For me many of the opinions expressed here are simply laughable. His music is just simply beautiful and I seam to always come back for listen. Of course this is only my opinion. Thank you Jaco.
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What do you like about Jaco Pastorius' playing?
- Thread starter bassinplace
- Start date
For all the fact that I play in a more...what shall I call it? more advanced? more noodley? more complicated?...style, I've never really gone totally apepoopie for Jaco's stuff. It's weird, because, on paper, it's all there. The tone. The melodic playing. The out-of-the-box style. Everything that should make him one of my personal heros, yet it never really jelled for me in the sense that I developed a burning desire to sit down and learn every note of everything he ever did, the way I did with some other bassists.
At first, back in the '70s, it was because he played fretless. It took years before I developed any interest in playing fretless, and Jaco is nothing, if not the quintessential electric fretless player.
Now, let me turn around and say that, although I'm not all that taken with wanting to play like him, I absolutely love to listen to him play. To me, Joni Mitchell's Hejira is a frickin' desert island album, in large part because of him. I like to listen to his solo album once in a while. Heavy Weather? Another desert island album, again, largely because of his playing.
And yet, I'm just not drawn to play like him...
Curious.
That said, I worked up Portrait of Tracy back fifteen or twenty years ago because I wanted to learn that trick he had of playing fretted notes and harmonics simultaneously. Such a nifty thing to have in your bag of tricks! I use that technique often.
Yet, I still would rather just listen to him rather than play like him.
And yet, if someone were to list his attributes, I'd nod and say yeah, that's all important to the way I play, but it's as though there's some sort of wall there. It's a transparent wall, but there, nonetheless.
Grey
At first, back in the '70s, it was because he played fretless. It took years before I developed any interest in playing fretless, and Jaco is nothing, if not the quintessential electric fretless player.
Now, let me turn around and say that, although I'm not all that taken with wanting to play like him, I absolutely love to listen to him play. To me, Joni Mitchell's Hejira is a frickin' desert island album, in large part because of him. I like to listen to his solo album once in a while. Heavy Weather? Another desert island album, again, largely because of his playing.
And yet, I'm just not drawn to play like him...
Curious.
That said, I worked up Portrait of Tracy back fifteen or twenty years ago because I wanted to learn that trick he had of playing fretted notes and harmonics simultaneously. Such a nifty thing to have in your bag of tricks! I use that technique often.
Yet, I still would rather just listen to him rather than play like him.
And yet, if someone were to list his attributes, I'd nod and say yeah, that's all important to the way I play, but it's as though there's some sort of wall there. It's a transparent wall, but there, nonetheless.
Grey
It was more than just his chops...lotsa people got chops. What Jaco really had that set him apart is that HE believed so deeply he was truly great it was hard to hear him and not believe it yourself.
To it's not only about his playi,g it's the character, he's music (as was Hendrix Trane...) his playing was great, his groove was solid, and the way he could arrange and compose.
In the end, all I can say/see, is that almost 30 years after is death, we still talk about him and have so many opinions, only greats generate this!
In the end, all I can say/see, is that almost 30 years after is death, we still talk about him and have so many opinions, only greats generate this!
No offense intended, but what one thinks of Jaco often says far more about the person with that opinion, than it does about Jaco himself...
Jaco was probably the very first electric bassist (arguably including Stanley Clarke) to transcend the traditional limits and confines of the instrument (i.e. playing mostly roots & fifths, strictly in the pocket, etc.), with a highly creative melodic & harmonic approach that could rival that of any other instrumentalist, i.e. horn player, violinist, etc. etc. He broke the mold wide open for all to see. And things have never been the same since then.
As usual, it makes no sense whatsoever to compare Jaco in his prime (1975- 1982) to the hot shot players of 2013 (i.e. Matt Garrison, Janek Gwizdala, etc.), anymore than it makes sense to compare The Beatles of 1964-1969 to The Foo Fighters of 2013 - because to a large extent, these contemporary artists were heavily influenced by their musical forbears, and have at least subconsciously incorporated much of that influence into their own music.
MM
I love heavy weather- tone, feel everything.. Not to mention the whole band. "A remark you made" still after all these years has an emotional impact on me when I listen to it.
What's so amazing about Jaco is the time frame he was doing all those things on bass guitar. The 70's! ( his 80's stuff really wasn't on the same level IMO due to his health problems and decline unfortunately)...
What's so amazing about Jaco is the time frame he was doing all those things on bass guitar. The 70's! ( his 80's stuff really wasn't on the same level IMO due to his health problems and decline unfortunately)...
No offense intended, but what one thinks of Jaco often says far more about the person with that opinion, than it does about Jaco himself...
Whatever that means.
Jaco was probably the very first electric bassist (arguably including Stanley Clarke) to transcend the traditional limits and confines of the instrument (i.e. playing mostly roots & fifths, strictly in the pocket, etc.), with a highly creative melodic & harmonic approach that could rival that of any other instrumentalist, i.e. horn player, violinist, etc. etc. He broke the mold wide open for all to see. And things have never been the same since then.
