GreeneKing Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 (edited) A simple question. Musically he really does it for me, a whole range of his stuff that I find subtle, musically tight, and appropriate. It grabs my soul. Then again I love jazz. I get a feeling that even among bassists I'm in the minority. Yes I know some of you think he's clever, moved the goalposts etc but that's not the question. Musically does his stuff 'move you'? Satisfy my curiosity Yay or Nay? Peter Edited February 12, 2009 by GreeneKing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJ Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Yay, definitely Yay. His feel is undeniable. His melodic sense is great plus even though he may sound "busy", it all works together with the rest of the group he's playing with. His style was not unimposing, but that's what made the man. Yay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigAlonBass Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Sorry, but a definite no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Yes. I particularly love Invitation and Heavy Weather. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnzy Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 the man's voice and soul are all in his basslines! Bright size life is absolutely amazing record with jaco killin it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Not really. He certainly raised the bar technically and musically, and inspired a whole host of new bassists that have raised the bar even further, in the same way that Jimi Hendrix inspired a number of massively talented and influential guitarists around today. But I just don't dig what he played, how he played it, his sound, his style, or his tone. Not saying I have a [i]strong[/i] dislike, but I'm slightly more to the 'dislike' side of things than being neutral or impartial. This is just my opinion. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaphappygarry Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Yes, Except for the home demo of the chicken, thats a stinker. G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 (edited) I think everything he did recorded (either solo or with Joni, Pat, WR etc) was amazing...... some of the live stuff on Youtube is off the wall, even the Jazziest of Jazzers must have thought some of his improv solo's spot's went off at a tangent ! World's Greatest Bass Player ? at the time certainly, but because of his tragicly short life others have surpassed him in terms of their Bass Legacy. ATB Mark Edited February 12, 2009 by Marcus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrenochrome Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 No (based on what I've heard so far). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Curate's egg... good in places. Well, more than good. Genius in places. I will never ever tire of things like Havona, A Remark, Teen Town, The Chicken. But some of his work I do find almost unlistenable. Having said that, I still feel that he deserves his hype. Just imagine if he'd got together with Hendrix... [size=1]I [i]really[/i] hope this thread doesn't descend into yet another "jazz is sh1t" thing.[/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eight Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Um... never actually heard any. Is that bad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 [quote name='alexclaber' post='407319' date='Feb 12 2009, 09:33 AM']Yes. I particularly love Invitation and Heavy Weather.[/quote] And both the live and studio versions of The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines. Amazing grooves. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I went through a massive Jaco phase and still love some of what he did but, when you listen to a LOT of it, it is amazing how much repetition you hear - same with Stanley Clarke. I am not referring to stylistic things, the little idiosyncratic details that define every player to some extent, I am talking about stock licks that are 'party pieces', things that are pulled out of the hate time and again for non-musical reasons. Some Jaco is sublime; Joni Mitchell's 'Shadows and Light', Heavy Weather, the Word of Mouth stuff, Bright Size Life etc but some of it is clumsy beyond belief and very uncool. Personally, I think that Jaco (I feel the same about Paul Chambers) was at his best when working with strong musical personalities who kept him in check and gave him great material on which to work; Zawinul & Shorter, Mitchell, Gil Goldstein, Bob Mintzer, Pat Metheny etc. When the people around him deferred to Jaco's muse (Birelli Lagrene, Jon Davis, Brian Melvin etc), the product was second and even third rate. But, in short, some of what he did was absolutely marvelous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_ferret Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Heavy Weather yes, the Jaco Pastorius CD no. I have tried but it does nothing for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I love a lot of the earlier stuff, and even enjoy some of the later rough gig recordings, but generally I avoid it these days. Just feels like a loss of talent and imagination I don't want to be reminded of. Having said that I think its hard to imagine now what a huge impact he had twenty odd years ago - none of the Youtube clips in the world are going to help younger people understand just how different and impressive he was in his own time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agoulding Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 i dont really like most of his stuff but the Trio of Doom thing was pretty cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urb Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Definitely - but my fave stuff f late is all his Joni Mitchell stuff - the live double