Good balanced revisit of your previous video. I haven’t watched that yet, just this, but there should be more videos like this generally - recognising other points of views, and putting forward supporting reasons for your stance. Nice one!
Great musical explanation- You are correct.The thing about Jaco is he's like Al Dimeola/ The technique is mind bogglin' but it doesn't sound good to me. Where as say John Mclaughlin who's playing and technque are on another dimension but he's extremely melodic at times Chaotic and of course Trance like, but he always sounds Brilliant. you don't have to know anything musical to get it. However i do like some of Jaco's playing w/ Middle era Weather Report.
Some great insight near the end… I think bass players can learn a lot from Jaco, but don't try to play exactly like him, because a) you (probably) won't be able to, and b) his style is too intense to blend into most kinds of music. He was like a musical black hole, in that he was an immense force that warped the musical space around him wherever he went. That was great for scenarios like Weather Report, the stuff he did with Joni Mitchell, and Pat Metheny's first solo album. (OK, those are the main places I've listened to him.) But his style - at full, relentless intensity - wouldn't fit a lot of kinds of music. But here's my key point: if you're *as good as Jaco* then you're not going to sound anything like him, because being as good as him means doing something completely new and different that no one has ever heard on the instrument before. The only place to get away with mimicking his style totally would be… uh… a Jaco Pastorius cover band. (And yeah, I have recorded my own versions of "Midwestern Nights Dream," "Elegant People" and "The Chicken" so maybe that's what I'm trying to do…? They're all on my TH-cam channel, but I'll refrain from linking to them here.)
A GENIUS like Jaco MUST follow their own vision whether it fits into many others musicians' bands, projects, and records or not. An innovator like Jaco Pastorius is rare on ANY instrument, and TRUE innovators should realize and develop that innovative contribution to music and their instrument NO MATTER WHAT. Coltrane, Holdsworth, Jaco etc etc should offer THEIR own music first and foremost because their vision is their prime directive. It is that prime directive of realizing their breakthroughs that stands the test of time.
Hi Patrick, thanks for checking out the video. I don't have a patreon, just a buy me a coffee. No obligation though! www.buymeacoffee.com/howtobassdave If you'd like a tutorial drop me an email.
I just don’t like when they compare Jaco to Jamerson. Jaco was an experimentalist and Jamerson was the father of the fender bass. Jamerson wrote the rules of the Fender bass and they’ve never been successfully exceeded . I think Jaco was a guitar player at first. The beautiful thing about bass is that it has boundaries and the bassist job is to be as creative as he can be within those boundaries. Jamerson changed the rules of what other musicians thought was possible. Jaco was abstract and you can’t really gauge abstract. Bad dude! But he has to fall back when it comes to James Jamerson. Jamerson still baffles music professors to this day. Nobody critiques Jamerson about anything. He’s thee rock solid master of the bottom.
Everything you say about Jamerson is true, a real Master of ENSEMBLE bass playing. But Jamerson wasn't a virtuosic soloist and composer like Jaco was. I'm not interested in comparing two MASTERS like this either because I LOVE Them both, but if you are REALLY being fair you would also admit that Jamerson couldn't play like Jaco either, or write music like Jaco. BOTH GREAT!
The reaction to Jaco is emblematic of peoples reactions to bassists in general. More then any other instrument (imo) folks tend to be guided by unconscious expectations of what it means to feel comforted and emotionally supported by the music. Innovation brings risks to this unexamined(for most people) status quo. Michael Manring told me Jaco was the most self destructive person he had ever met and I often wonder how much of this was behind his genius and his constant deconstruct ion/reconstruction of the tropes of the bassists role in music.
Sting himself said it: “Jaco Pastorius completely tripped over the perspective we had about the bass.” Also, many legendary musicians agree that Jaco was one of a kind and not only one of the greatest bass players, but also one of the greatest musicians of all time. Honestly, I just think that people who hate on Jaco are just the ones that aren’t smart enough to understand him 🤷🏻♂️
They have their reasons, and many of them are articulate well, which shows their intelligence. Intelligence is not measured by the ability to be on the bandwagon of referring to someone as a genius if they think otherwise.
Jaco did NOT say to Zawinul upon first meeting him: "I'm the greatest bass player THAT EVER LIVED." He said: "I'm the greatest bass player in the world." Distinction there.
@@HowToBass Well the reason I'm pointing this out to you is because saying "I'm the greatest bass player that ever LIVED" implies that Jaco didn't respect any bassists that came before him in previous eras etc. Saying "I'm the greatest bass player in the WORLD" means, I'm the greatest bass player in the world RIGHT NOW. Also, I just want to be clear about exactly what Jaco said to Zawinul.
