and the music is just pouring out of me, that I have to put the brakes on in order not to get a little manic.

The manic part is what made him what he is. I have read quotes from a bunch of musicians who knew him, and said he would go on intense creative sprees usually on coke while manic, then crash like crazy. I get like that sometimes on edibles. That stuff is so strong, that you get in this intensely antsy state, when you have to keep moving or it will make you go crazy. I usually play the drums and the rhythm and creativity just flow like crazy. Eating cannabis is a totally different beast (sorry scottish friends) than smoking. If you can handle temporary madness, it's an incredible catalyst for creativity. And there is no crash, in fact it's a relief to get back to normal.

 

[Joshua]

It's always cool when someone gets inspired by an unfamiliar musician, and for sure Jaco is an inspiring musician!

For someone looking to delve deeper into his music, as most have said you can't really go wrong. His self titled debut is probably the best place to start, if only because it's such a great snapshot of a young musician's vision with a who's who of great musicians backing him up. For someone just wading in, I'd also recommend Bright Size Life and Shadows & Light. BSL is Pat Metheny's debut album, and Jaco is front and center (along with Bob Moses) on a great set of tunes. S&L is a Joni Mitchell live release, and while her studio stuff is awesome, there's just something about the energy of the live performance.

One of my personal Jaco faves is the Trilogue concert, just before he broke big with Weathe Report, which had practically no rehearsal and very minimal material. All we hear here is made up on the spot and grows out of listening to each other in the moment. I love it.

And many thanks to you! I have never heard anything of Trilogue before and really liked that!

 

[alaskaleftybass]

I just watched Jaco on Netflix, the gritty documentary. It showed a brilliant, gifted musician that like all stars burned out quickly.

Although he was a beast on bass, as the documentary points out, and something I felt already, he was MUSIC in the pure foam. Almost every picture of him at home he has his bass nearby. In many touring pictures he was in his hotel bed with his bass. But as he progressed in hi sdevelopment he became so multi-dimensional. He had the mastery of many instruments, including keyboards, and percussive instruments. At one point, he wrote a composition for a song where all the artists could only hear one other track and themselves, and he "mixed" the various parts together to create an advanced jazz composition. It was sheer genius. He taught his daughter to listen to the world-- everything makes music, chimes, the wind, everything.

He was a young man possessed by what seemed to me a great talent that was a huge huge monkey on his back. His savant genius didn't allow him to lead a normal life -- he was always consumed by music whatever he was doing. And towards the end I believe this energy had literally worn him out from the inside out. It destroyed him and left him a shell of the man he was. But this bright white light had to burn so he could contribute to the world and lead in new frontier-- part of the group of musicians that were pushing the boundaries of the definition of music genre.

It was discovered that he was suffering from mental illness. Could that have been a treatable illness today? Possibly? But I don't think Jaco would have traded a minute of it for the beautiful experiences he had in his short life. It was known among his friends that he was being very self destructive. At a point, I kind of resent the so-called friends especially the ones he pulled into stardom from Florida. When one guy was taking him home right before he died, and found out he was sleeping in the park, why didn't he offer up his house? I know I would offer up my small place if someone that important in my life was on the brink.

One more point I need to make is I also hold large blame for the music business itself-- almost never run by musicians themselves but businesspeople with ice in their veins. The way they treat people I don't understand how they can look at themselves in the mirror. When Jaco didn't make a Chuck Mangione style Top 40 hit CBS got mad and tore up his contract. They didn't give a trappers dam about his life or well-being.

He was a beast, a beacon, and example of the best and worst of humans all in one form. While he achieved the heights of international stardom he ended up being beaten to death in Miami, previously bloodied and unrecognizable from yet another recent fight he'd been in. God rest you Jaco, you now are part of the music of the Heavens. And we still hear you.

 

[Fender_Bender]

The manic part is what made him what he is. I have read quotes from a bunch of musicians who knew him, and said he would go on intense creative sprees usually on coke while manic, then crash like crazy. I get like that sometimes on edibles. That stuff is so strong, that you get in this intensely antsy state, when you have to keep moving or it will make you go crazy. I usually play the drums and the rhythm and creativity just flow like crazy. Eating cannabis is a totally different beast (sorry scottish friends) than smoking. If you can handle temporary madness, it's an incredible catalyst for creativity. And there is no crash, in fact it's a relief to get back to normal.

