[Bass Lesson] Jaco Pastorius - Modern Electric Bass - 1

[MrJohnnycrabcake]

So sad the answer to the first question is..."gimme a gig" by the time this was recorded Jaco had burned so many bridges....but as you can see he was still able to play his ass off. The story was he had been clean for about three days when this was done. RIP my main man Jaco

[Vantage94]

i know it's a weird question, but what kind of hat is he wearing? Is it a beret or something?

[fela001]

@aharonfreeman tuning his bass probably

[aharonfreeman]

What exactly is he doing in the beginning?

[kirill86700]

Jacko is the only great bass player who didn't care about slapping).

[drumasylum29]

what a thumb and a performance, also what a pimp was that!

[youreastupid]

whos the interviewer? jerry...?

[sporefreak105]

Brilliant man, but damn was he messed up. I mean, look how weird he is during this interview.

[vtxad3]

What's the name of the music that he plays at the intro?

[orionsic]

What is Jaco playing at 3:44?

[Khaospenguiny]

@orionsic He says the song title and artist and bassist form the record like 10seconds later. Are you that lazy?

[HiImJerry8]

holy shit what the fuck is up with his thumb?

[norwali]

@HiImJerry8 thumbs up to that!

[kokomojosiphus]

@HiImJerry8 Double jointed, both thumbs were like that, cool huh?

[mediatesilent]

also, bach canons are amazing fingering exercises. get yourself a copy of F. Simandl

[mediatesilent]

one of the saddest stories in music history, definitely in modern music.

[Linza4life]

HOLY HELL LOOK AT THAT THUMB

[TennGuy546]

Jaco's white!?

[GAMEREVIEWERMAN]

still the bass is underated

[SkunkRadcliffe]

Is his thumb like that from playing so much?

[jazzpoliceman]

Nice sweater Jaco.

[nisornt]

I miss my left ear.

[danieldinho101]

@nisornt OMG ME TOOO!!!!!

[mysterywhylay]

Unicorn head :)

[pprruti]

@toneshards I think he would do :) HA' HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[TheAnti1337]

Yes the interviewer has a big pimple on this forehead. Now please, can we just focus on Jaco for a second? Please?

[jordanlannert1]

Interviewer is like the black Lemmy with that weird thing on his head

[PvtParts111]

hes actually really cocky

[cursedswordsman]

DAAAMN YOUR BREAKFAST IN THE MIRROR

[marko92pn]

Can someone tell me what scales did Jaco use? Please

[Tangerinemustang]

@marko92pn figure it out....use your ear

[aliensporebomb]

Gosh, his tone was just perfect. Deep and bassy but enough treble to give it some heft and his harmonics rang like a piano. So sad what happened to him.

[hide21998]

I want to pop that thing on the interviewer's head

[4ourty5ive]

2:09 Does the interviewer have a gigantic zit on his forehead ??

[FabioIlacqua]

Un poeta

[ConCarneBlues]

check his thumb..

[SpearShark]

Jealous nigger.

[mateusutn]

how can someone click here, and after watching NOT like this?

[RedJazzBass1]

i love the interviewer, what a cool dude

if there was a movie made about him i would cast will smith as him

and thats that

[pprruti]

@RedJazzBass1 Brad Pitt would make an excellent Pastorius

[FingerLickinGoood]

Man the interviewer has a massive pimple on his head.

[swamilainen]

@FingerLickinGoood That's all the white that's left in him. If he squeezes that, all the white that's still in him will come flying out! Then lookout! It'll be black bass mayhem!

[04GUITARPLAYER04]

@FingerLickinGoood dude that looks like a cyst (eww)

[GAMEREVIEWERMAN]

@FingerLickinGoood

__( ' )__

lolo

[cillsurunfil]

@GAMEREVIEWERMAN @nisornt Keep __(d-_-b)___ the light of this *~! Biz

[stripes5150]

I didn't know Randy Jackson knew Jaco!?!? lol

[RedJazzBass1]

@stripes5150 yo dawg his performance was tight

[stripes5150]

@RedJazzBass1 I found it a little pitchy tho, dog...lol

[RedJazzBass1]

@stripes5150 he didn't the money note

[kzbxvz]

He was the one of few electric bass player who played on a fretless bass guitar.

