Submission Opus Pocus

[LeeNunn]

I searched for a transcription of this but couldn't find one. I think Lucas Pickford did one, but I can't find it. Anyway, here's my take. Four basic themes. The first is a two measure 16th note riff. The second is a groove on a Db7(#9) chord. Lots double stops using the #9 and 3, so an interval of a minor 2nd and surprisingly not as dissonant as you would think. Jaco uses that double stop in a live version of Portrait of Tracy. I tried to label the notes according to their function so those D notes are labeled Ebb. Modulation to E7#9 in measure 35. Then back to Db. Measure 48 starts a long outro in Bb with some classic Jaco ideas. Are those low open E's really Fb?

 

[ChrisDev]

I haven't had time to look at it properly, but wouldn't Db be a better key choice? 5 flats vs 7 sharps

Edit: There's a transcription in "The essential Jaco Pastorius" book. I think I have it somewhere....

 

[LeeNunn]

That makes sense. I'll fix it.

 

[JimK]

I haven't had time to look at it properly, but wouldn't Db be a better key choice? 5 flats vs 7 sharps

Edit: There's a transcription in "The essential Jaco Pastorius" book. I think I have it somewhere....

I pulled the book out...5 Flats.

 

[LeeNunn]

Fixed. I just ordered "The essential Jaco Pastorius" book. We'll see how close I got.

 

[LeeNunn]

The book arrived. My most obvious mistake was not recognizing the back beat. Those drum beats are on beats 2 and 4. It seems obvious now. What I was hearing as beat 4 is really beat one. On one hand, I should have ordered this book a long time ago. These appear to be high-quality transcriptions. On the other hand, I would have never tried to transcribe this myself.

 

[LeeNunn]

With the benefit of the right key signature and now knowing where the one is, here's my take. The attachment above is a new file. I heard a few things a little differently than Matt Scharfglass did, but Matt's transcription was a big help, even when just confirming what I was hearing.

 

[LeeNunn]

I redid this with the benefit of Moises. This time I used the key of E for the main parts and Bb at the end. The repeating two bar phrase at measure 41 is E anyway. The double stops in the C# section are minor 2nds and major 6ths, a nice change from the usual tritones and 10ths. The minor seconds are easier to play way up the neck.

 

[Bob_Ross]

fwiw "Opus Pocus" was the very first tune I ever heard featuring Jaco's bass playing. Must've been right after his 1976 solo album came out, the local jazz FM station in the Greater New York area played this cut late at night and 15- or 16-year-old me was gobsmacked.

 

[LeeNunn]

I fixed some accidentals and added a beat to measure 44 so that the 16th note run that follows lines up with the others.