True there is a distinction, but the statement was still one of arrogance. Also, he was not the best bass player in the world. He was the best at doing what he did. What he did is not the criteria for calling yourself the greatest when there are so many great bass players, who do/did their thing, and did it in the way that it displayed their greatness while still complimenting the other musicians (the music). His playing was to compliment himself. Also, Jaco's legacy is not like the legacies of a Jamerson, a Larry Graham, Louis Johnson, Felder, McCartney, Donald Duck Dunn, Verdine White, or even Marcus Miller who knew how to display their genius of complimenting music in such a way that caught the ears of non-musicians and musicians alike and inspired many to pickup a bass as their instrument of choice.
@@charlesurdy-barnes413 If you think Jaco didn't "inspire many to pick up a bass" then you really aren't living in reality. Jaco, whether you like it or not, probably inspired more people than any to "pick up a bass," so you couldn't be more wrong there. Secondly, you're not entirely accurate when you say Jaco's playing "was to compliment himself." Yes and no. In the early stages of Jaco, younger Jaco on record, he played wonderfully as a sideman. Listen to the records he did with Joni Mitchell. BEAUTIFUL! ABSOLUTELY complimenting her songs and music AND AT THE SAME TIME making a very personal statement on his instrument. Not easy to do, and you definitely don't see that all the time in bassists. But I hear you man, Jaco did get more and more self indulgent, and did later on, begin to neglect his priorities as a BASSIST. But don't kid yourself for a second dude, Jaco Pastorius was a very rare type of GENIUS that doesn't come around this world too often. Those types of geniuses have to follow their vision. Jaco Pastorius singlehandedly expanded the possibilities of the bass guitar in many ways. He expanded the role of the bass to become a more melodic instrument, he showed that a deeper and more sophisticated harmonic language could be realized and expressed on the bass guitar, and he brought to light MANY different sonic textures that mankind didn't know the bass guitar could even produce until he did that. So, don't undersell EXACTLY who this guy was; A BRILLIANT INNOVATOR AND GENIUS. BTW, Jaco is still THE GREATEST COMPOSER that was an electric bass guitarist that has ever made a solo album that this world STILL has seen to this day. Listen to the compositions on his debut record and Word of Mouth. Would you think an electric bassist wrote that music if you didn't know about Jaco??? Brilliant genius, get that straight. It's true either way you cut it.
Good balanced revisit of your previous video. I haven’t watched that yet, just this, but there should be more videos like this generally - recognising other points of views, and putting forward supporting reasons for your stance. Nice one!
Thanks Luke, it was quite a controversial video. There are a lot of interesting comments coming in but its nice to read something positive.
Great musical explanation- You are correct.The thing about Jaco is he's like Al Dimeola/ The technique is mind bogglin' but it doesn't sound good to me. Where as say John Mclaughlin who's playing and technque are on another dimension but he's extremely melodic at times Chaotic and of course Trance like, but he always sounds Brilliant. you don't have to know anything musical to get it. However i do like some of Jaco's playing w/ Middle era Weather Report.
Jaco dosen't good to you ? what a strange comment.
Some great insight near the end… I think bass players can learn a lot from Jaco, but don't try to play exactly like him, because a) you (probably) won't be able to, and b) his style is too intense to blend into most kinds of music. He was like a musical black hole, in that he was an immense force that warped the musical space around him wherever he went. That was great for scenarios like Weather Report, the stuff he did with Joni Mitchell, and Pat Metheny's first solo album. (OK, those are the main places I've listened to him.) But his style - at full, relentless intensity - wouldn't fit a lot of kinds of music.
But here's my key point: if you're *as good as Jaco* then you're not going to sound anything like him, because being as good as him means doing something completely new and different that no one has ever heard on the instrument before. The only place to get away with mimicking his style totally would be… uh… a Jaco Pastorius cover band. (And yeah, I have recorded my own versions of "Midwestern Nights Dream," "Elegant People" and "The Chicken" so maybe that's what I'm trying to do…? They're all on my TH-cam channel, but I'll refrain from linking to them here.)
A GENIUS like Jaco MUST follow their own vision whether it fits into many others musicians' bands, projects, and records or not. An innovator like Jaco Pastorius is rare on ANY instrument, and TRUE innovators should realize and develop that innovative contribution to music and their instrument NO MATTER WHAT. Coltrane, Holdsworth, Jaco etc etc should offer THEIR own music first and foremost because their vision is their prime directive. It is that prime directive of realizing their breakthroughs that stands the test of time.
i really wish i could know what is going on in "Balloon Song (12-tone) (alternate)"
this is a really great idea for my next video. thanks!
Thank you the interesting theory lesson ❤
Glad you enjoyed it!
This book is called Tonal Harmony because this is the way I do it when I am not sure I check my music school books!
How do I sign up for your Patreon 🙏 tutorial ?
Hi Patrick, thanks for checking out the video. I don't have a patreon, just a buy me a coffee. No obligation though!
www.buymeacoffee.com/howtobassdave
If you'd like a tutorial drop me an email.
"People only hear what they understand"
Wolfgang von Goethe
I just don’t like when they compare Jaco to Jamerson.
Jaco was an experimentalist and Jamerson was the father of the fender bass.
