AAJ: Three Views of Jaco: The Film, Soundtrack & Weather Report Live Tapes

[jkelman]

My review, Three Views of Jaco: Weather Report: The Legendary Live Tapes 1978-1981 / JACO: The Film & Original Soundtrack, today at All About Jazz.

It's hard to believe that, despite being gone for 28 years, bassist/composer Jaco Pastorius remains not just an important figure in the world of jazz, but beyond its broadest purview as well. His seemingly sudden appearance on a series of four albums in 1976 demonstrated that this was an artist with virtually no restrictions. In addition to his first contributing to two tracks on fusion supergroup Weather Report's Black Market (Columbia)--leading to his replacing former band bassist Alphonso Johnson through four additional studio albums and one live album until 1981--Pastorius also made an important showing on four tracks of singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell's career-defining Hejira (Elektra/Asylum), and was a seminal member of Pat Metheny's first trio on the then-up-and-coming guitar star's leader debut, Bright Size Life (ECM).

But it was on his own debut recording under his own name, 1976's Jaco Pastorius (Epic), that the bassist demonstrated the full breadth and depth of his musical capabilities and, despite its excellence, just a surface scratch of his true potential. From the mind-boggling opening salvo of bebop forefather Charlie Parker's "Donna Lee"--its knotty theme introducing Pastorius' signature fretless bass tone a cappella, with the exception of percussionist Don Alias' supportive congas--to the buoyant, horn-charged version of "Come On, Come Over," featuring soul superstars Sam & Dave and the unrelenting funk of the bassist's unshakable groove, those two tunes would have been enough to suggest an artist who had concurrently emerged... and arrived.

But the entire album was a knockout from start to finish. From the atmospheric "Continuum" and orchestrated Afro-Cuban vibe of "Kuru/Speak Like a Child" to the head-scratching, harmonic-driven solo bass feature "Portrait of Tracy" Pastorius demonstrated both monster chops and the knowledge of when to use them...and, just as important, when not to use them. From the greasy groove of the steel pan-rich "Opus Pocus" and harmonic/conga confluence anchoring the French horns of "Okonkole Y Trompa," to the fiery " (Used To Be A) Cha Cha" and heartbreakingly beautiful orchestral miniature that closes the album, "Forgotten Love," Pastorius went even further, demonstrating remarkable arrangement skills for horns and orchestras, and a sophisticated vernacular that allowed him to confidently solo, head-to-head, with some of jazz's most significant and influential artists, including pianist Herbie Hancock and saxophonist Wayne Shorter.

More than any of the other albums that featured him that year, Jaco Pastorius positioned the 24 year-old Pastorius as not just an electric bassist who would change the face of the instrument forever, but as a writer who would, during his short life, contribute a number of compositions to the jazz canon that are still played today, almost three decades after his tragic death at the age of 35.

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[100423]

It sounds fantastic and is a must have.
Thanks for the great review, John!

[jkelman]

It sounds fantastic and is a must have.
Thanks for the great review, John!

As ever thank YOU for the kind words. It is a must-have....as is the Weather Report box.

Meanwhile, just back from Montreal so rest this afternoon then start in on King Crimson's two nights in Montreal, with interviews from Jakko, Gavin & Mel, plus a few words from Pat.

A great time....

[mozo-pg]

Thanks for the excellent review! Sounds excellent.

[jkelman]

Thanks for the excellent review! Sounds excellent.

Thanks for the kind words.....all three releases are, indeed, superb.

[syncopatico]

Finally heard some of the so-called "Legendary Live Tapes" Weather Report release: damn, those original, dry sdb. tapes have now been SO smothered in EXCESSSSSSIVE digital reverb as to render them *unlistenable* imo. (ymmv)

(Why does it seem so many of these archival releases of material originally recorded in the analog format have to be 'ruined' by such practices! Do the producers/listeners of such things really think they sound *better* now? (hypothetical question)

[jkelman]

Finally heard some of the so-called "Legendary Live Tapes" Weather Report release: damn, those original, dry sdb. tapes have now been SO smothered in EXCESSSSSSIVE digital reverb as to render them *unlistenable* imo. (ymmv)

(Why does it seem so many of these archival releases of material originally recorded in the analog format have to be 'ruined' by such practices! Do the producers/listeners of such things really think they sound *better* now? (hypothetical question)

I certainly didn't find them a problem. Also, how do you know they were dry I the first place? Depends on what stage the reverb was added and where they recorded, doesn't it?

