2013 Reader Favorite Bassists – #4: Jaco Pastorius
Thanks to the web, we’re now able to see and hear recordings of Jaco Pastorius that otherwise would have remained in private collections or shared among traders as we did back in the day.
And thanks to many of these videos we’re able to share, Jaco routinely makes the top 10 Reader Favorites list each year.
Among the most popular among the Jaco-related coverage this year was Will Lee’s “The Magic of Jaco” video, the transcription of Jaco’s solo on “(Used To Be a) Cha Cha” by guest contributor Jukka Haavisto, and Bass Centre’s introduction of a Jaco Pastorius Tribute Bass that caught the attention of readers, big time.
The rest: epic videos by the late, great master.
It is always interesting to hear one prolific musician speak about another prolific musician. Will Lee did just that, sharing his thoughts on Jaco Pastorius…
Transcription: Jaco Pastorius’ Solo on “(Used To Be a) Cha Cha”
Among the great tunes on Jaco Pastorius’ self-titled solo debut was “(Used to Be A) Cha-Cha”. His solo is a tricky one, at an upbeat tempo and with Jaco’s trademark melodic and syncopated lines. Check out Jukka Haavisto’s transcription…
Jaco Pastorius: “Chromatic Fantasy”, Live (1986)
When Kevin sent me this video, I was stunned… such a rare gem and an excellent closeup of Jaco Pastorius performing solo in 1986. This was during one of his gigs with drummer Brian Melvin. I don’t recall many videos of Jaco performing “Chromatic Fantasy”, but this one has to be among the best…
Bass Centre Introduces Jaco Pastorius Tribute Bass
The Bass Centre is paying tribute to the late great Jaco Pastorius with their new Portrait Bass. Based on their Jive Bass, the latest addition to the Bass Collection range features a lined fretless rosewood fingerboard and Solar Flare finish…
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: Donna Lee, Live
September 21st is a sad day in the world of bass. Twenty-six years ago today, Jaco Pastorius passed away at the age of 35. I’m playing more Jaco music than usual today (if that’s possible), and that has also included several videos. And then I stumbled upon this rarity: Jaco performing “Donna Lee” live…
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 that very tune…
