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From: jassblue
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  • So magic..

  • An outstanding arranger and very good composer, as well as a revolutionary on the electric bass. NOBODY had even concieved of playing a bass like he did. Jaco changed the world of bass playing... and his innovations still reverberate throughout the world of bass playing today- some 30-40 years later.

    A shame he died so young. Sometimes, the brightest comets burn that fastest.

  • jaco rulez. chorus pedal sux.

  • The greatest. Period.

  • I love the periods of dead silence in the audience and then applause etc. It would appear that at least this particular crowd knew they were witnessing greatness.

    I wish I could have seen him live but I was 9 at this time. I don't think my folks were into jazz either :(

  • jaco is god

  • Wonder where that bass is now...

  • @fishybishbash Jaco smashed the Bass of Doom in the mid ’80s, apparently in an argument. Kaufman and fellow repairman Jim Hamilton painstakingly glued together 15 large chunks and several small pieces, inlaying wood where fragments were missing, and laminating a figured-maple veneer on the front and back of the body. They held together the splintered headstock with an ebony/maple veneer. All that’s known for sure is that it was last seen with Jaco in Central Park sometime during 1986.

  • @lkoilkoilk lol smashed it to pieces - should've guessed. I met him in Paris once. Someone said he was playing downstairs in the restaurant where we were. I laughed. An hour later, there he was sitting right opposite us. I shook his hand and said thanks.

  • @lkoilkoilk Now robert trujillo from metallica has it.

  • 10x0 Nico Assumpção, The Best....

    Brasilian

  • If music is the language of the soul, then Jaco is an alien because i don't really understand what he's trying to say. It sounds something like "I'm slightly intoxicated. I know every chord and scale pattern in the universe. I like to play random different patterns and runs really really fast, and throw in a few bangs and harmonic chords here and there.  My only rule is don't play anything resembling anything anyone's ever done before." ...Jaco's music doesn't do much for me.

  • @emittscool What is so cool about you???...He is slightly intoxicated...how would you know???...avoid playing music that resembles the music of others...how much music have you heard in your stupid little lifetime???...Jaco is an alien???...why???...because your a dick!!!...that is why you do not understand...still think your cool...jerk???

  • @Tyludad Oh my god someone with an opinion that differs from my own they must be a douchebag

  • @emittscool You can like or not but don't tell it's bad music or call us douchebag

  • @emittscool that's what i thought ,too when i first listened to that DVD and i said what so special about this guy, so i throwed it away considering it's crap! And I listened to Stanley Clarke,Marcus Miller,Victor Wooten and so much more jazz for all these years..So now I feel ready to listen to this guy, he's special u know, not for everybody! It's actually not easy to listen to genious- no matter beethoven, tchaikovsky or monk and parker.so u'll dig it eventually someday maybe,wish you luck!

  • even solo...this man's climb to the APEX of electric bass esoterica...IMO revolves around a solid yet rare theme.....melodic pursuit of the bass guitar....if only Joe hadnt given him that first drink....spilt milk i guess

  • there are only one of some players..artists..theyre one name people..miles..jimi..jaco..duk­e..trane...oscar..ella..joni..­etc..like it or not hes influenced every bassist after him..and its hilarious when i hear it in theyre playing and theyve never heard of the originator..im a bassist..i first hard jaco in 1976..i was 16..that nite i removed my frets ive never played fretted since

  • This guy was talented, and very influential, but totally not my style of music at all.

  • This was played on the day I was born!

  • Jaco's mom was a giant Eagle from Middle Earth, and he was raised by wolves. His bass was carved from the wood of giant tress from the planet krypton, and before he decided to dominate on bass, he taught Chuck Norris karate.

  • his become a legend, becouse that misterious sound!!

  • his son is damn near as good

  • Well I really, really dig Jaco, but I would say Stanley Clarke holds a candle to him.

  • What a tragedy that he died so young! Every bass player before or since Jaco pales in comparison.

  • Jaco is the equivalent of Hendrix. That's not a compliment. I never understood the fascination with either of them.

  • @FreeTheRocks jaco isnt even close to being like Hendrix.

  • @FreeTheRocks if you dont understand the fascination with jaco's brilliance, then you don't know shit. Jaco took a four string instrument and totally redefined it's relevance to the entire music community in a rhythmic and virtuosic sense. If it's beneath you then pick up a bass and duplicate some of it, post it here for us to see how easy it was for you to do....moron!!!!!

  • @billybladez66 It's just noise man....just like the majority of Hendrix stuff...noise.