[syncopatico]

You mean the on-location recording engineer would have *purposely* made the band sound like they were performing in an cavernous echo chamber!?! That's even a more depressing occurrence than what I first envisioned! But that's really not possible, for instance I just sampled some of the recent release, 'Cheap Trick - The Epic Archive Vol. 1 (1975-1979' (about as far from WR that one can get in terms of temperament/musicianship) and that too sounds as if the 70's archival material has been smothered in digital reverb (plus digital delay 'slapback' echo as well). The drum sound (really the whole thing) is just absurdly 'artificial' sounding on this release. This seems to be an inevitable practice these days with stuff originally recorded in an analog format. Maybe to some it does sound better... who knows...?

Not to get *snarky* here, but have you given any 'major' release (larger budget--big production) a less than stellar review, John? (maybe just a so-so, mediocre review? if so I haven't seen it.) And of course, I meant a "rhetorical" question not a "hypothetical" question in my initial post--sorry I get those two switched sometimes!

[jkelman]

Not to get *snarky* here, but have you given any 'major' release (larger budget--big production) a less than stellar review, John? (maybe just a so-so, mediocre review? if so I haven't seen it.) And of course, I meant a "rhetorical" question not a "hypothetical" question in my initial post--sorry I get those two switched sometimes!

You can get as snarky as you want, though I must say I tire of answering this question as I have countless times...here and elsewhere, when someone new comes aboard and raises it.

Beyond the fact that, unlike most periodicals, All About Jazz doesn't assign music for review - its writers choose it themselves, so the tendency is for writers to pick music they like - the fact is that I get a lot more review material for consideration than I could ever possibly cover (the bane of most writers' existence, though am not complaining). So I need to triage.

As it was, before I became sick and was writing 5-7 reviews/week, given that I listen to any album I review at least 8-10 times before I put virtual pen to virtual paper, I see absolutely no reason to waste time on music that doesn't resonate with me in some way, shape or form.

Now that the health problem that started 20 months ago is slowing me down to one piece/week (if lucky), all the more reason that if I am going to spend significant time listening to an album or box set before covering it, it's generally going to be something I just don't like, but love. So that's why my reviews tend to me positive...though I'm not averse to criticism if I think it's warranted. For me, however, the reverb on the WR box just didn't bother me; irrespective, my focus was on the music...which is superb.

But the other thing to consider: I don't think of myself as a critic (though even that term is not what folks think it is...just look up the term at Merriam-Webster); I don't think of myself as a journalist either (not having the credentials to do so). I'm just a writer. And given my circumstances, I write about what moves me...and these days, given my restrictions, about that moves me a lot.

Plus not all my reviews are stellar; yes, they're usually positive, but I'd hardly say I fall into the territory of raving sycophant. Because when I give an album a positive review, I don't just say "it's great because I like it"; I provide in-depth and substantive justifications. One of All About Jazz's guidelines for writers that I've always taken seriously is this: "whether taking a positive or negative position, you must always be prepared to back that stand opinion up." I'd say, without hesitation, that I do just that.

If I appear snarky it's because I am truly tired of having to provide this answer. I write what I want because it's music that moves me...sometimes more, with a reissue, than it originally did (THRAK being a good example).

But truly, I don't really feel I need to explain myself to anyone. Overall, my stuff seems well-received (the live Crimson review/interview will likely break 29,000 by the end of today, five days after first being published), and not because my review are positive; they're well-received because, if I can be a tad self-congratulatory here, I go into depth and detail you'd be hard pressed to find beyond a relative few that includes Anil Prasad and Sid Smith, two of my favourite writers, alongside Carlo Wolff, Bill Milkowski and Chris May.

Ok?

One more point: who are you to determine what is "larger budget---big production"? You be surprised how small the budgets are for some things you think are otherwise.

[wideopenears]

Keep up the good work, John. I love to read your reviews.