[Blooodii]

That's right dude, but it would be easyier if someone could give me them ^,~

I'm just too lazy xD

[Blooodii]

Did someone know the tabs for min. 3:40 ?

[bobvanluijt]

@Blooodii come on man! You can do this one by ear! :-P

[SevenisNine]

@korntwist1 suck a dick

[JayGreen140]

I can tell by that response you are a man of great intellect, personally I think hes great I don't really give two shits what you think hes accomplished more than you ever will in your life so hey. Also why would it hurt? I got my opinion you got yours mate I was just pointing out that you were having a go at that dude for no reason. And no yout not a troller or a hater just a wanker :) You suuuuck You suuuuck pathetic little wanker Mustaine has a model wife and millions of dollars you suuuuck!

[skatewhabitat]

2:13.... "you can feel the ho's up."

[JohnWanderer]

What bassline is the one from 3:49?

[zagymetal]

@JohnWanderer

Funky Broadway 

[andrewbautista23]

what a great interviewer

[SuperElectricbass]

@andrewbautista23 I disagree.I'm a bassplayer myself and I have owned this video since it first came out. Jerry missed so many important questions regarding music.If you listen to the question@around 5;13 he hesistates and hopes that his question is verified and not ridiculed by Jaco somehow and the list goes on.

[cottonfever1221]

@SuperElectricbass Give him SOME credit,Jaco was locked up in a hotel room and detoxed for 3 days prior to this filming of the video so he would'nt be all "strung out" and take off AGAIN before the video was filmed like the first time he got payed and split. He was so far into his illness and addiction that he rarely made sense when talking about ANYTHING nevermind complicated jazz theory,I love the man for what he did for our cause but at this point in the game he was hurting bad. R.I.P

[dixxjamm]

@andrewbautista23 Well said and there is a reason for that, esp. when were talking about artists, esp.musicians. It HELPS when the interviewer is an artist/player/musician himself. As opposed to some TV personality, critic or some intellectual guru. I remember seeing a clip of Miles Davis on 60 minutes where he said that he dislikes the word jazz and that it should be just called popular music. The interviewer's reaction was confusing to say the least...

[992105]

jaco didnt suffer people suffered bcuz they wish they were like him

[rennyminou]

Jaco was Bipolar. He had a very difficult time dealing with the "real world" - I'm not sure if he ever took meds for his condition, but in any case I believe he suffered quite a bit. Sad. He was a genius.

[trojantboneguy]

on drugs for sure =/

[korusbows]

Great bassist. One of the best.  But my God, what a scatter brain!!!

[Eyzebian]

Crystal Meth!

[aroy121]

looks like sabaceous cysts hahaha

[TheJimsky143]

mono!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MrObame]

lol WTF check out his thumb!

[Tamaslammer]

God he looks so strung out and haggard.... poor Jaco...

When he said, "Give me a gig" that said it all. He'd burned all his bridges by this time.

[BalubianNation]

fuck papa baloo

[BungliciousFungus]

@BalubianNation Haha fuck you!!

[floydguitardude3000]

@foderaman4 Good point, but his bragging can be excused for all he's done for the bass world. Also, at the time, was he not the greatest bass player in the world? It might not be bragging, but simply stating a fact. Whereas some dickheads brag with no evidence to support their claim, and this angers me.

[nodnaroach]

Mike Myers!

[ALE9069]

can somebody translate that in Italian??

uff i can understand english, but it's boring watching out =(

[killtoastdaily]

@ALE9069 watching out? well, you're obviously missing something here, chicho.

[Zaratustra1380]

I admire him so much. Larga vida a Jaco, even is he dead.