  • @FreeTheRocks

    Instead freeing the rocks, why don't you knock them out of your head and pay attention. Obviously you're a buffoon who likes Ricky Martin, Britney Spears and other nobody's; and have no idea what a TRUE Musician is. If Jaco and Hendrix were as you put it "I never understood the fascination with either of them", you obviously know nothing about "true music", and every musician since has listed both as huge influences. Jack-off.

  • Carol Burnette theme at 3:15. Yes, Jaco once accidentally elbowed me in the back of my head at Carnegie Hall at intermission of a Steve Morse show. R.I.P. Jaco.

  • Hey folks where can i find his song Havona.. in concert..??? online version

  • I was once like a lot of people who say that Jaco is boring. A year has gone by since, and I've listened to all of his works. Now I come back to this video, one of the first that I've watched, and I realize that there really is NO ONE like Jaco. I understand why the average bassist or musician (I mean really average) will not appreciate his music, but every true musician growing in music will slowly see what Jaco's works truly have to offer.

  • Tom Jenkinson took his style and rocketed it into outer space.

    Squarepusher makes this shit sound like neanderthal hitting sticks against rocks.

  • People can use his name as we may a caddilac......."That guy is the Jaco of trumpet players" " He plays as smooth at a Jaco" 

  • baked much? lol

  • Jaco is one of the most important Jazz artists of all time. His name belongs with Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Art Tatum and only a few others. There are very few "originals" like Pops (Armstrong) who can create their own context and master it completely. Jaco has no peer on the electric bass. His accomplishment goes so far beyond the context of Electric bass. He is so hard to describe, I just say "A force of Nature".

  • @davejazzanova I love Jaco too, but let's not get carried away. The idea that Jaco Pastorius was as influential to jazz music and Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington is ridiculous. Joe Zawinul? An argument could be made for Joe. But Jaco? Your view is in the extreme minority.

  • @atty1chgo : I respect your opinion however, I don't think my assertion is ridiculous. I list the names of what I call true originals "There are very few "originals" like Pops (Armstrong) who can create their own context and master it completely." by this criteria I think Jaco belongs in that list. When I was in college, I was given a list of proper jazz musicians and the role and significance of each one. Maybe you suffered the same unfortunate fate? If so, You should throw out the orthodoxy.

  • @davejazzanova - Jaco just isn't on the level of Armstrong or Ellington - not in songwriting, influence in music, popularity, you name it.

  • Jaco shreds!!!

  • he looks like a mix between jim carey and arnold schwartznegger......and at any moment is goin to shout GETDOWN!!! to the crowd whilst he fires jazz rockets from his bass into the front row.....

  • hah jass

  • GOD !!!!!!!!!

  • Ya know, Jaco took a lot of heat for all the overt "Rawk" moves, his crazy duds,

    etc.BUT the bottom line is, the man could PLAY. He took Electric bass to a place

    NO ONE had taken it b4, plain & simple- a stone genius. Technically, melodically,

    he was without peer.So if he hammed it up a bit.. so what!!! He delivered the goods, and and that is what counts.

  • @timjmoran Yes you're right, he removed the frets from that old Precision and created his own dimension of virtuosity.

  • que nos dejen estos musicos , es para pegarse un tiro.

  • that's awesome, quoting Delores from Miles Smiles.

  • To anyone one who for some weird reason

    thinks that Jaco couldn't improvise:

    First of all, you haven't hear enough of

    his live recordings.

    Secondly, do you really think that

    Pat Metheny( one of the greatest

    jazz guitarists of all time) would

    play as many live gigs with him if he

    felt he wasn't an outstanding

    improvisor??

  • Hij is de beste van allen.

  • Did Jaco play cello? I have a feeling that he would have amazing vibrato :D lol

  • @xXTiberiusXx Upright bass when he was a young un.After finding it crumpled in the corner of his room(from the florida heat and humidity)he then switched to electric bass.

  • There is one other who work is equal to Jaco but in a different way and that is Stanley Clarke.

  • I ran across Jaco's debut album in 1975 in the Male Vocalist section at a record store. I NEVER look in that section, but... I was just killin' time. I'd heard his name from an alumni of the CC Riders, so I picked up the album.

    Changed my life forever, as it did so many others.

    What a pure genius he was. Today there are so many technicians, but nothing with the personality. The sound? Maybe that was why he was in the Singer section of the store...

  • Just watching Jaco go nutso makes me wish that he and Michael Hedges had done something together. Live on stage it would have been a badass show to watch, both of them going gonzo while they played.

  • silly

  • This is still astounding now. At the time, this level of bass playing was quite unheard of. A strange and unique utter genius, a one-off.

  • pure insanity. such clarity of lines, and even with the typical syncopations, you know where you are.

