Jaco

[spongebob]

I've recently been getting really into Jaco's playing.

Had a bit of the Joni stuff for a while, but have started seriously appreciating the Weather Report, solo, etc..

To my shame I don't really know too much about him past the drugs/mental disorder/violent death, and that he could be a little full of himself! Then again, if I was that good...!!

The Wiki page is quite extensive, but I don't know how accurate that is. It mentions that he lived on the streets, and was at the time of his death.

I watched his video on Youtube yesterday (Modern Electric Bass) released, I believe, in '85. His playing is just amazing....was his downfall that quick?

I'd just love to know more about the man - what happened?

Other than the obvious Joni, WR, etc, what other recordings should I check out?

[Clarky]

If you want to read about his life I recommend this book http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jaco-Extraordinary-Tragic-Life-Pastorius/dp/0879308591

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='NJE' timestamp='1346006080' post='1784048']
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[/quote]

Sorry if it's stating the obvious, but the biography is very informative:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jaco-Extraordinary-Tragic-Life-Pastorius/dp/0879308591

As far as recordings are concerned, he plays on some of the Herbie Hancock album 'Sunlight', also check out Little Beaver's "I can dig it baby"

Edit, beaten to it by Clarky :-)

Edited August 27, 2012 by Roland Rock

[Pete Academy]

Check out the Portrait Of Jaco cd, which has very early recordings. You will hear how he developed his signature style and sixteenth note riffs.

[Clarky]

Around the start of his Weather Report stint he played on a Pat Metheny album called Bright Size Life which I think contains some of his freshest playing. Here is a taster

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX2cPUs-ot0

[spongebob]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1346059738' post='1784517']
also check out Little Beaver's "I can dig it baby"
[/quote]

Got that track, love it.....didn't know it was Jaco!

Was he on any of the other Little Beaver songs?

[yorks5stringer]

Quite a nice little interview with him in Sept's BGM......

[Doddy]

[quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1346059364' post='1784508']
I watched his video on Youtube yesterday (Modern Electric Bass) released, I believe, in '85. His playing is just amazing....was his downfall that quick?
[/quote]

I love the Modern Electric Bass video,but he was already very low when it was filmed-even though Rob Wallis and
Paul Seigel from DCI tried to clean him up for a few days before filming. He plays great,but he was still past his
peak at that point.

I'd recommend listening to the tracks '4am' by Herbie Hancock and 'Mood Swings' by Mike Stern. For me,this is
some of his best playing. The Michel Colombier album 'Dreamland' album is great too.
Most of all though,I'd say listen to his big band-It shows off his playing and compositions. Check out 'The Birthday
Concert'.
As other's have said,his Biography is an interesting read.

[spongebob]

Great stuff, thanks....will check it out.

BTW, are the Wiki rumours true about him living on the streets around the time he died? Did he give up playing?

[EMG456]

Saw Jaco about '78 or '79 with Weather Report - changed my bass life forever.

If you haven't already got it, the full double album of Joni's Shadows and Light tour showcases live Jaco at his absolute best.

if you want to see how he handled more rock orientated stuff as a sideman, he played most of the tracks on Mott the Hoople singer Iain Hunter's second (I think) solo album, All American Alien Boy.

He [i]was [/i]and to my mind remains the greatest bass player ever.

Cheers

Ed

[risingson]

I read his biography when I was younger, I know there was a dispute between the author and the Pastorius family over the truthfulness of one or two of the anecdotes but overall it was an enlightening read. Whilst his music doesn't directly influence the music I make, I really do consider him up there with my favourite players.

[Chris2112]

[quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1346078283' post='1784929']
Great stuff, thanks....will check it out.

BTW, are the Wiki rumours true about him living on the streets around the time he died? Did he give up playing?
[/quote]

Yes, by the end he was living on a park bench. Sadly, he'd become estranged from his family, been the focus of attention of undesirables who wanted to use him for their own gain and was often sleeping rough. He lost the bass of doom too. His behaviour was such that he was pushing his friends away, Joe Zawinul describes how he took him under his wing in Weather Report, only to see him spiral downwards in his later days. He became erratic and unreliable, something which seriously impacted on his ability to get work.

My favourite Jaco record would be 'Dara Factor One' from the 1982 Weather Report album. Joe described Jaco as being in a bad place when they made that album, but still able to turn up and put on a world class bass performance. That track is the absolute highlight.