[JahSolomon]

good video....very informative (learning to focus on melody to expand your basslines)...

but dammit Jerry, you should have popped that pimple

[smokinjoe88101]

Billy Bob can kiss my ass

[eddynaco]

Hey I'm better than Jaco! :D ...see my videos!

[aakkoin]

@eddynaco don't even joke about that man, jaco will turn in his grave

[eddynaco]

@aakkoin I see you haven't seen my videos! ...you would change your mind!

[borjo666]

@eddynaco Ur videos suck, porr cuality and lame playing compare to a lot of bassists, SUCKER

[Eihtiez]

@eddynaco Not really.

[borjo666]

@eddynaco U suck and are a retard!

[floydguitardude3000]

@eddynaco Hey mate, I laughed so hard when I saw your 8 string video. 'Hey everybody, IT's GOT 8 STRINGS, WATCH ME WITH AWE'. Okay firstly, bass players don't brag about their playing, we are modest, humble folk. Secondly, if you're going to brag about playing an 8 string, make sure you can actually play the fucking thing first.

[johnlem59]

@eddynaco you couldn't hold jaco's left (deleted)!

[killtoastdaily]

Bill Bob Thornton should play him in a movie. Anyone?

[SamStats722]

@killtoastdaily i would love for a drunk billy bob thornton to get beat down by a bouncer outide a club hahaha

[TheMusicmanforlife]

@killtoastdaily yes i agree

[Rannado1]

jaco your thunmb looks like a fulf club

[Klassick1]

@Rannado1 he died

[kvetonp]

@Rannado1 hahaha it does

[thanosyo1]

look at his thump!!!

[Chamalanza]

Sit down and practice, don't get fed up, is not easy :-/

[calvinS112]

lester freamon is interviewing him

[lovetheremin]

@calvinS112

This very same thought jumped into my mind before I scrolled down and saw your comment :P

[doitboy]

That mountain is gona Blow.

[yo8425]

Jaco is such a badass. He can do whatever the fuck he wants too

[skorpio2112]

Master of Masters!!

[CherokeeMusic]

Jaco was great.

Did anyone notice that he sounds EXACTLY like Dave Mustaine when he speaks?

[DangerSheep]

@CherokeeMusic i think he looks kinda like him too :)

[MrThierryLou]

@CherokeeMusic :(....its because both had heroine.....:P :( after years of using you became like that....and body movments too

[fdscasti]

@CherokeeMusic Dave sounds like Jaco. :)

[EpictheEpicest]

@fdscasti because they were both stoners. If you listen to many young musicians in videos from the 80s they sound very similar because they were all high.

[korntwist1]

@CherokeeMusic What??? Who the fuck is Mustaine compared with Jaco? damn shut up dude

[JayGreen140]

@korntwist1 Dude he started his comment saying Jaco is great, secondly he said Dave Mustaine sounds like him when he speaks how is that insulting? He didn't say Dave Mustaine is a better bassist than Jaco did he? And by the way technically yeah Jaco Is a better musician overall but at the end of the day one plays jazz and one plays thrash its not a comparison to be made, listen to what the man has to say about his bass and shut the fuck up. Mustaine is one of a kind at what he does so is Jaco!!!

[korntwist1]

@JayGreen140 mustaine sucks :). it hurts? i dont care, mustaine suuuuuuucks :D im not a troll or a hater, im just saying the truth, mustaine SUCKS :).

[SevenisNine]

@korntwist1 You're not a troll a hater. You're just a dumbass

[korntwist1]

@SevenisNine wrong, im a jazz musician who think that Dave Mustaine and Megadeth sounds like a cat been raped. chears.

[SevenisNine]

@korntwist1 So what if you're a jazz musician. Learn to respect other musicians who are a million times talented than you.

[korntwist1]

@SevenisNine you are just a Fan trying to stand up for your hero :) don't worry, i'll be more acquiescent next time :).