I have been listening to the Live Tapes, which arrived yesterday, and I fail to see what all the blather is about....yeah, there's some reverb. Does it detract from the music? Not for me, at all. If you want to talk about "sound quality" go find any number of studio albums released in the 80's, and let's talk about the drum sounds on those, for instance. Blech.

I'm so thankful to have un-overdubbed, un-expurgated, live WR from probably my favorite period of the band (Night Passage/Second Self-titled) and also the period that often gets overlooked. Plus, Erskine liner notes! Yay! Also got the Jaco movie, which I haven't yet watched.

Erskine says, in the notes, BTW, that these tapes came from cassette recordings either on his deck, or the soundman's, and are apparently "from the board." But we don't know that they were "dry" at all. Did Columbia alter them? I'm sure of it. but I must say, if you find these unlistenable, then the beaucoup de boots out there in circulation among traders should be avoided like the plague...on many of those, you can't even hear all the instruments, or the crowd noise overwhelms the music.

[Gizmotron]

You can get as snarky as you want, though I must say I tire of answering this question as I have countless times...here and elsewhere, when someone new comes aboard and raises it.

Beyond the fact that, unlike most periodicals, All About Jazz doesn't assign music for review - its writers choose it themselves, so the tendency is for writers to pick music they like - the fact is that I get a lot more review material for consideration than I could ever possibly cover (the bane of most writers' existence, though am not complaining). So I need to triage.

As it was, before I became sick and was writing 5-7 reviews/week, given that I listen to any album I review at least 8-10 times before I put virtual pen to virtual paper, I see absolutely no reason to waste time on music that doesn't resonate with me in some way, shape or form.

Now that the health problem that started 20 months ago is slowing me down to one piece/week (if lucky), all the more reason that if I am going to spend significant time listening to an album or box set before covering it, it's generally going to be something I just don't like, but love. So that's why my reviews tend to me positive...though I'm not averse to criticism if I think it's warranted. For me, however, the reverb on the WR box just didn't bother me; irrespective, my focus was on the music...which is superb.

But the other thing to consider: I don't think of myself as a critic (though even that term is not what folks think it is...just look up the term at Merriam-Webster); I don't think of myself as a journalist either (not having the credentials to do so). I'm just a writer. And given my circumstances, I write about what moves me...and these days, given my restrictions, about that moves me a lot.

Plus not all my reviews are stellar; yes, they're usually positive, but I'd hardly say I fall into the territory of raving sycophant. Because when I give an album a positive review, I don't just say "it's great because I like it"; I provide in-depth and substantive justifications. One of All About Jazz's guidelines for writers that I've always taken seriously is this: "whether taking a positive or negative position, you must always be prepared to back that stand opinion up." I'd say, without hesitation, that I do just that.

If I appear snarky it's because I am truly tired of having to provide this answer. I write what I want because it's music that moves me...sometimes more, with a reissue, than it originally did (THRAK being a good example).

But truly, I don't really feel I need to explain myself to anyone. Overall, my stuff seems well-received (the live Crimson review/interview will likely break 29,000 by the end of today, five days after first being published), and not because my review are positive; they're well-received because, if I can be a tad self-congratulatory here, I go into depth and detail you'd be hard pressed to find beyond a relative few that includes Anil Prasad and Sid Smith, two of my favourite writers, alongside Carlo Wolff, Bill Milkowski and Chris May.

Ok?

One more point: who are you to determine what is "larger budget---big production"? You be surprised how small the budgets are for some things you think are otherwise.

What a great post!
As an amateur writer your points resonate loudly with me.

And Mr. Pastorius? Like so many music fans at the time, I had no advance warning on Jaco. My ears simply perked up when the various Joni-Weather Report-Metheny tracks came on the radio (WNEW-FM, NYC). I couldn't help but notice that BASS. Fame soon followed and writers covered him a fair bit. But back then, the combination of relatively few informed writers and the difficulty in obtaining copies of some music papers meant that many of us used our ears more than our eyes. That meant that sometimes it took quite a while to get tipped off to the good stuff.

At least today we have the 'net and many writers (like you) that write about their passions.