As usual, it makes no sense whatsoever to compare Jaco in his prime (1975- 1982) to the hot shot players of 2013 (i.e. Matt Garrison, Janek Gwizdala, etc.), anymore than it makes sense to compare The Beatles of 1964-1969 to The Foo Fighters of 2013 - because to a large extent, these contemporary artists were heavily influenced by their musical forbears, and have at least subconsciously incorporated much of that influence into their own music.
MM
I get that, my tastes vary greatly and I can appreciate the difference between music made now and music made 30 or 40 years ago. I think the thing that makes it hard for me to really get into his playing is his tone and what sounds to me like overplaying on a lot of the live videos I've come across. Just not my thing. His playing on Hejira, Heavy Weather and Don Juan's Reckless Daughter is think is great and enjoy quite a bit. As a songwriter though, I think Jaco is just brilliant and definitely worthy of the status he has attained over the years.
His fluidity through time signature changes was effortless. Not angular, like Percy Jones, who I also like, not running him down at all. Jaco made it go by so easy, that often I would have to go back over, and listen again, and really count it out, to make sure that's what I really heard. Having been a drummer himself, he really, in his prime, listened to the drummer so very well.
As usual, it makes no sense whatsoever to compare Jaco in his prime (1975- 1982) to the hot shot players of 2013 (i.e. Matt Garrison, Janek Gwizdala, etc.), anymore than it makes sense to compare The Beatles of 1964-1969 to The Foo Fighters of 2013 - because to a large extent, these contemporary artists were heavily influenced by their musical forbears, and have at least subconsciously incorporated much of that influence into their own music.
MM
This is one hundred percent true to the extent that if it were not for Jaco many of these players would not exist, nor have the style and techniques that made them famous.
Michael Manring would not be who he is were it not for being Jaco's student and failure trying to imitate everything Jaco did. This led him to discover his own style.
Mathew Garrison would not have his 4 finger technique if it weren't for the technical style of playing associated with Joe Zawinul, proliferated by Jaco.
What makes Jaco special to me, and also why I love Gary Willis, is his construction of rythms and his phrasing. These combined with his knowledge of melody and harmony are what make him unique and great.
I never realized how special his approach was until really studying it and learning his music. I think you have to look at it academically to fully appreciate what he did.
I mean, look at Teen Town. It is AC/DC. Just a repeating three chord progression, but it is fantastic and sounds so much more complex due to its phrasing and harmonies.
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The ability to be Muscular through a song or play the sweetest fretless melody as though he was singing on the bass.
I'm most attracted to his groove playing and use of the 16th note pulse. We cover a few of songs in my band and I've been recently learning the EXACT basslines from tunes like "Come On, Come Over" and "Opus Pocus"- there are often 3 or 4 viable groovy bass lines in one MEASURE of his playing.
The harmonic stuff and fretless melodies are simply unprecedented and unequaled in my opinion.
Also a big fan of the rear pickup sound and low-mid bump that really cuts through a mix.
I've been reading a number of threads about Jaco lately stating the people don't get or appreciate his playing- I feel much of that has to do with how pervasive his sound has become and how folks like myself have poorly imitated him.
He is definitely a cat who should be evaluated within the context of his time and the style of music he played- much of his playing is on music that some people don't enjoy or find resonate. (let's be honest- 70's fusion can be WAY over the top and tonal elements such as soprano sax and psycho synths really rub some folks the wrong way)
Hope this helps in any way.
The harmonic stuff and fretless melodies are simply unprecedented and unequaled in my opinion.
Also a big fan of the rear pickup sound and low-mid bump that really cuts through a mix.
I've been reading a number of threads about Jaco lately stating the people don't get or appreciate his playing- I feel much of that has to do with how pervasive his sound has become and how folks like myself have poorly imitated him.
He is definitely a cat who should be evaluated within the context of his time and the style of music he played- much of his playing is on music that some people don't enjoy or find resonate. (let's be honest- 70's fusion can be WAY over the top and tonal elements such as soprano sax and psycho synths really rub some folks the wrong way)
Hope this helps in any way.
much of his recorded material was from dark days *80's* when his rapid cycling bipolar disorder was interacting with alcoholism in the most horrible way...
I'm pretty sure Jaco was never a junkie in the sense of using heroin or opium products but there is little dispute as to his progressive illness and self-destructive behavior.
There is now a pretty decent documentary out. It's called "Jaco." Amazon has it. If you are curious about the man, find a way to watch and listen.
Everyone is welcome to their opinions. For example, there are certainly people who despise wine. That doesn't mean that a very special Bordeaux wine is any less special.
Everyone is welcome to their opinions. For example, there are certainly people who despise wine. That doesn't mean that a very special Bordeaux wine is any less special.
Oh yeah, I can't stand wine, unless it's Boone's Farm.
A true aficionado would insist on the apple.
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