[SevenisNine]

@korntwist1 Next time don't act so childish okay. It's so silly to see people get worked up over one comment and take it the wrong way. XD

[korntwist1]

@SevenisNine shush.

[1977moonchild]

@korntwist1 in your profile its states that you like jazz rock and metal yet you think dave mustaine sucks??

megadeth rules..what kind of metal DO you like? up the irons!!

[korntwist1]

@1977moonchild progressive, no like Dream Theater, is too damn 'mathematical', more like POS, Porcupine Three, opeth, etc... trash metal like Pantera, Slayer, etc, Death metal, when i hear Megadeth im hearing a pig being raped, the voice is so... POOR... and the guitars... beside Chris Broderick... megadeth SUCKS too me, but if u all like it well is your decission dudes :). i know what i like and what i dont like, compare Jaco with Mustine is one of those things that i dont like.

[Eisoptrofobi]

@korntwist1

you sound like a terrible person to be around. i'm glad i don't know you IRL, guillermo.

[korntwist1]

@Eisoptrofobi im glad too :)

[youhavegeniusshins]

@korntwist1 You like "trash metal?"

[6ftUnder92592]

@1977moonchild yeah! megadeth started as jazz thrash metal, nd jaco is straight jazz soul funk

[SpearShark]

@korntwist1 FUCK OFF, MEXICAN FAGGOT!!

[korntwist1]

@SpearShark Mexican?

[SpearShark]

@CherokeeMusic Because both of them have gender from Finland.

[TheAssmanproductions]

@CherokeeMusic Did anyone notice that he sounds like Dennis Hopper??

[666lucky13]

@CherokeeMusic Mustaine has a whiney tone to his voice. Jaco here, doesn't.

[666patrickbateman666]

@CherokeeMusic

Mustaine is a sissy and Jaco is not !

Mustaine talk like a sissy and Jaco talk like a man !

[iloveitaly1]

he had to wear the hat to cover up the enlarged secion of his brain thaat was dedicated only to being a genius 

[frozendager]

the soul of rock n roll

[jeleopard]

I'd really wanna see him and Steve Harris duke it out. I'd bet on Jaco, but it'd still be fun to watch.

[Romans10Verse9]

Look at that funky ass sweater.

That dudes the man

[71m3w4573r]

@Romans10Verse9 hehe funny. i'm a massive jaco fan but this did make me giggle

[sh4ne]

master of bass, but not so good at choosing his wardrobe.

[jryuwah]

@sh4ne I believe he was homeless around the time this video was made, before like in the 1970's his wardrobe was quite awesome =)

[chugshhh]

His voice is like eminem's

[TRJBASS]

I'm gonna piss a lot of people of with this, while yes I do think Jaco was a great player, I really don't care for his sound ( mid range burping and farting ) solos , I always enjoyed his groove playin (come on. come over ,ect ) much more.if you guys have never heard the cat doing the interview check out King Curtis " memphis soul stew"

[damodrummer1]

@TRJBASS so is that the dude playing on "Memphis Soul Stew" that's interviewing him in this thing? I kinda agree about the tone thing but I gotta say y gotta come up into the mid range if your playing allot of notes at a high speed or it all sounds like a muddy blur. I guess the real crazy solo bass thing was still very new (some would say Jaco invented it) at the time so getting the right tone for that high speed stuff was a real challenge, me thinks.

[TRJBASS]

@damodrummer1 ,Yes he played bass on that , he also played on a lot of Gil Scott -Heron stuff ,his name is Gerry Jemott.

[Cambodia69]

@TRJBASS Yeah, it must be the same way I feel about Victor Wooten's and Bill Dickens' tone - thin, nasally, scooped-out mids and clacky, harsh, sparkling trebles. That said, I respect their abilities to make the bass sound like a machine-gun.

[gosiman]

One of the best indeed!

