Astounding bass playing from Jaco.

[bubinga5]

From Brian Melvin's Night Food. Jaco's playing on this not very long record, is just way out there. When he plays the pop funk, he takes it to a different level. Some people say, oh this bass line is too busy. When Jaco plays it's busy but the notes and his feel just want to make me listen. Dynamic playing for sure. Pure class. Absolute fabulous playing. The rest of this album is great also. http://youtu.be/qDGzt2WSOXg

Edited August 6, 2016 by bubinga5

[timhiggins]

Love it are there 2 bass lines on that or is Jaco doing it all himself in one line ?

Edited August 6, 2016 by timhiggins

[Trueno]

Superb!

[stingrayPete1977]

Does nothing for me, sounds like a cheap game show theme tune from the same year I appreciate the skill but I wouldn't want to listen to any more of it.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1470471244' post='3106184']
I appreciate the skill but I wouldn't want to listen to any more of it.
[/quote]

Me too. I am in awe of Jaco's abilities but outside of his work with Joni Mitchell his actual music does little for me.

The clip in the OP was amusing though. Made me think of Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder. 3 o'clock!

[Lord Sausage]

Whenever Jaco plays on something the piece just becomes a Jaco piece! Great playing, he's almost as good as me!

[Coilte]

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1470473375' post='3106210']
Me too. I am in awe of Jaco's abilities but outside of his work with Joni Mitchell his actual music does little for me.
[/quote]

+1. No doubt the man was a technical genius on the bass, but his music leaves me cold.

[thebassist]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1470471244' post='3106184']
sounds like a cheap game show theme tune from the same year
[/quote]

You write that like its a bad thing!!!

[Trueno]

Well, everyone has different tastes... but I just love that type of music, could listen to it all day long.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='thebassist' timestamp='1470474053' post='3106217']
You write that like its a bad thing!!!
[/quote]

lol

[bubinga5]

[quote name='Trueno' timestamp='1470474276' post='3106219']
Well, everyone has different tastes... but I just love that type of music, could listen to it all day long.
[/quote]yep they do. I love it. But it was more about the bass playing around the music. I guess that point was lost..

Edited August 6, 2016 by bubinga5

[ambient]

Everyone has different tastes in music, that's the thing.

People don't like Jaco's music, but give them someone playing 8ths with a pick on a P bass strung with flat wounds and they're in heaven.

[bubinga5]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1470479451' post='3106267']
Everyone has different tastes in music, that's the thing.

People don't like Jaco's music, but give them someone playing 8ths with a pick on a P bass strung with flat wounds and they're in heaven.


[/quote] and I've heard some cracking tunes played like that also.

[neilp]

That sums it up for me. Music isn't a technical exercise or a showcase. If the song needs root notes and the odd fifth, play that. If it needs Jaco (if the Jaco that played for Joni showed up, many more songs would need Jaco), get Jaco. It's music, do what works for the music

[Coilte]

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1470479225' post='3106264']
But it was more about the bass playing around the music.
[/quote]

I'm sure that most won't argue with this. Amazing technical bass playing is one thing. Most people would not deny Jaco's skills here. Playing music that touches people, and "talks" to them, is an entirely different matter.

[4stringslow]

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1470480213' post='3106274']
Playing music that touches people, and "talks" to them, is an entirely different matter.
[/quote]

Agreed - and probably the only thing that matters. If music doesn't connect then what's the point?

[Cato]

I really enjoyed it, cheers for posting.

That's just the sort of cheese I've started to really enjoy listening to in the last couple of years.

Unrelated but in a sort of similar vein, my latest discovery has been Bobbi Humphrey, jazz/funk flautist extraordinaire.

Edited August 6, 2016 by Cato

[timhiggins]

[quote name='Cato' timestamp='1470481686' post='3106290']
I really enjoyed it, cheers for posting.

That's just the sort of cheese I've started to really enjoy listening to in the last couple of years.

Unrelated but in a sort of similar vein, my latest discovery has been Bobbi Humphrey, jazz/funk flautist extraordinaire.
[/quote] Harlem river drive ..what a tune https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i_Ja2sVw1g

[timhiggins]

Does anyone know if thats 2 bass lines on the original post or is the low one keys ?

[bubinga5]

[quote name='timhiggins' timestamp='1470485728' post='3106334']
Does anyone know if thats 2 bass lines on the original post or is the low one keys ?
[/quote]I think he's using a chorus pdal at the start. He's known for using an octave also.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1470479225' post='3106264']
yep they do. I love it. But it was more about the bass playing around the music. I guess that point was lost..
[/quote]

As I said I appreciate the skill required but it makes no difference how good the bassline is if the overall content sucks, for me it sucks, sucks is thankfully subjective and has nothing to do with "being there" it would still have sucked for me in 1985

[bubinga5]

I wonder if it would suck if the bass line was soloed. ?

[AustinArto]

Well then it would be a two-minute bass solo, so it would suck more.

I like Jaco's playing and I even like his playing on this, but I wouldn't choose to listen to it.

Edited August 6, 2016 by AustinArto

[JTUK]

I really like some of his playing and he was definitely unsurpassed at this style... you could probably say he defined it.
I can't listen to Rocco but Jaco was something else.
Still a very tricky and accomplished style or technique to this day... some many things need to come together to carry it off.

The track itself doesn't really do it for me, but Jaco was THE guy in his day.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1470500372' post='3106435']
I wonder if it would suck if the bass line was soloed. ?
[/quote]

For me, I think so still.