    Bravo

    Oh, and the trolls, who don't understand music, only sampling, screw off.

  • man possessed 

  • Brilliant, inventive, wicked talent!

  • You have to have an ego to take risks, explore new territory and put your ass out on the line for all to see. I would say Jaco succeeded in his musical goals, ego or not. Who cares, he expanded the nature of what was possible for the rest of us on the electric bass and probably more than anyone else brought the fretless electric into the limelight. Also check out Jeff Berlin on Bill Bruford's solo albums, Percy Jones with Brand X, and Stanley Clarke from Return to Forever.

  • nobody... comes remotely close to this genius, I'm sorry y'all

  • He's quoting Wayne Shorter's 'Dolores' @1:30 and 1:58.Amazing chops 7 musiscianship....hey, yurgasturgusdad, make no bones about it, what you're listening here IS improvised, dude...

  • If you think THIS is impressive you should see what he used to do with an electric jug and a wah wah pedal

  • no jaco is a person then a bass player he grooves

  • blows my mind that jaco could not improvise. he once accused marcus miller of being egotistical because miller could improvise. his solos are truly incredible. this is art!

  • @yurgasturgusdad Um... sorry man but actually Jaco could improvise. His Modern Electric Bass video proved that.

  • @yurgasturgusdad

    Have you listened to any live recordings

    of Jaco at all??? The man was a world-class

    improviser for God's sake!

  • Does anyone know where I can get his music

  • Man, this video is a gift. Vituosity turned into music. Set his personal tragedy aside and enjoy the glory.

  • Jaco was an innovative master, but there are still many bad mothers in Jazz: Dave Holland, John Patittucci, Anthony Cox, Lonnie Plaxico, Bob Hurst,Victor Wooten,Marcus Miller, Darryl Jones - back when he played w/ Miles & Scofield,Stanley Clarke,and others.

  • @egyptianminor don't forget the gospel bassists. ran across andrew gouche in bass player magazine and got hooked on some of the great gospel bass playing. jazz is still my favorite though. also don't forget abe laboriel, most undercredited bassist and some of the great upright bassists like charles mingus. and miller played with davis too. i bought tutu on a whim and it was one of the best purchases i've made. you've got a great point though, jaco wasn't the only great bassist

  • Totally inspiring!

    Utterly tragic.

    Thank you, Jaco.

  • Through the magic of modern technology we can see the giants of the past. Huge, monolithic, towering giants of the past. And of the present, c.f. Satriani.

  • Only an imbecil would say there are equal bass players... NOBODY plays like Jaco!

  • could't agree more! There are monster bass players out there today! But Nobody plays like Jaco! Nobody! He was a living bass.

  • @aakkoin

    Victor Wooten isn't too far off.

  • @HeyJaw wooten is far more technical based and not as focused on musicality and melody as jaco did before his ego grew, wooten is like jaco in his ego phase.

    Im not biased I can't stand either of them! because they let ego and showboating get the better of them, I'm not denying them their ability talent and hard work. it takes blood and guts to get that far, but it takes true strength not to let your ego take over.

  • @mattmit Izzzzzzzzzzz a bass player myself and i think wooten is clever and has dexterity but missing something and sure in hell is know Jacu! don't like wooten's soloing maybehe could hitch up wit Ron Carter??

  • @aakkoin

    Ralphe Armstrong

  • @aakkoin I don't know man his son is truly up there

  • @aakkoin & still mourning him with a broken heart over it, the evil of his murder.

  • @aakkoin DITTO BRO!!!!

  • @aakkoin

    DITTO BRO!!!!

    HE COULD MAKE IT SOUND LIKE IT WAS TALKING... NOBODY CAN OR COULD DO THAT.

    THE GREATEST IN THE HISTORY OF MUSIC BAR NONE.

  • @aakkoin there are people that play like him, that doesn't take away any credit from his skill...

  • @aakkoin true, nobody (that I know of at least) plays LIKE him, but I'd say there are sevral bassists that are on par with skill level, though perhaps different styles (flea/ les claypool to name 2 popular ones) though it is unfortunate that jaco didn't get more attention, probably becouse he is too focused on complexity/soul, and kinda missed that "good time" feel that the media prefers.

  • @NickBlackDIN

    Flea? Les Claypool? They don't hold a candle to Victor Wooten, who takes Jaco a couple of steps further.