13 Dislikes? Oh well not everyone can appreciate this kind of talent.

[colgatesmile123]

@gosiman I think they actualle missed the button. No joke here - they missed the good button.

[craigdamage]

Tragic. He is making an instructional video and couldn't get a gig. GREATEST LESSON ever: Don't let yourself get ruined by drugs and alcohol.

[GUITARDALI]

I'm lovin his groove @ 3:53

[MASTREJRJR]

Wonderfull...to me jaco is the best ever!

[VicRattlehead79]

I think I'm going to start learning how to read notes

[kiijl]

@VicRattlehead79

i play bass since 9 years. and now i am learning notes. at the moment soul intro / the chicken. i think its pretty cool. necessary if u want to understand the theory. real shame i havent start much earlier.

[VicRattlehead79]

@kiijl

Is it tough reading notes? I never really tried or paid attention.

[METALLMAN1000]

@VicRattlehead79 MY freind reading has to be done everyday all day untill its engraved ! you must learn all the position of the neck , all high notes its a challenge! i read okay . NOT the best but okay ive been playing a while too

[Championmdf]

what's the song in the beginning called?

[blah148]

@Championmdf I just uploaded a youtube lesson on that line.

[SSINTENSE]

I'm going to take his advice. Never thought about learning the other parts.

[VicRattlehead79]

@SSINTENSE

Yeah, same here.

[seth3556r]

this guy has horrible posture.

[LfunkeyA]

@seth3556r

this guy is also a legend

[Championmdf]

what's the intro song called

[bob5068]

the sound is not working, who can fix this?

[JLittleBass]

I hear the whole reason for this video's existence is that they spotted Jaco wandering destitute around the streets of nyc, which is why the first thing he says is "gimme a gig!" Not sure if it's true but it would fit in with what i've heard about him from people who knew him

[wysiwyg248]

@JLittleBass

The "gimme a gig" comment is probably because Jaco felt that playing in a band is the way you are going to learn the most. However, as you pointed, I am sure he really missed playing.

[Fjord76]

@wysiwyg248 Actually, nobody wanted to hire him at that time in NYC (like Bird at the end) so this is kinda sad...:(

[ArnoldandPereira]

called? band called???

[bontromium]

nice pimple on the head :)

[PrettyLittlePetShop]

@bontromium yeah don't pick that thing

[Airwar405]

@bontromium ewww his forehead has a mind of its own

[WolrdMusic]

@bontromium  hahahaha

[MatTtackable]

@bontromium Damn man I want to jump on him and squeeeeeze that shit.

[aaronamccoy]

@bontromium zit. that look like a gunshot wound

[rastacorey]

@bontromium that nigga got a mtn. on his 4head !!!

[MattFeige11]

@bontromium It funny guessing what the first comment will be, I immediately thought pimple!

[batieboy01]

crap sound



[tubamanKevinU8]

hey guys, do you think you all could watch my bass vids and drop some comments on em? id appreciate hearing your thoughts. ill be posting some more vids, so you can subscribe if you want. ill return the favor. thanks!

[gabrielpearson]

am i the only person that thinks that maybe billy bob thornton should portray jaco in a movie about his life?

[alembicbassguy]

Incredible to think that at the time of this release Jaco was well on the way to decline & bumming places to crash for the night... considering this is the 80's he is incredible - but In his prime he was an ABSOLUTE MONSTER player.

It must have been very intimidating/inspiring as a bassist to have witnessed him at the full peak of his powers in the mid 70's!

[rfwagnerjr]

All these years, and I never knew until recently that he was a Floridian. I took him to be Brazilian, Czechoslovakian, or Scandinavian, and to learn he's my homeboy really blew me away. He really put the hook in me in 1975, when Louie Frieze in Glendale, Ohio, turned me onto Weather Report, and this cat Jaco nailed something down in me that has stuck with me ever since. RF, Venice Beach, CA

[wysiwyg248]

@rfwagnerjr

He was born in Philadelphia, and grew up in Florida.