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Jaco Pastorius

Jaco Pastorius

  • AMG Review of Jaco Pastorius

    Amg
    Rick Anderson
    All Music Guide

    It's impossible to hear Jaco Pastorious' debut album today as it sounded when it was first released in 1976. The opening track -- his transcription for fretless electric bass of the bebop standard "Donna Lee" -- was a manifesto of virtuosity; the next track, the funk-soul celebration "Come On, Come Over" was a poke in the eye to jazz snobs and a love letter to the R&B greats of the previous decade (two of whom, Sam & Dave, sing on that track); "Continuum" was a spacey, chorus-drenched look forward to the years he was about to spend playing with Weather Report. The program continues like that for three-quarters of an hour, each track heading off in a different direction -- each one a masterpiece that would have been a proud achievement for any musician. What made Jaco so exceptional was that he was responsible for all of them, and this was his debut album. Beyond his phenomenal bass technique and his surprisingly mature compositional chops (he was 24 when this album was released), there was the breathtaking audacity of his arrangements: "Okonkole Y Trompa" is scored for electric bass, French horn, and percussion, and "Speak Like a Child," which Pastorious composed in collaboration with pianist Herbie Hancock, features a string arrangement by Pastorious that merits serious attention in its own right. For a man with this sort of kaleidoscopic creativity to remain sane was perhaps too much to ask; his gradual descent into madness and eventual tragic death are now a familiar story, one which makes the bright promise of this glorious debut album all the more bittersweet. (This remastered reissue adds two tracks to the original program: alternate takes of "(Used to Be a) Cha Cha" and "6/4 Jam").

The Greatist Electric Jazz Bass Player Of The 20th Century...
over 2 years ago

http://jacopastorius.com/default.asp

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Speaking of comets..
over 3 years ago
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I'm not the biggest jazz phan in the world. :( I just have a hard time getting into a lot of it. However.. Jaco..

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Jaco's "Bass Of Doom" has been found
about 1 year ago

Jaco is seen here playing "The Bass Of Doom."Jaco’s main fretless as he dubbed “The Bass Of Doom” has been found after disappearing sometime just before his death back in 1986. According to Bassplayer magazine the bass showed up at the New York apartment of, session bassist and member of the David Letterman’s Late Night Show band, Will Lee. An unnamed party brought the bass to Lee’s apar

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The Greatist Electric Jazz Bass Player Of The 20th Century...
over 2 years ago

http://jacopastorius.com/default.asp

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New Rules! LOL...
over 2 years ago

bm041307newrulesAdd to My Profile | More Videos

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Weather Report Weekend #16 - Jaco's Calling Card
11 months ago
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Earlier in the same year that Jaco Pastorius joined Weather Report he recorded and released his first solo album, simply entitled "Jaco Pastorius". It was 1976 and Pastorius, virtually unheard of before - except in his home town of Fort Lauderdale Florida - suddenly became the jazz world's worst kept secret. Jaco was "discovered" by ex Blood Sweat 'n Tears drummer Bobby Colomby. The story g...

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Speaking of comets..
over 3 years ago
Blog post image preview

I'm not the biggest jazz phan in the world. :( I just have a hard time getting into a lot of it. However.. Jaco..

More >

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