  • @GodslaveRocks what makes a good bassist? let me ask you that. i think your letting your personal opinion cloud your judgment here. i don't think Jaco can play slap as well as Les, or as fast as flea, but then again, they probably cant do the smooth harmonics that Jaco can do. it's all all a balance. (ok, flea is a bad example fo speed, but hopefully you get my point)

  • noboy plays, nobodoy played, and nobody will ever play like him

  • Comment removed

  • @aakkoin Comparing musicians is stupid, they all play differently. It's like comparing oranges and tractors, it doesn't make any sense.

  • @mindingosafado I agree, that was kinda my point. Nobody plays like John Francis Anthony Pastorius III.

  • @mindingosafado Yeah, 'cause tractors are WAY better than oranges. ;)

  • Jaco : The BEST!

  • All the greatest of this world they all had a tragic destiny: Marie-Antoinette, Napoleon, Saint-Exupery, Coluche, Katoucha, Michel Berger, Jaco Pastorius...

  • all these "great people" were motivated by pride.... especially napolean and jaco

    i dont consider that greatness

  • Pastorius was a genial musician; but would it be time for you to in the clinic!?

  • I meant "Andre"

  • @Andre1214

    Because their lives were not anchored in the LORD so despite how good they were, they were ships out in the tempestous sea with no anchor to steady them when the storms came.

  • Jaco, you'll never die!!!!

  • but he did!

    Would be nice to see a new bass player with that caliber these days!

  • Some of the good die young.

  • There are many...

  • c'est la singularité de cet homme qui permet à tous les bassistes d'aujourd'hui d'appréhender leur instrument d'une manière différente...il était le seul à jouer de cette façon à l'époque de son apogée.même s'il y a aujourd'hui énormement d'excellent bassiste il est celui par qui tout à commencer.

  • jaco rulez, he's amazingly great ! i know why flea loves him ;)

    RIP jaquito

  • Just cause Jaco had a mental breakdown, don't mean you have to have one. I say who could play bass better then him? No one save maybe Stanley Clarke.

  • A shred??

    No, this is real.

  • @cast390 Hey CAST390 Why don't you go FUCK YOURSELF!!!!!! 390 times With a Fender Jazz backwards!!!!!! You ASSSHOLE FUCK!!!!!

  • Aww did I piss you off? Fuck off you douche bag cheese dick

  • probably can't play a note yourself..

  • una belleza!!!!

  • Wow, that 50yr old man just gave us a musical litterature course... You know we have online dictionnaries to tell us stuff... such as about Jaco for example!!

  • Have you thought about using your online dictionary to learn how to spell?

  • it remindes me of a space odyssay in a non particular way

  • This Guy was pure genius; I'm a 50 yrs old keyboard player, and I assure spongeBOB that NOBODY at that time could master a bass that way! I'm not just talking about technique; I'm talking about all-round music playing (you know, music is not just technique, though Jaco was awesome). I was soooo sad when I went to one of his last concerts, and he was absolutely devastated. Music lost lots of good stuff, loosing him

  • I completely agree, XcentricDestiny ...Though, I would say NOBODY at any time has had the command of the electric bass like Jaco ...I'm in your age group ...Okay, a little older ...More, like Jaco's age group, as I'm 57 ...Saw him many times with Zawinul, Shorter and Erskine ...The most butt kicking 4-piece of all-time ...

  • i whole heartedly agree with you my friend!

  • @XcentricDestiny

    I am a 46-year-old bass player, and I readily admit that Jaco Pastorius is the MAIN influence on my style. He borrowed his style, in turn, from perhaps one of the greatest jazzmen ever, Charlie "Bird" Parker. Listen to Bird's sax solos, and listen to some of Jaco's style, particularly in his solo live performances, and an idiot could draw the connection.

  • Hey BOBabNORMAL and username125whatever! You don't get it because you two mf's are total idiots! If I see you two I shove my bass in your assholes body first! You get the f''''n message? Now go f'''k your dog or something!

  • Beautiful improvisation. Stick to 'Smoke On The Water' Bob.

  • BobNormal, my apologies. I viewed your page, your playing and realized who you are...potentially the "Whitest" player i have ever heard playing little wing since, well who cares. Best part, you actually think you are teaching the world a thing or two about the most over played, over recorded song in history....Little Wing. simply pathetic.

  • BobNormal, really, for you or anyone for that matter to repine Jaco, his playing and his undeniable impact on music is shameful. Please, please for all of our sakes, post a video demonstrating your skills. I imagine it would get weathered reports.

  • Hmmmm... Mr. BobNormal makes a great point... he supported the "Happy Mondays"!  He should be able to criticize Jaco or any other bass player after that accomplishment. Incredible!

  • Do I sense sarcasm? :) He did support the Happy Mondays. That guy deserves the grammy. I once played on a stage that a student of Jeff Berlin performed on too.....

