Jaco pastorius jazz bass
He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and drug and alcohol use made things worse. In the early 80s, Jaco assembled his own group, the Word of Mouth band, with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Peter Erskine, Michael Brecker and Toots Thielemans.Ībout this time, Jaco’s mental health was in serious trouble. Jaco would play on her next four records. Perhaps one of his most interesting collaborations was with Joni Mitchell, who was looking for a jazzier sound, and hired Jaco sight unseen for her 1976 album, Hejira. But Jaco was able to play all parts of a song at once, holding down a wicked groove while also providing melodies and counterpoint. Normally the bass is part of a rhythm section, providing support to the melody. One of their best-known releases, Heavy Weather, featured “Birdland” with Jaco singing and playing the melody with bass harmonics.Īnother signature Weather Report tune was Jaco’s “Teen Town,” which set a new standard for electric bass accomplishment.Įlectric bass was redefined in Jaco’s hands. As a rising star, Jaco helped bring the group to the height of their popularity. Thus began a contentious and fruitful collaboration - Zawinul hired Jaco, where he became an integral part of the band’s sound for the next five years and eight albums. I'm the greatest bass player in the world.” Nobody had ever dreamed that a Fender bass could make those sounds.Īlso about this time, he saw the group Weather Report and approached leader Joe Zawinul with his standard introduction, "I'm John Francis Pastorius III. He began with a solo bass transcription of Charlie Parker’s “Donna Lee.” Perhaps the most astonishing piece is “Portrait of Tracy,” which he achieved with a kaleidoscope of bass harmonics. The album showcased Jaco’s remarkable collection of bass techniques, each track a masterpiece. About this time Bobby Colomby of Blood Sweat and Tears heard Jaco and produced Jaco’s debut album in 1976, Jaco Pastorius. In the early 70s, Jaco met Pat Metheny in Miami and played on Metheny’s first solo record. By his own account, his only ambition was to play and as a teenager was gigging every night. As a young teen he played drums, but after a wrist injury playing football, he switched to bass, first on upright and then an electric Fender jazz bass, which he removed the frets from. Growing up in South Florida in the 1950s, Jaco was exposed to a melting pot of music: R&B, Cuban, big band, funk, soul.
JACO PASTORIUS JAZZ BASS FULL
Like Parker and Hendrix, Jaco’s story is full of triumphs and inspired collaborations, but also about the mental and emotional toll that was a byproduct of his genius. The development of jazz was forever changed by Parker’s innovations, in the same way Hendrix transformed the electric guitar and rock music with sounds nobody had ever imagined.Īnd Jaco Pastorius forever changed the way people would think about the electric bass, bringing a vocabulary and technique that revolutionized the instrument. Musical revolutionaries like Charlie Parker and Jimi Hendrix reinvented their instruments. John Kessler has the story, part of our Jazz Appreciation series. For electric bass, that person was Jaco Pastorius. Once in a generation, a musician comes along whose individual innovations are so dramatic they fundamentally change the function and perception of their instrument.