album Shadows and Light is outstanding - he's just rules the whole gig from the bass... it's astonishing playing, even when it's a 'simple' bass line, every note is perfectly played. But Hejira is by far my favourite Jaco/Joni album - but I'm still in awe of much of his playing on his solo debut - he was 24 when he did most of that - and there was quite iterally NOTHING like it before he recorded it. He really turned the whole role of the bass - and its various possibilities within music - on its head. [b]I wrote an article - with quotes from interviews I did with Mike Brecker, John Scofield and Pat Metheny - which summarises his impact on jazz and with wider musical world you can ead it here: [url="http://www.munkio.com/words/jaco_feature.html"]http://www.munkio.com/words/jaco_feature.html[/url] [/b] Cheers Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosebass Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Yes big influence on me although I have no desire to sound like him . I can only reiterate what others have said and he varied fom "Pure Genius" to "Fast Show Jazz Club" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blamelouis Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I have listened to almost EVERYTHING Jaco has done and the stuff that stands head and shoulders above everything else is the Joni Mitchell era. I have got my mitts on a couple of recordings of those tours and its different every night. Which is hard first time you hear them because "shadows and light" is burned into most fans brains. I agree with Bilbo when there is no strong leader for Jaco to push against it didnt bode well. I've also heard that Jaco auditioned for the dream of the blue turtles band and dominated the material . Kirkland , marsalis, hakim ,Jaco and Sting !!!! Would've like to have heard those tapes !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blamelouis Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 [quote name='urb' post='407346' date='Feb 12 2009, 09:52 AM']Definitely - but my fave stuff f late is all his Joni Mitchell stuff - the live double album Shadows and Light is outstanding - he's just rules the whole gig from the bass... it's astonishing playing, even when it's a 'simple' bass line, every note is perfectly played. But Hejira is by far my favourite Jaco/Joni album - but I'm still in awe of much of his playing on his solo debut - he was 24 when he did most of that - and there was quite iterally NOTHING like it before he recorded it. He really turned the whole role of the bass - and its various possibilities within music - on its head. [b]I wrote an article - with quotes from interviews I did with Mike Brecker, John Scofield and Pat Metheny - which summarises his impact on jazz and with wider musical world you can ead it here: [url="http://www.munkio.com/words/jaco_feature.html"]http://www.munkio.com/words/jaco_feature.html[/url] [/b] Cheers Mike[/quote] Thats a great site Mike, congrats mate well done ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Like all influential musicians Jaco has moments of complete genius and others when he's unlistenable and for everyone they're going to be different. His first solo album should be essential listening for every bassist even if its just so you can say I heard it once and thought it was pants... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cetera Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I respect him and appreciate his playing.... but do I like it? No, not really... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 "Havona" from Heavy Weather rocks! Wasn't keen on his post-WR big band type excursions - with one amazing exception - "Three views of a Secret" which is a very moving piece of music Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyLightyear Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 YES! Of course its a mixed bag- but then not everyone likes Picasso! I think the Standards Zone recording he made with Brian Melvin is woefully under listened to- there are some beautiful lines on that and some of his soloing is awesome. What's more, since he plays a load of standards you can get a feel for what he adds to tracks you're already familiar with. 'The days of wine and roses' and 'If you could see me now' are particularly good for checking out his feel and inventive comping. It came at an interesting time in his life too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatboter Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 [quote name='bilbo230763' post='407337' date='Feb 12 2009, 10:45 AM']I went through a massive Jaco phase and still love some of what he did but, when you listen to a LOT of it, it is amazing how much repetition you hear - same with Stanley Clarke. I am not referring to stylistic things, the little idiosyncratic details that define every player to some extent, I am talking about stock licks that are 'party pieces', things that are pulled out of the hate time and again for non-musical reasons. Some Jaco is sublime; Joni Mitchell's 'Shadows and Light', Heavy Weather, the Word of Mouth stuff, Bright Size Life etc but some of it is clumsy beyond belief and very uncool. Personally, I think that Jaco (I feel the same about Paul Chambers) was at his best when working with strong musical personalities who kept him in check and gave him great material on which to work; Zawinul & Shorter, Mitchell, Gil Goldstein, Bob Mintzer, Pat Metheny etc. When the people around him deferred to Jaco's muse (Birelli Lagrene, Jon Davis, Brian Melvin etc), the product was second and even third rate. But, in short, some of what he did was absolutely marvelous.[/quote] +1 (still think his best work ever was on "Refuge of the Road" with Joni Mitchell) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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