  • am i missing something with jaco? theres hardly a tune in there, and the tones wank.. Just because you can widdle about, does it mean you should?

    Im not here to wind up fans of his or this, all im saying is i dont get it..

  • i agree with you here

  • would you say the same about Hendrix's star spangled banner? I mean, there was "hardly a tune in there" too...

  • Can You do this? I didn't think so! Shut the Fuck Up!

  • lol... Its the attitude the music presents, hendrix's less informed sonic abuse in the spirit of blues and rock is done with enough attitude to make it what it is.. wicked.. But as for rdnzl1's assumption that I cant do a similarly pointless display of bass techniques and style... Ante up bitch post your heart out.. Ive been playing for over 10 years... Supported the Happy Mondays... Done enough mate, what you got? E A D G is how you tune the strings... hope that helps you out..

  • you are a laughable idiot

  • mess or not effect or with out, drugs or what so ever...he was the best ,you have to see all the spectrum,also doing walking bass was really top.

    still one of the "untochables"

    solo was great,skill sound presence...just great.

  • Jaco Pastorius Undoubtedly THE BEST...

  • aha... I don't doubt of his skills, but what he shows impress' nobody. Just a crazy guy messing arround, way too much drugs...

  • except for Charles Mingus dude.

  • if i could play base like that i'd mos def be wearing those pants. B\

  • Dude, if i could play bass like that i wouldn't wear pants! :-)

  • They were in style at that time...

    Before MC Hammer !

  • @Muppio man jacos pants are sweet enough.. he may aswell not be warin any :D

  • @Muppio Greatest thing I've read in a long time! Thank you for that!

  • @DruggardlyBros this is so boring! hardly entertaining, John Entwistle was voted, "Bassist Of The Millenium' in 2000 by other professional bass players and the only bass player to hold this honor, this guy sucks, enough said.

  • @canaryman69 LOL, im not even gonna argue with you, because the fact that Jaco is a LEGEND isnt debatable. and im sure just about every other bassist (including Entwistle) would agree.

  • @noahster1234  nope

  • The legacy of Be-Pop...

  • Have you seen his sons play? Julius and Felix they are the sweetest... and I love them both!!!

  • How the f**k does he make it sound like a brass instrument?

  • effects? B\

  • no effects, just his bass through the amp. lots of midrange

  • mids for the win

  • Who loves ya,jaco...

  • The world is missing its greatest.

  • :49 SURPRISE!

  • How can anyone not like this?

  • He's the greatest bass player ever!!

  • ragazzo quell'uomo ha inventato lo strumento che hai appena iniziato a suonare... ne devi mangiare di pasta

  • dicen que este es el maestro de calos benavent

  • muy buena campeom

  • Pastorius had only one bass for his life and he took it with 90$!!....but he was a very good bassist player

  • this person died at 39 yeards old because he wanted to enter a club-bar but the security didn't recognised him and killed him.....pity!...

  • That's all wrong. Jaco was a bi-polar alcoholic. He could be abusive and reckless in his manic phase. The bouncer was a macho punk, ( bouncers tend to be, don't they ) but Jaco wouldn't leave, and persisted in bothering the guy and the guy bashed Jaco's brains on the curb. Jaco was mentally ill, not just a nutty kind of guy. I am both a bassist and a mental heath management consultant and I loved Jaco. But this proves how hard these diseases are to treat. Musically Jaco was IT; no equal !

  • Amen to that! And thanks for clarifying Jacos mental state. He, unfortunately, just kept self-medicating and his problems only got worse over time.

  • stop crying- please...

  • R.I.P. Jaco... you were the BEST !!!

  • Nice nice nice thanks for the post.

  • This was on my birthday!

  • It was exactly ten years before my birthday! Wow I always think it's kinda weird, he died the year before I was born, and now I'm playin' bass.... Lol haha don't think I'll ever play quite like that, RIP Jaco. Wonder what he'd be playing today if he was alive.... I know it's been well discussed, but any thoughts from anyone?

  • yeah bro I got an opinion I think if he was alive he'd still be jamming with the greatest jazz-fusion musicians ever and I think that his music is transcending god bless you jaco

  • i think he would be less famous than he is now artist get there fame after people know what they have lost , its a poor side of human nature

  • i just started playing bass but what made him so special?

  • If you hear some his renditions of classical Bach pieces... YOu'll get exactly what makes him special.

    This clip is pretty good in itself, but it's only a small taste of what he can do

  • In order to answer that question, I can heartily recommend that you read 'Jaco' by Bill Milkowski which'll give you a complete answer to that question! It's also a ripping read.