Jaco Pastorius Archives
Fabienne Gilbert: “Come On Come Over” Bass Play-Along
We don’t feature a ton of bass play-alongs here, but when Francis Allen shared this one, it was too darn funky to ignore. Here’s Fabienne Gilbert laying it down on Jaco Pastorius’ fun and funky tune, “Come On Come Over”. »
Weather Report: Barbary Coast (1976)
When Jaco Pastorius joined Weather Report, they were close to finishing Black Market, which had been recorded up to that point by bassist Alphonso Johnson. Jaco played on two tracks on that album, which included one of his own compositions, “Barbary Coast”. Here’s a live performance early on in Jaco’s tenure with the band, performing... »
Jaco Pastorius Band: Dolphin Dance
Thank goodness for the web and for Charles Hoernemann, who shared today’s video with us. Charles said, “The genius of Jaco Pastorius. A very rare footage of a concert around 1985 on Belgian TV. Jaco’s solo starts at 7:10. Enjoy!” Enjoy indeed. »
Jaco Pastorius, Alex Acuña and Manolo Badrena: Bass & Percussion Jam
Another gem emerges with a recording of Jaco Pastorius and his early years in Weather Report. As the story goes, Alex Acuña and Manolo Badrena had just finished a killer version of “Rumba Mama” when Jaco jumped in on bass. This all took place at The Roxy in Los Angeles. There’s only one problem with... »
2012 Readers’ Favorite Bassists – #5: Jaco Pastorius
There hasn’t been a single year that Jaco Pastorius hasn’t made the annual reader favorite list, speaking to the continued and long-term impact of the bass legend. In 2012, big news came out: a new Jaco documentary was in the works, financed by Robert Trujillo. 2012 also marked a sad event: the 25th anniversary of... »
Pablo Elorza: “Continuum” Lesson and Analysis
Pablo Elorza has published the second video in his “Deep Into Electric Bass Classics” series of bass lessons with an in-depth look at the popular Jaco Pastorius tune “Continuum.” After playing through the tune, Elorza explains the methods and techniques Pastorius used to create his melodies. The lesson is a great one for any music... »
Jaco Pastorius: Reader Favorite Videos
As we celebrate the birthday of the world’s greatest bass player today, we look back at six reader favorite videos by Jaco Pastorius. From his incredible solos to his performances with Weather Report and his own Word of Mouth band, there’s never a shortage of bass greatness from the legend. Happy birthday, Jaco. We miss... »
Pablo Elorza: “Havona” Lesson and Analysis
Bassist Pablo Elorza has started a new series on YouTube he’s calling “Deep Into Electric Bass Classics” with the infamous Jaco Pastorius tune “Havona.” Elorza rips through the tune, then breaks it all down for everyone trying to learn. He speaks in Spanish, but don’t worry, there are English subtitles for his in-depth analysis. Time... »
25 Years Later: The Continued Influence of Jaco Pastorius
Usually when we mark an anniversary, it is cause for celebration. Today isn’t one of those anniversaries. Twenty-five years ago today, the world lost a man many say was the greatest bass player ever. Jaco Pastorius, at the age of 35, died days after a violent altercation at a Florida bar. In the 25 years... »
Transcription: Evan Marien’s Arrangement of Jaco Pastorius’ “Havona”
Evan Marien‘s fantastic take on the Jaco Pastorius-penned classic “Havona” was high on my list of pieces to transcribe for this monthly feature. Evan’s breathtaking melodic soloing on the chord changes simultaneously calls to mind the spirit of the original, while showcasing his own unique melodic voice. Skip to the transcription and video “Havona” has... »
The Bass Solo: A Guide to Soloing More Freely 
Fabienne Gilbert: Come On Come Over 
Eric Avery Quits Nine Inch Nails 
Capturing Your Ideas: Transform Your Musical Inspiration into Reality 
NHØP: Autumn Leaves 
Funk Bros: Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart 
Nikki Sixx Selling Stage-Played Basses from Motley Crue Concerts 
Andrea Lombardini: By This River 
Performing Live: Memorization vs. Reading vs. Improvisation 
