HBD Jaco Pastorius

ginormous

Understatmentologist
Born John Francis Anthony Pastorius III, December 1st, 1951, in Norristown PA, USA.
The only electric bassist ever elected to the Down Beat magazine "Jazz Hall of Fame".

Everyone from Pat Metheny, Wayne Cochran, to Ian Hunter, Joni Mitchell, Blood Sweat & Tears (with whom he toured early on), the University of Miami (where he was an instructor at the age of 22), to his successful career with Weather Report, has benefited from his fretless bass sound.

He interpolates a little of Jimi's "Third Stone From The Sun" into his signature bass solo, "Slang".


He got Sam & Dave to re-unite for this song on his solo debut, which featured Herbie Hancock, David Sanborn, the Brecker brothers, and some of his Miami homeboys in the horn section.
The drummer is a pre-disco Narada Michael Walden, who was very into the aggressive, polyrhythmic Billy Cobham style at the time.



Here he is with Weather Report live in concert with drummer Peter Erksine; an audience camera captures them performing a Jaco composition, "Teen Town".
(Courtesy of bassist and instructor Rick Suchow)


RIP September 21, 1987. He is survived by his four children, John, Julius, Felix, and Mary. His former wife passed on in 2011.
 
Re: HBD Jaco Pastorius

WoM coming...

in the meantime, here's Jaco jamming, and arranging a hot horn section for Joni Mitchell:

 
Re: HBD Jaco Pastorius

 
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