It usually only happens to me when I'm on the lettuce. I will force myself to stop for fear of getting a repetitive stress injury. Edibles are a bit of a mixed bag I find because of the big lag between consumption and when it really hits you. It reminds me of the newspaper reporter who had too much because she wasn't patient enough for it to kick in. She had more and more and then was glued to her bed for 6 hours.

 

[Fender_Bender]

I just watched Jaco on Netflix, the gritty documentary. It showed a brilliant, gifted musician that like all stars burned out quickly.

Although he was a beast on bass, as the documentary points out, and something I felt already, he was MUSIC in the pure foam. Almost every picture of him at home he has his bass nearby. In many touring pictures he was in his hotel bed with his bass. But as he progressed in hi sdevelopment he became so multi-dimensional. He had the mastery of many instruments, including keyboards, and percussive instruments. At one point, he wrote a composition for a song where all the artists could only hear one other track and themselves, and he "mixed" the various parts together to create an advanced jazz composition. It was sheer genius. He taught his daughter to listen to the world-- everything makes music, chimes, the wind, everything.

He was a young man possessed by what seemed to me a great talent that was a huge huge monkey on his back. His savant genius didn't allow him to lead a normal life -- he was always consumed by music whatever he was doing. And towards the end I believe this energy had literally worn him out from the inside out. It destroyed him and left him a shell of the man he was. But this bright white light had to burn so he could contribute to the world and lead in new frontier-- part of the group of musicians that were pushing the boundaries of the definition of music genre.

It was discovered that he was suffering from mental illness. Could that have been a treatable illness today? Possibly? But I don't think Jaco would have traded a minute of it for the beautiful experiences he had in his short life. It was known among his friends that he was being very self destructive. At a point, I kind of resent the so-called friends especially the ones he pulled into stardom from Florida. When one guy was taking him home right before he died, and found out he was sleeping in the park, why didn't he offer up his house? I know I would offer up my small place if someone that important in my life was on the brink.

One more point I need to make is I also hold large blame for the music business itself-- almost never run by musicians themselves but businesspeople with ice in their veins. The way they treat people I don't understand how they can look at themselves in the mirror. When Jaco didn't make a Chuck Mangione style Top 40 hit CBS got mad and tore up his contract. They didn't give a trappers dam about his life or well-being.

He was a beast, a beacon, and example of the best and worst of humans all in one form. While he achieved the heights of international stardom he ended up being beaten to death in Miami, previously bloodied and unrecognizable from yet another recent fight he'd been in. God rest you Jaco, you now are part of the music of the Heavens. And we still hear you.

From what I gather from the times he was hospitalized, I don't think he would have been the same guy when on the straight and narrow and on psychiatric meds. Sorta like Nicholson after the shock treatment in cuckoos nest.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

From what I gather from the times he was hospitalized, I don't think he would have been the same guy when on the straight and narrow and on psychiatric meds. Sorta like Nicholson after the shock treatment in cuckoos nest.

Agreed! And in the documentary there was a hint that he realized that medicating himself to stabilize his peaks and valleys would dull his senses, thus his abilities, and just a guess but Jaco wouldn't have wanted that. I think he knew he had to withstand the burn and burnout to deliver the message. This may sound corny but maybe in a small way he kind of sacrificed himself.

 

[Wiremessiah]

It usually only happens to me when I'm on the lettuce. I will force myself to stop for fear of getting a repetitive stress injury. Edibles are a bit of a mixed bag I find because of the big lag between consumption and when it really hits you. It reminds me of the newspaper reporter who had too much because she wasn't patient enough for it to kick in. She had more and more and then was glued to her bed for 6 hours.

Then she wrote a piece in the nyt about how dangerous weed is, haha. I think if medical marijuana were legal back then, and not treated just like cocaine or heroin, perhaps jaco could have controlled his habit and condition and maybe still be alive. I know it has helped me so much to control addiction. I dont even drink anymore.