Not sure if this is thread worthy...

[Bassfacist]

Again, not sure if thread worthy or even if it is in the right forums but just something I found funny/interesting at work today.

Some back story.
I work in a call center doing tech support for Verizon wireless and I get a call from a woman named Cassie Pastorius. I am filing a network ticket because she has no coverage in her area since about 2 months ago and before that she had great coverage.

I finish the ticket and am closing the call when I say "So, this is an off topic question but as an active member of talkbass I feel obligated to ask. Any relation to Jaco Pastorius?"
She laughs and says "You are the third person to ever ask me that but yes I am. I have never met the man and I have no musical talent but I recall my grandmother telling me he is a member of our family."

So in short I am the third bass player she has ever met.

 

[hdracer]

I wouldn't say the third bass player, may be the third TB'er.

Outside of this board he isn't really well known.

 

[klaus486]

Ha! I'd have asked too! What's the worst thing she could
say? No.

 

[edpal]

I wouldn't say the third bass player, may be the third TB'er.

Outside of this board he isn't really well known.

Which is kind of sad. Then again, nobody outside of TB knows who James Jamerson is either. Someone should start a thread - bass players famous to bass players the public seems unaware of. I'll do it now!

 

[Jazzdogg]

I wouldn't say the third bass player, may be the third TB'er.

Outside of this board he isn't really well known.

I know boatloads of pro- and semi-pro musicians, playing all kinds of different instruments, in all kinds of genres, and most of them have at least heard of Jaco, regardless of the instrument they play.

Not claiming your experience should match mine to be valid, just expressing a point of view.

 

[leegreenman]

I wouldn't say the third bass player, may be the third TB'er.

Outside of this board he isn't really well known.

It depends what you mean by well known. He's not Kanye West, but I'd say he's fairly well known in musician circles.

 

[pacojas]

lol,... i saw Jaco play in a trio in the early '80's. the (smallish) crowd consisted mainly of bass players and their reluctant gf's.

 

[hrodbert696]

I believe the phrase is "jazz famous." The jazz world - or perhaps slightly more broadly, music world - may know who someone is and kiss the ground they walk on. The world at large has never heard of them.

 

[mcarp555]

Many years ago in Melbourne, Florida, I met Jaco's brother, Rory. He had a band, but it's wasn't very good. Rory was dressed like a monk singing some awful song he wrote about a church that had no walls. It was supposed to be some sort of cool Goth thing, but it just reminded me of "Stonehenge" from "This is Spinal Tap". It was clear that he was desperately trying to carve out an identity for himself as something other than "Jaco's brother", but that was really the only way he could draw anything other than flies.

 

[Pilgrim]

It depends what you mean by well known. He's not Kanye West.....

I'd call that a feature, not a bug.

 

[P Town]

Speaking of musicians who are ignorant of someone you would think they should be aware of. One time I was doing some work in New York, and there was a coworker with me who had told me he played guitar in a band. Since we were close to NY City, I suggested we go to see Les Paul at the Iridium.

This poor sap said: "Les Paul? Who's that?"

I said you play guitar in a band, right? "Yes." What kind of guitar do you play? "A Les Paul." Ok, where do you think that name came from? "Oh, I didn't know it was named after a person."

And, we both live about three miles from Mr. Ps birthplace.

 

[ArvindJayaram]

I'd say Jaco is fairly well known. But expecting someone with the same surname to be related is a longshot.

I mean think about the Blade Runner, Oscar Pistorius. What are the odds he's related? Lol

 

[nashvillebill]

Speaking of musicians who are ignorant of someone you would think they should be aware of. One time I was doing some work in New York, and there was a coworker with me who had told me he played guitar in a band. Since we were close to NY City, I suggested we go to see Les Paul at the Iridium.

This poor sap said: "Les Paul? Who's that?"

I said you play guitar in a band, right? "Yes." What kind of guitar do you play? "A Les Paul." Ok, where do you think that name came from? "Oh, I didn't know it was named after a person."

And, we both live about three miles from Mr. Ps birthplace.

Les Paul was actually pretty well-known back in the 50's, he had several popular songs. "How High the Moon" with Mary Ford was a #1 hit, so was Vaya Con Dios.

 

[Johnny DeVille]

Who is Kayne West ? I know Jaco and Leslie West and the Lyle Kayne Band.

Of course I am originally a guitar player.

I know Gary THain and my Bass Brother told me about Jaco 30 years ago.

Can you tell I am getting old ?

 

[edpal]

Guys, I had hijacked this thread yesterday...http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f32/bass-players-known-only-other-bass-players-1006282/ It's not to late to get in your votes.

I'd say Jaco is fairly well known. But expecting someone with the same surname to be related is a longshot.

I mean think about the Blade Runner, Oscar Pistorius. What are the odds he's related? Lol

Now that was funny! Apparently they both were "killer" in their day.

Shame about Bladerunner's girl - no disrespect was intended, just my sad, sick sense of humor. Don't beat me.

 

[tomnomnom91]

I wouldn't say the third bass player, may be the third TB'er.

Outside of this board he isn't really well known.

I know quite a few people who know who he is and have never heard of Talkbass, many of whom aren't musicians.

Speaking of musicians who are ignorant of someone you would think they should be aware of. One time I was doing some work in New York, and there was a coworker with me who had told me he played guitar in a band. Since we were close to NY City, I suggested we go to see Les Paul at the Iridium.

This poor sap said: "Les Paul? Who's that?"

I said you play guitar in a band, right? "Yes." What kind of guitar do you play? "A Les Paul." Ok, where do you think that name came from? "Oh, I didn't know it was named after a person."

And, we both live about three miles from Mr. Ps birthplace.

Ha, brilliant. Someone I know thought Les Paul was pronounced 'Le Paul' and that it was a French guitar, and was actually 'The Paul' in English...

 

[Gopherbassist]

Did you just share a customer's name? Major violation of that woman's privacy. As a Verizon customer I have a very strong urge to show them this thread. Please be considerate and edit your post.