Jaco

[Tbone100]

A couple years back I started listening to Jazz a lot more. As a guitar player who has been into wide range of styles, mostly hard rock & blues (Hendrix, Page, Clapton, Rhodes, SRV, and many others), I came across Pat Methany's first album, which included Jaco on bass. I totally enjoy listening to Pat, but more & more found myself drawn to Jaco's playing. I heard of him before but my impression was that he was some kind of hot shot show off bass player... but I could not have been more wrong. After exploring his couple of solo albums & some of the Weather Report stuff he did I am total amazed. He was a complete musician and although his bass playing is absolutely mindboggling, nothing sounds forced or contrived..it's all fluid and it fits.

To anyone of the younger members of this fine site or those who would be interested in exploring Jazz further, give Jaco a try. A recomendation would be the cover of "Blackbird".

As an aside Jaco's lived a turbulent life suffering from mental illness & substance abuse, which ultimately lead to his untimely death. Unfortunately many extremely talented people have extremely difficult issues to contend with. At the end of the day however, Jaco will be remembered as one of the greatest bass players who ever lived.

T-

[Light]

Joni Mitchel's Hejira. Simply the best thing Jaco EVER did (and I love Bright Sized Life a LOT, but it isn't the same thing). Her songs and her voice, with Jaco's bass and Larry Carlton's guitar. Quite simply the loveliest recordings I can recall hearing.



Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

[TelePaul]

His weather report stuff rocks.

[loveofjazz]

His "Live in NYC" stuff is good. Hiram Bullock on guitar and Kenwood Denard on drums, I believe...and it's some absolutely terrific stuff, especially his cover of "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy".

Even though guitar is my primary instrument, his playing inspired me to eventually end up owning my own 5 string fretless. I'm a huge fan of the Weather Report stuff, especially "Teen Town" and "A Remark You Made".

Classic stuff. honestly.

-jimbo

[zazz]

Originally Posted by Light

Joni Mitchel's Hejira. Simply the best thing Jaco EVER did

agreed

three tracks off that album show just what jaco was capable of when it all came together....which wasnt as often as it should have been.

[whyseye]

Originally Posted by Light

Joni Mitchel's Hejira. Simply the best thing Jaco EVER did (and I love Bright Sized Life a LOT, but it isn't the same thing). Her songs and her voice, with Jaco's bass and Larry Carlton's guitar. Quite simply the loveliest recordings I can recall hearing.



Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

Saw Jaco & Joni play live at the The Greek Theater in L.A., with Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Michael Brecker and Don Elias.....recordings from that tour make up the "Shadows and Light" album....
....greatest show I've ever seen - completely transcendental....
Adding to the amazing ambience was the crazy orange sky and falling ashes from local wildfires - the whole show was surreal, and amazing - thought I'd died and gone to heaven...

[andydeedpoll]

Originally Posted by loveofjazz

eventually end up owning my own 5 string fretless.

apparently, he used to refer to frets as 'speed bumps'

He was a complete musician and although his bass playing is absolutely mindboggling, nothing sounds forced or contrived..it's all fluid and it fits.

that was the first thing i noticed too - one of the first recordings i heard of him was playing on "the Dry Cleaner of Des Moines" with Joni Mitchell. that bass part is just too exceptionally cool. it's so free, and fits so well, but with one or two little jumps into virtuoso-in-technical-difficulty - sums up his playing generally, as far as i'm concerned.

i like the tone he gets too. all note hehe

Andy.