Jamerson wrote the rules of the Fender bass and they’ve never been successfully exceeded .
I think Jaco was a guitar player at first.
The beautiful thing about bass is that it has boundaries and the bassist job is to be as creative as he can be within those boundaries.
Jamerson changed the rules of what other musicians thought was possible.
Jaco was abstract and you can’t really gauge abstract.
Bad dude!
But he has to fall back when it comes to James Jamerson.
Jamerson still baffles music professors to this day.
Nobody critiques Jamerson about anything.
He’s thee rock solid master of the bottom.
Everything you say about Jamerson is true, a real Master of ENSEMBLE bass playing. But Jamerson wasn't a virtuosic soloist and composer like Jaco was. I'm not interested in comparing two MASTERS like this either because I LOVE Them both, but if you are REALLY being fair you would also admit that Jamerson couldn't play like Jaco either, or write music like Jaco. BOTH GREAT!
The reaction to Jaco is emblematic of peoples reactions to bassists in general. More then any other instrument (imo) folks tend to be guided by unconscious expectations of what it means to feel comforted and emotionally supported by the music. Innovation brings risks to this unexamined(for most people) status quo. Michael Manring told me Jaco was the most self destructive person he had ever met and I often wonder how much of this was behind his genius and his constant deconstruct
ion/reconstruction of the tropes of the bassists role in music.
Jaco is for Jimi Hendrix fans who regret learning bass instead of.guitar
Sting himself said it: “Jaco Pastorius completely tripped over the perspective we had about the bass.”
Also, many legendary musicians agree that Jaco was one of a kind and not only one of the greatest bass players, but also one of the greatest musicians of all time.
Honestly, I just think that people who hate on Jaco are just the ones that aren’t smart enough to understand him 🤷🏻♂️
They have their reasons, and many of them are articulate well, which shows their intelligence. Intelligence is not measured by the ability to be on the bandwagon of referring to someone as a genius if they think otherwise.
"People only hear what they understand"
Wolfgang von Goethe
Dudes bass playing sounded like straight up farts. Dude is overrated
Jaco did NOT say to Zawinul upon first meeting him: "I'm the greatest bass player THAT EVER LIVED." He said: "I'm the greatest bass player in the world." Distinction there.
Thankyou for the correction
@@HowToBass Well the reason I'm pointing this out to you is because saying "I'm the greatest bass player that ever LIVED" implies that Jaco didn't respect any bassists that came before him in previous eras etc. Saying "I'm the greatest bass player in the WORLD" means, I'm the greatest bass player in the world RIGHT NOW. Also, I just want to be clear about exactly what Jaco said to Zawinul.
I appreciate it ❤
True there is a distinction, but the statement was still one of arrogance. Also, he was not the best bass player in the world. He was the best at doing what he did. What he did is not the criteria for calling yourself the greatest when there are so many great bass players, who do/did their thing, and did it in the way that it displayed their greatness while still complimenting the other musicians (the music). His playing was to compliment himself. Also, Jaco's legacy is not like the legacies of a Jamerson, a Larry Graham, Louis Johnson, Felder, McCartney, Donald Duck Dunn, Verdine White, or even Marcus Miller who knew how to display their genius of complimenting music in such a way that caught the ears of non-musicians and musicians alike and inspired many to pickup a bass as their instrument of choice.
@@charlesurdy-barnes413 If you think Jaco didn't "inspire many to pick up a bass" then you really aren't living in reality. Jaco, whether you like it or not, probably inspired more people than any to "pick up a bass," so you couldn't be more wrong there. Secondly, you're not entirely accurate when you say Jaco's playing "was to compliment himself." Yes and no. In the early stages of Jaco, younger Jaco on record, he played wonderfully as a sideman. Listen to the records he did with Joni Mitchell. BEAUTIFUL! ABSOLUTELY complimenting her songs and music AND AT THE SAME TIME making a very personal statement on his instrument. Not easy to do, and you definitely don't see that all the time in bassists. But I hear you man, Jaco did get more and more self indulgent, and did later on, begin to neglect his priorities as a BASSIST. But don't kid yourself for a second dude, Jaco Pastorius was a very rare type of GENIUS that doesn't come around this world too often. Those types of geniuses have to follow their vision. Jaco Pastorius singlehandedly expanded the possibilities of the bass guitar in many ways. He expanded the role of the bass to become a more melodic instrument, he showed that a deeper and more sophisticated harmonic language could be realized and expressed on the bass guitar, and he brought to light MANY different sonic textures that mankind didn't know the bass guitar could even produce until he did that. So, don't undersell EXACTLY who this guy was; A BRILLIANT INNOVATOR AND GENIUS. BTW, Jaco is still THE GREATEST COMPOSER that was an electric bass guitarist that has ever made a solo album that this world STILL has seen to this day. Listen to the compositions on his debut record and Word of Mouth. Would you think an electric bassist wrote that music if you didn't know about Jaco??? Brilliant genius, get that straight. It's true either way you cut it.