I frankly find little of value in reviews that simply put down music in some vague, "I hate it" way and slag artists for simply being themselves. Those critics seem to have one goal in mind: looking cool by calling stuff crap. Rolling Stone reviews over the decades come to mind.

Thank you for all that you do, Mr. Kelman.

[Dave (in MA)]

if I am going to spend significant time listening to an album or box set before covering it, it's generally going to be something I just don't like, but love. So that's why my reviews tend to me positive...though I'm not averse to criticism if I think it's warranted.

I couldn't imagine having to sit there and subject myself to music I didn't like in order to write about it.

[wideopenears]

I have now made it through the whole "Tapes" once, and mother of god, every WR fan should own this. It's a no-brainer. Un-fucking believeable--this really captured them at the apex, IMO.

[jkelman]

I couldn't imagine having to sit there and subject myself to music I didn't like in order to write about it.

Well, there are writers who must because they're assigned it...but I'm glad that when I began writing aloud 2001-02, it didn't take long for me to land at All About Jazz, where I had and continue to have the freedom to determine my own content. What other jazz periodical, after all, would allow me to balance writing about ECM, HighNote/Savante and Criss Cross with labels like Esoteric, Kscooe and DGM/Panegyric?

I feel very fortunate to have the freedom to write one day about John Scofield, the next about King Frimsom and the next about Lyle Lovett. All About Jazz is, indeed, a rare site and the person to thank is founder/publisher Michael Ricci, who's as open-minded as they come.

Thanks, Gizmotron, for the kind words, and (how appropriate!) wideopenears. I made a post on Facebook when my recent Crimson review hit 20,000 reads in less than two days (it's going to crack 30,000 by tomorrow!) so it still applies:

Thanks to everyone who has toughed it out and read my 9,000-word live review/interview/history epic, based on King Crimson's recent Montréal shows. In less than two days it has now been read well over *20,000* times (I believe, a personal record) over at All About Jazz...so give yourself a hand, folks; without you reading, sharing and providing feedback, there'd truly be no purpose....

So thanks again everyone! You've made my day!

And for those who missed it: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/king-cri...ohn-kelman.php

[Gizmotron]

Lyle Lovett! What a great artist! A fine guitarist, distinctive/emotive voice, great composer, and he ranges from full-on traditional to big band to alternative country.

[wideopenears]

Saw the Jaco movie last night for the first time, finally. Well done. Sad, really, but not in a tabloid sensationalist way. I thought they handled the mental illness issue compassionately. The most heartbreaking moment is when Jaco's son said "he would have chosen to get well, eventually" or words to that effect. I believe that, as well. Having known a few bipolar folks, the ambivalence toward treatment is a common stage in getting well, after diagnosis. Unfortunately, it's impossible to keep close watch on folks until they're over that hurdle, given the current health care system realities.

I've been having a convo on FB with a semi-famous bassist (and others) about whether "Jaco was the best." I hate that sort of "ranking," but I personally found him to be the second most important and influential musician for me, over my lifetime. Some great music and footage of Jaco in this film, and some nice footage of other players, too....much of which I have on other DVD's, etc. But the box set, for me, is the Actual Proof. Man, some of the choices he makes, when anchoring the rhythm section, or absurdly "non-habitual" and yet right on. At the apex, which is what the live box captures, he really was astonishing.

[profusion]

I haven't heard this set yet, but it's definitely a must-buy for me.

The paradox for me is that, while I'm a HUGE Weather Report fan, I also feel that Jaco was constrained by the limitations of being in that group. Zawinul was too controlling to allow Jaco the freedom that he needed to make his best music.

[mozo-pg]

I have now made it through the whole "Tapes" once, and mother of god, every WR fan should own this. It's a no-brainer. Un-fucking believeable--this really captured them at the apex, IMO.

Where did you pick up the box?

[wideopenears]

Amazonian.......

The Jaco/Joe relationship is a central part of much of the movie, actually, profusion.

[wideopenears]

I think Jaco's best music, in terms of his most fully realized vision, was the Word of Mouth album, and the subsequent live album Invitation, though it was released after he fell out with the label, as a sort of "contract fullfillment," if I understood things correctly.