Jaco/Joni Mitchell. Shadows and Light.

[bubinga5]

The whole live concert is pretty amazing. I always sort of got him but never really musically understood him because I don't like fusion so I got a little bored. 

But his playing on this and the way he outlines the chords and the notes he plays are just magic.   You can hear his musical influences with the notes he chooses imo.. the more I listen the more mind bending his playing gets.

 

 

 

Edited Sunday at 02:53 by bubinga5

[Hellzero]

This is where Jaco is at his best, listening to the others and playing music.

 

Well maybe his solo part is not mandatory here, but as Joni Mitchell said, it was the price to pay.

 

The two studio albums are excellent too: Hejira and Don Juan's Reckless Daughter.

 

You can also try listening to Bright Size Life, with Pat Metheny too, where Jaco was not on the booze and dope at all.

 

Edited Sunday at 11:00 by Hellzero
Forgot the verb... 🤔🥱

[Beedster]

End of an era gig, as the might goes down, the 60’s  and 70’s and all they represented move into the 80’s 

[ezbass]

That was an absolutely stellar band. Just for my taste, I’d like to have heard more of the neck pickup in Jaco’s tone (I note that he’s playing a fretted here), as they all seem to be occupying much the same tonal space.

 

 

[bubinga5]

I actually prefer his playing on a fretted bass.  I wonder if he was reading at this point.?

[sunfish]

I always thought Jaco had picked up a lot from Max Bennett's original bass line on this track. But Jaco really drives it along and makes it swing so much more.

[chris_b]

51 minutes ago, sunfish said:

I always thought Jaco had picked up a lot from Max Bennett's original bass line on this track. But Jaco really drives it along and makes it swing so much more.

 

Really? I prefer Max Bennett's lines. They serve the song better.

 

It's always the Jaco show, which is fine, but if I'm listening to Joni Mitchelll (who I like a lot) I want to hear the songs, rather than clever bass lines.

[sunfish]

I love both this band's version and the original. The song stands up in both.

[chrisbass13]

Jaco and Joni Mitchell is so special. My father gave me the "Mingus" Album when I was young and it totally sucked me in. Its darker and more experimental but has an incredible line up and playing.

[EMG456]

Mingus is a great album. It's also the one that finally frightened off most of Joni's original west coast singer songwriter fans.

[acidbass]

Everything about this concert/era is phenomenal. Jaco's playing with Joni is how I learned to appreciate him. There's an awesome cover on Youtube that you might enjoy:

 

 

 

[Jo.gwillim]

Pat metheny's amazing too. Yes jaco is at his best playing with Joni. Some bassists make me think maybe i could do that if I practised hard. Jaco makes me think no way could i ever. Totally awe inspiring. I remeber walking into our local record shop about 30 years ago. Refuge of the roads was playing, i instantly burst into tears. 

[Burns-bass]

10 hours ago, Hellzero said:

This is where Jaco is at his best, listening to the others and playing music.

 

Well maybe his solo part is not mandatory here, but as Joni Mitchell said, it was the price to pay.

 

The two studio albums are excellent too: Hejira and Don Juan's Reckless Daughter.

 

You can also try listening to Bright Size Life, with Pat Metheny too, where Jaco was not on the booze and dope at all.

 

I agree, the virtuoso stuff is cool m, up to a point, but it starts to grate in the end. Possibly because once he’d nailed his tone and tricks he never really moved on musically.

 

If never stick on a Jaco record in a million years, but I’d listen to a Joni Mitchell one (and do!).

[Misdee]

I've always thought Jaco's work with Joni was some of his very best. His bass parts aren't just lyrical, they're pictorial; he's illustrating Joni's words with his bass playing. It's beautiful to hear, and only Jaco could do that.

 

I bought this album in the early 1980s and quite literally wore it out. It was the first time I had really heard Jaco and it was a revelation. I've listened to it so much over the years that I can't really listen to it anymore, but it's a truly magnificent record that has great memories for me. 

[Misdee]

12 hours ago, chris_b said:

 

Really? I prefer Max Bennett's lines. They serve the song better.

 

It's always the Jaco show, which is fine, but if I'm listening to Joni Mitchelll (who I like a lot) I want to hear the songs, rather than clever bass lines.

That's interesting, because Max Bennett's bass playing, particularly his tone,  diminishes my enjoyment of Joni's earlier albums. It's not just Max Bennett though, the whole ensemble of musicians on Court and Spark and Hissing Of Summer Lawns don't do her songs justice, to my taste anyway. I know most people will disagree, but I just don't like the sound of her band during that era. They're stellar players, but it just doesn't sound good to me.

[Misdee]

10 hours ago, acidbass said:

Everything about this concert/era is phenomenal. Jaco's playing with Joni is how I learned to appreciate him. There's an awesome cover on Youtube that you might enjoy:

 

 

 

 Wow, he totally nails that! Looks like he might be reading from a transcription, which makes it all the more impressive.

[Hellzero]

8 hours ago, Misdee said:

 Wow, he totally nails that! Looks like he might be reading from a transcription, which makes it all the more impressive.

Erm, erm, the he is a she. And she's named Ivca. 😉

[diskwave]

Havent listened to Joni for about ten years and Ive never seen this clip. Jaco's ok here just laying it down, as usual the right note in the right place at the right time... always Jaco but nothing too crazy. She wanted him in the band and he delivers. Metheny too.... superb musician.

[Misdee]

On 13/01/2025 at 09:42, Hellzero said:

Erm, erm, the he is a she. And she's named Ivca. 😉

Had me fooled, that's all I can say.

[The fasting showman]

As said elsewhere, absolutely stellar band; Don Alias lays down such a solid pocket for Jaco

[White Cloud]

I can only imagine playing with that heat bubbling beneath me. Awesome.