Great Jaco Lines

[GregHughes]

Evening,

Having recently been loving a Jaco bass line in a Joni Mitchell track which I didn't realise was Jaco until later, I want to hear more of this great musician but there seems to be a fair amount of material.

What tracks should I seek out first?

[bottomfeed]

anything off 'Shadows & light' by Joni.... a great live album that really had an effect on me...
Personally, I think some of Jaco's best playing was working Joni tunes...

when I 1st heard 'In France they kiss on Main street' ...it blew me away!.....

[BassBus]

Weather Report's Heavy Weather is always a good place to start. His first solo album, Jaco Pastorius was the one that started it all.

Also have a look at the documentary about him in four parts on YouTube.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTcbTg8O548"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTcbTg8O548[/url]

[moonbass]

+1 for Shadows and Light. Hejira is my favourite track - the band working together are just sublime.

[RhysP]

I think Jaco's very best playing was on the Joni stuff.
The Joni albums to get are "Hejira", "Mingus" "Shadows & Light" (a live album also available as a DVD) & "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter"

Pat Metheny's "Bright Size Life" album is also essential Jaco listening.

[Grand Wazoo]

[quote name='GregHughes' timestamp='1330888302' post='1564439']
Evening,

Having recently been loving a Jaco bass line in a Joni Mitchell track which I didn't realise was Jaco until later, I want to hear more of this great musician but there seems to be a fair amount of material.

What tracks should I seek out first?
[/quote]

Check out the track Dry Cleaners from Des Moines, Jaco comes in at around the 1 min mark and his style is the greatest.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnpyCEUESEw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnpyCEUESEw[/url]

[GregHughes]

Thanks. It was Dry Cleaners from Des Moines that I was talking about originally. Such a great bass groove. Have to play it on repeat in the car. Absolutely love it and although I had obviously heard of Jaco didn't realise it was him until I posted on here about the tone of the bass on that track.

Think I'll order Shadows and light now and check out the Youtube stuff in a bit.

[Grand Wazoo]

[quote name='GregHughes' timestamp='1330890265' post='1564479']
Thanks. It was Dry Cleaners from Des Moines that I was talking about originally. Such a great bass groove. Have to play it on repeat in the car. Absolutely love it and although I had obviously heard of Jaco didn't realise it was him until I posted on here about the tone of the bass on that track.

Think I'll order Shadows and light now and check out the Youtube stuff in a bit.
[/quote]

Send me a blank CD I've got Shadows and Light import CD with bonus tracks, I'll copy on your if you want.

[RhysP]

As much as I love "Shadows & Light" I far prefer the studio version of "Dry Cleaner from Des Moines" from "Mingus" because of Jaco's wonderful big band horn arrangement.

Edited March 4, 2012 by RhysP

[GregHughes]

Okay just ordered Don Juan's Reckless Daughter, Pat Metheny's Bright Size Life and Shadows and light.

Looking forward to some great listening. Thanks all.

[GregHughes]

Dry Cleaner from Des Moines on Mingus is a great track. First heard in on 6 music at work and the bass line stopped me in my tracks. Had to go on Amazon and order the album right away. Rest of the album is good but that is the stand out track for me.

Thanks for the offer re the blank cd but just bought a copy anyway. Prefer to have original cd's than copies in my collection but much appreciated anyway. Happy to record any of the purchases for you if you want.

Edited March 4, 2012 by GregHughes

[Doddy]

Any Weather Report album from 'Black Market' up to 'Weather Report' features Jaco heavily...'Heavy Weather' being
the most highly regarded (rightfully so).

One of my favourite tunes with Jaco is 'Mood Swings' by Mike Stern off the album 'Upside Downside'...it's awesome.

'4AM' by Herbie Hancock from the album 'Mr Hands' is great too.

Apart from his self titled debut album,check out his Big Band ....'The Birthday Concert' is a great album.

[blamelouis]

For me its Night Passage , superb album.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgrnAcPHJWo&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgrnAcPHJWo&feature=related[/url]

[4000]

It seems to be just me but I much prefer his hypnotic, repetitive stuff to anything else; Okonkole Y Trompa, Kuru / Speak Like a Child, the fast part in Badia / Boogie Woogie Waltz Medley on 8:30.

[Grand Wazoo]

[quote name='GregHughes' timestamp='1330891143' post='1564498']
Dry Cleaner from Des Moines on Mingus is a great track. First heard in on 6 music at work and the bass line stopped me in my tracks. Had to go on Amazon and order the album right away. Rest of the album is good but that is the stand out track for me.

