Let's talk about Jaco Pastorius

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IslandPink
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#1 Let's talk about Jaco Pastorius

Post by IslandPink »

After watching the kindly loaned DVD about Jaco's life ( thanks, Nick ) , I think it's time we pooled our enthusiasm for the prodigy, virtuoso and tragic electric bass player from heaven that is Jaco.
I spend a significant amount of my life at home, in the car, and in my head listening to the playing of Jaco, especially from Joni Mitchell's records. These tracks are standard test material, but have also haunted the entire time I've been working on my speaker projects. I'll post a few Youtube links eventually, but welcome any kind of input and insight from the 'converted' here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaco_Pastorius
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaco_Past ... iscography
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#2 Re: Let's talk about Jaco Pastorius

Post by Dave the bass »

Who?

:)
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#3 Re: Let's talk about Jaco Pastorius

Post by IslandPink »

Quiet at the back there, Martin - concentrate :!:
Now let's start paradoxically with a couple of Joni Mitchell tracks, I think it becomes clear fairly quickly why those of us 'in the know' see these as important :

This is the main one that has taken up residence in my head while I'm pondering over horn designs and cutting wood.

Now for something faster and more complex, this fits the bill ( many others too of course ) , I liked the comments from 'Flea' on the Jaco documentary - he spoke so eloquently & chose this track as a stand-out :
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#4 Re: Let's talk about Jaco Pastorius

Post by Dave the bass »

1976, young, full of ideas and given the chance to play them to a receptive audience...


1985, washed up, misunderstood, poorly supervised possibly. This is part of his 'tuition' video.... Bonkers, I never quite managed to perfect the 'throw your bass guitar at the drummer' move at 6.22.


Some of the music he recorded and took part on between those 2 points are above are awethumne still to this day though.
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#5 Re: Let's talk about Jaco Pastorius

Post by Nick »

Now for something faster and more complex
I would question which of the two tunes are more complex, but that just being picky :-)

If you have a spare hour or so

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#6 Re: Let's talk about Jaco Pastorius

Post by Dave the bass »

Ha! Snap!^^^

Those 1st 50 seconds of that video illustrates what a mess he was I reckon at that time. Imagine the conversation...

"OK, we'll pay you a few bob if you stay sober and make a tuition video Jaco..."

"Yeah, great, lets do it".

"Jaco, don't forget, you'll need a bass guitar if you're going to make a video on bass guitar tuition..."

"Awww man.... "

Day of shoot arrives.

"And.... were on, roll camera....."

*Fettle wrong neck to bass, and adjust on site........*

Nutter.
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#7 Re: Let's talk about Jaco Pastorius

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That's a scary clip to watch, you can see the depression and anxiety in his eyes.
MUST get a copy of his first album ( looking for a good one at the moment ) . I love the stuff in the 'doc about how the leader of that band on Florida brought him to New York for the recording sessions and people like Tony Williams started showing up. Amazing to think there was already a buzz about him before he'd even recorded anything.
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#8 Re: Let's talk about Jaco Pastorius

Post by Nick »

I can also recommend this

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#9 Re: Let's talk about Jaco Pastorius

Post by IslandPink »

That's very fine - thanks !
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#10 Re: Let's talk about Jaco Pastorius

Post by Dave the bass »

I think you already know about the 3 studio Albums JP appeared on with Joni, but the live album "Shadows and Light" is well worth a punt too IMO. Even better is the accompanying DVD if you can still get it, bits appear on YouToob every so often.

A late period gem (IMO) is this -> http://jacopastorius.com/music/standards-zone/

It's a when he was in 'The Brian melvin Trio', its one of the few times he played in a piano/bass/drums trio. Very gentle on the ear, firing on all cylinders and a nice recording too.

If you fancy a real challenge...and don't mind the sound of a Trombone being blown everywhich way possibly, there's this -> https://www.discogs.com/Trilogue-Albert ... ase/988172

It's a tad 'specialist' shall we say but its pure early Jaco. There's some superb live footage of that actual concert on yootube also.

There's a lot of late period variable quality bootlegs out there too, tread carefully.
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#11 Re: Let's talk about Jaco Pastorius

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Must play Shadows and Light more & concentrate on what Jaco's doing. I'm in a bit of disarray wrt vinyl at the moment , got to kill some hum which I think is down to arm earthing.
Yes DVD of same .... must get that v.soon, next excuse I have :!:
That last LP link looks rather cool.

So what do you see re. technique & talent ( large ) , apart from the obvious fretless decision & playing chords with said ... from a bassist - anyone who impresses you in same league or near ? I haven't studied like a scholar of course, but his tone & subtlety blows me away. The interaction with Wayne Shorter on 'Mingus' is just sublime.
Possibly next most interesting is Percy Jones, at least at the moment.
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#12 Re: Let's talk about Jaco Pastorius

Post by Dave the bass »

IslandPink wrote:
So what do you see re. technique & talent ( large ) ,
Just that really. He was a brilliant musician that had what probably what any truly creative musician wants, a voice that is their own that hasn't been heard before. His happened to play the electric bass in way it hadn't been heard before, he was a composer that happened to play electric bass like no-one else had done before. He had influences but he wasn't a copyist, he was a fan of Jerry Jemmott who happens to be the interviewer on the tuition DVD and Rocco Prestia and Tommy Cogbill .

Percy Jones, yup, another interesting player. One that often gets forgotten IMO is Colin Hodgkinson, I think we've done him before in conversation, try...
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#13 Re: Let's talk about Jaco Pastorius

Post by Mudshark »

Rather not...........
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#14 Re: Let's talk about Jaco Pastorius

Post by The Stratmangler »

Mudshark wrote:Rather not...........
And yet you felt compelled to post a negative reply, when none would have sufficed.
Last edited by The Stratmangler on Sun Jan 08, 2017 1:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Chris :happy3:
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#15 Re: Let's talk about Jaco Pastorius

Post by The Stratmangler »

The Modern Bass video was fascinating.
Jaco's comment about learning the melody is possibly the best tip anyone can take on board.
Many of the exercises are directly transferable to guitar too.

The Trio playing later in the video was a joy to behold.
Jaco's "are you paying attention? Catch this" moment - well what can you say? Nutter!
And finally, I've never heard Jaco playing piano before. He could have made a living playing that.
Chris :happy3:
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