[Bilbo]

The essential Jaco cds are:

Jaco Pastorius - Jaco Pastorius
Jaco Pastorius - Word of Mouth
Jaco Pastorius - Twins (US version, released as Invitation in the UK with half the good stuff missing)
Joni Mitchell - Shadows and Light, Hejiera, Mingus
Pat Metheny - Bright Size Life
Weather Report - Black Market, Heavy Weather, 8.30 (live), Night Passage
Flora Purim - Everyday, Every Night

Good tracks to download as single tracks:

Mood Swing - Mike Stern
Suite Golden Dawn - Al DiMeola
Natiivity - Airto


Ones to avoid unless you are looking to complete a collection:

anything with Brian Melvin or Birelli LaGrene on it, Paul Bley's 'Jaco', Albert Manglesdorf 'Triologue'.

[chardbass]

+1 for Bright Size Life. Pre-hype Jaco- something special about that album.
A kind of before-they-were famous recording, Metheny included.

[chardbass]

Bilbo has it right there.
Would add 4am as a single download.

Edited August 28, 2012 by chardbass

[Doddy]

[quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1346103449' post='1785420']
Joe Zawinul describes how he took him under his wing in Weather Report, only to see him spiral downwards in his later days. He became erratic and unreliable, something which seriously impacted on his ability to get work.
[/quote]
Interestingly,it was also Zawinul that helped get Jaco into heavy drug taking.

[derrenleepoole]

It's interesting that many people always list the same Joni Mitchell albums featuring Jaco, but never (or very rarely) mentioned Don Jaun's Reckless Daughter. I think it's because Jaco doesn't play bass on all the tracks, and those tracks that don't feature Jaco don't have bass anyway, he plays percussion. For me, Don Juan has some of the best song writing and arranging on any album Joni has done. The subject matter, the way the music plays around the lyrics and singing, the orchestration.... it's all their. For me, Don Juan is a classic album that shouldn't be overlooked simply because Jaco doesn't play bass on all the tracks. I find the album more interesting because of it to be honest.

[Dad3353]

[quote name='derrenleepoole' timestamp='1346152977' post='1785811']...Don Juan is a classic album that shouldn't be overlooked simply because Jaco doesn't play bass on all the tracks...[/quote]

+1

[toneknob]

[quote name='derrenleepoole' timestamp='1346152977' post='1785811']
Don Jaun's Reckless Daughter... Jaco doesn't play bass on all the tracks
[/quote]

Good point. Hejira only has Jaco on Refuge of the Roads, Black Crow, Hejira and Coyote; other tracks with bass on (Song for Sharon, Furry Sings the Blues, Blue Motel Room) it's either Max Bennett or Chuck Domanico.

Edited August 28, 2012 by toneknob

[derrenleepoole]

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1346159389' post='1785897']
Good point. Hejira only has Jaco on Refuge of the Roads, Black Crow, Hejira and Coyote; other tracks with bass on (Song for Sharon, Furry Sings the Blues, Blue Motel Room) it's either Max Bennett or Chuck Domanico.
[/quote]

Yeah, that's true too. I must confess I don't really listen to Hejira. Mingus is a cracking album too.

[lowdown]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1346153814' post='1785827']
+1
[/quote]

And another +1.

Also [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Bright Size Life for both Jaco & Metheny.[/font][/color]


Garry

[miles'tone]

As a single download I suggest 'Amelia' live with Wayne Cochran and the cc riders (it's on Punk Jazz - the Jaco Pastorius anthology) a very young Jaco playing one of his own compositions with them. He's using a Fender Jazz but with Labella flats on (pre rotosound tone)
It's a killer tune with one hell of a groove from the young master.

[spongebob]

Really enjoying the replies to my original question - loads to look into!

Keep 'em coming......

[wombatboter]

I have always been a huge fan of Jaco but when I read the book about him I was shocked by all the things which were written down about him..He must have been a real pain in the ass in the end : insulting people, spitting at the audience, betraying his friends, letting people down...(after a lot of trouble having him signed to record a new album he was invited to sign the record deal and showed his pubic hair to the people from the record company (who changed their minds))..
Still at his best he was the master...that sixteenth feel is just priceless and "Refuge of the Roads" is the best fretless line ever..

[Conan]

[quote name='wombatboter' timestamp='1346243984' post='1786901']...insulting people, spitting at the audience, betraying his friends, letting people down..showed his pubic hair to the people from the record company...[/quote]

Classy.