Thanks for the offer re the blank cd but just bought a copy anyway. Prefer to have original cd's than copies in my collection but much appreciated anyway. Happy to record any of the purchases for you if you want.
[/quote]

That's ok I already have all of those you've just bought (big Jaco fan here) hehe

[Bilbo]

Some other great performances that have not been mentioned

Al DiMeola – Suite: Golden Dawn (single track from Land of the Midnight Sun but the rest of the cd is Anthony Jackson and Stanley Clarke!!)

Michel Colombier – Dreamland (from Michel Colombier) - can't remember how many tracks Jaco is on. Beautiful melodic fretless.

Black Market from Weather Report’s 8.30 live album)

Night Passage – the whole Weather Report album

Flora Purim - Las Olas (from 'Flora's Song') - beautiful melodic fretless.

Black Market - Weather Report. Jaco is only on half the tracks but the rest of the cd is Alphonso Johnson and he is equally awesome.

Jaco Pastorius - Word Of Mouth – Three Views of a Secret, Liberty City, Word of Mouth and John and Mary. The first track, Crisis, puts a lot of people off so be warned

+1 for Bright Size Life – 8 tracks of pure brilliance from Jaco,

The US live Jaco album ‘Twins’ is a must have (it is available in the UK as ‘Invitation’ but that was a single LP and Twins was the same lp but a double with more stuff on it and longer versions.

Nativity - AIrto Moriera from ‘I’m Fine, How Are You?’ (single track)

[dlloyd]

[quote name='blamelouis' timestamp='1330891715' post='1564515']
For me its Night Passage , superb album.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgrnAcPHJWo&feature=related[/media]
[/quote]

Yes. This.

It has a Star Wars cantina band vibe about it.

[steve-bbb]

my vote is for shadows & light and bright size life

heres the full list

[url="http://allmusic.com/artist/jaco-pastorius-p7295/credits"]http://allmusic.com/artist/jaco-pastorius-p7295/credits[/url]

[toneknob]

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1330940703' post='1564895']
The US live Jaco album 'Twins' is a must have (it is available in the UK as 'Invitation' but that was a single LP and Twins was the same lp but a double with more stuff on it and longer versions.
[/quote]

Agree, Twins is great (as is the Invitation "sampler"), but sadly going for big bucks on amazon and eBay. Spotify is your friend: [url="http://open.spotify.com/album/77E3yGa6D6O5HJRuK90KyG"]Jaco Pastorius – Twins Live In Japan 1982[/url] - the "Continuum" on here is fantastic.

Edited March 5, 2012 by toneknob

[daz]

[indent=1]Thanks for the heads up on [i]Shadows & light.[/i]. There's some geat Jaco bass on there indeed. [/indent]

[louisthebass]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1330889890' post='1564472']
I think Jaco's very best playing was on the Joni stuff.
The Joni albums to get are "Hejira", "Mingus" "Shadows & Light" (a live album also available as a DVD) & "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter"

Pat Metheny's "Bright Size Life" album is also essential Jaco listening.
[/quote]

Big +1 for "Hejira" - Refuge of the Roads is my favourite Jaco track on there. No blistering chops, just really tasteful phrasing.

[Fat Rich]

Best Jaco bassline ever!

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yReDe5-rTIU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yReDe5-rTIU[/url]

Edit: Youtube clip with less scratches.

Edited March 5, 2012 by Fat Rich

[visog]

[quote name='dlloyd' timestamp='1330941123' post='1564903']
It has a Star Wars cantina band vibe about it.
[/quote]

I've always thought that about 'Night Passage' too especially 'Rockin' in Rhythm'.

Also on that record is the awesome 'Port of Entry' - a Jaco classic.

[Rumple]

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1330953729' post='1565207']
Best Jaco bassline ever!

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yReDe5-rTIU[/media]

Edit: Youtube clip with less scratches.
[/quote]


I've loved this bassline for years, for me Jaco's work with singers is where he really grooves.

[risingson]

Most of my favourite Jaco tracks have been mentioned, but I'll give a hearty +1 to Herbie Hancock's '4 A.M' and 'Night Passage' by The Weather Report, as well as 'Opus Pocus'. So effortlessly cool I think, and personal favourites. I regularly find myself warming up with 'Okonkole Y Trompa' too.

Jaco had an unbelievable funk feel that's really hard to get to grips with, very unique as well. I'll always be a huge fan and he's been a big influence on me!