Jaco Pastorius

"Strangers" was a TV cop show that went out in the UK in the 1970's starring Don Henderson, as a kid I lapped up TV shows and my first real exposure to music was TV show theme tunes.

The theme tune to this particular show was "Birdland" by Weather Report. It haunted me for years not knowing how to track it down (there was no internet in those days) until I borrowed the "Heavy Weather" album from a guitarist friend.

This was my introduction to Jaco Pastorius, by then I'd already been playing bass for a couple of years, and he just blew my mind.  To say I was influenced by him would be kind of overstating things, I can't say that I'd tried to play like him, because, that was beyond me then, and still is really, although I'm working on it.  

Jaco inspired me, as I hope he may inspire you if you're just finding out about him.

I've included a couple of Youtube videos, "Teen Town" which I loved from the moment I heard it, and "A Portrait of Tracy" which provides a great lesson in the use of bass harmonics, plus if you have a look under the "interview" section there's an interview he did with Jerry Jemmott.

There's also links to some of his output, if you click on the album covers you can find out a bit more about each album.

Enjoy!!

Nick

Link to Albums




Jaco Pastorius

Track Listings

1. Kuru
2. Speak Like A Child
3. Donna Lee
4. "Come On, Come Over"
5. Continuum
6. Kuru/Speak Like A Child
7. Portrait Of Tracy
8. Opus Pocus
9. Okonkole Y Trompa
10. (Used To Be A) Cha-Cha
11. Forgotten Love
12. (Used To Be A) Cha-Cha
13. 6/4 Jam

 

Word of Mouth

Track Listings

1. Crisis
2. Three Views Of A Secret
3. Liberty City
4. Chromatic Fantasy
5. Blackbird
6. Word Of Mouth
7. John And Mary



The Essential Jaco Pastorius

Track Listings

Disc 1

1. Donna Lee
2. Come On, Come Over
3. Continuum
4. Kuru/Speak Like A Child
5. Portrait Of Tracy
6. Opus Pocus
7. (Used To Be A) Cha-Cha Jaco
8. Bright Size Life
9. Barbary Coast
10. Hejira
11. Talk To Me
12. Birdland
13. A Remark You Made
14. Teen Town
15. Havona


Disc 2:

1. River People (Live)
2. Punk Jazz
3. Dry Cleaner From Des Moines
4. Dreamland
5. 4 A.M.
6. Teen Town (Live)
7. Slang (Bass Solo) (Live)
8. Port Of Entry (Live)
9. Soul Intro/The Chicken
10. Three Views Of A Secret
11. Liberty City
12. John And Mary








Invitation

Track Listings

1. Invitation
2. Amerika
3. Soul Intro
4. Continum
5. Liberty City
6. Sophisticated Lady
7. Reza
8. Fannie Mae
9. Eleven




The Birthday Concert 

Track Listings

1. Soul Intro/The Chicken
2. Continuum
3. Invitation
4. Three Views Of A Secret
5. Liberty City
6. Punk Jazz
7. Happy Birthday
8. Reza
9. Domingo
10. Band Intros
11. Amerika