Jaco
Jaco Pastorius would've turned 55 today. I don't know a single bass player who hasn't been influenced in some way by Jaco's work. There's still a great deal of reverence for him today.
Being a "rock guy" in my high school years - I learned about Jaco from a magazine cover calling him the "greatest bass player ever". It must have been 1984. I went out and bought his album "Jaco Pastorius". I put it on - first track - Donna Lee.
Because I had no context for it - I didn't get it. I thought it was impressive from a technical point of view (he plays so fast) but I didn't get the "song" having never heard the original Charlie Parker version.
But that track started an entire movement of bassists covering the melodies of hard bop tunes. It wasn't long before bassists were blowing on Giant Steps and loads of other "coltrane changes" type tunes. I never got into that whole thing myself, but Jaco clearly started that trend.
In regards to that trend, I once heard a well known bassist leading a master-class express the opinion that the worst thing to happen to bass playing was the Charlie Parker omni book being released in bass clef. I thought that was funny. Especially after going to NAMM. ;-)
While I clearly admit to being taken in by Jaco's "funk/R&B" stuff in my early playing (think Barbary Coast) - I never learned how to play any of the Jaco "right of passage" pieces many bass players feel compelled to learn - Portrait of Tracy - Teen Town - Donna Lee.
Actually - I did try to play Portrait of Tracy at first - but I couldn't get harmonics to sound on my shitty department store bass. Oh well.
I think Michael Manring said it best when he said Jaco gave the electric bass dignity.
As I venture out into the solo bass world, I find my link to Jaco stretched thinner and thinner. That doesn't diminish his impact on me though.
It's important to remember the risks Jaco took with his music made possible a lot of things we take for granted today.
Jaco's boldness, willingness to challenge convention and his spirit of experimentation is - to me - a far more valuable lesson than anything you could learn from coppin Donna Lee or Portrait of Tracy.
Comments
good thoughts. nicely said. and a player worth pausing to remember.
Posted by: benson | December 1, 2006 09:17 PM
Jaco was my main inspiration to learn to play Bach. His version Chromatic Fantasy stands a monument to his brilliance. Man, if Jaco and Hendrix were alive to play together in a band today ... I'm sure that most of us would be very surprised. ;-)
- Dave
Posted by: Dave Grossman | December 2, 2006 01:08 AM
You're right. Jaco's music gave something to most bass players. But being the first to do something, it doesn't mean you'll be the best one to do it. I personally think that Jeff, you and many other bass players are the Pastorius or Johnson of my generation. And you're probably better than them. This means there's a new generation of bassist that's taking YOU as inspiration, even FAR from your country. Export your music in europe, I'm sure you'd be welcome. Sorry for my english....you know, I'm Italian...
Posted by: Riccardo | December 3, 2006 09:41 AM
jacos sound and style was unique.he invented somthing,he innovated,he created.jeff is an incredible technition taking what has been created to another level.
Posted by: mark | February 11, 2007 02:17 PM