One of the ever lasting melodious songs to listen to would be “Portrait of Tracy” – It is the bass instrumental song from 70’s and shows a beautiful soft fragility fretless string sounds of harmonics. As if you are listening to harp or different string instruments yet it camouflages the element.
“JACO The Film”is the documentary film released in 2016, produced by bass player, Robert Trujillo (Metallica, A former bass player for Suicidal Tendencies). The film is about one of the greatest electronic bass players all time, Jaco Pastorius who was emerged and actively participated during 70’s to early 80’s. He was known as the gifted musician, revel, prodigy of the music scene, artistic genius, multi talented music producer, and most known for the ability to express emotions through the bass melody by harmonics : his character, groove, and engagements. Not only charisma but also Jaco was known for being a great collaborator to lead beautiful ensembles. He still has been admired by many and described as Jimi Hendrix or Miles Davis on bass.
The documentary film follows his whole life path until his death in age of 35, along the comments of fellow musicians : Wayne Shorter, Harbie Hancock, Joni Mitchell, Booty Collins, Sting, Flea, and many more. It is a music journey of Jaco and the music scene of his youth in Florida where he grew up in an organic environment to follow the music steps, his career as legacy followed by New York and global, including his mental health issue as a bipolar disorder, substance dependency, and his life ending as nomad which his death time was predicated by himself way before his death. It is a heartbreaking yet inspiring journey of pure joy and passion for music through Jaco Pastorious’s life path. The film shows the layers of contrast between the shadow and light in the music industry as “artists owned music business” in New York around the era of 70’s to early 80’s. There is also an profound visuals from the film that his childhood and days in Florida were captured on super-8 films. As if the visuals are metaphorical to the his roots and his home as “Portait of Tracy” where he described the music environment as borderless and eclectic.
His career was highlighted in the world known Grammy Award nominee’s jazz fusion band, “Weather Report”. In the film, it well explained that the band was at their peak during Jaco was in the band : his approach changed the band style of statuesque and experimental as well as changing the definition of the role of bass player to as forefront groove vine. Weather Report toured abroad and became very popular especially in Germany, Japan, and Australia. The band so as Jaco’s skills yet eccentric iconic style attracted new, various audiences from different cultures. Jaco himself also enjoyed the stay and performed in Japan : Weather Report’s concerts at Tokyo Kouseinenkin Hall and Jaco’s solo big band, “Word of Mouth”(which was fantastic piece of joyous artwork) at Nihon Budokan are remains in published collections of the popular concerts. Thus his style broke the ideology mold of stereotypes jazz culture as (the only core jazz music aspirants go see jazz concerts), it became the diversion of followers to “jazz fusion” : heavy metal and punk music fans followed the band because of Jaco’s influence. In fact that his radio documentary on BBC Radio produced in 1998 was titled “Punk Jazz”. From numbers of reference and concert footage of his, Jaco utilized playing a loop with sampling the bass lines by the electronic sampling machine which is now standard for music. It is certainly one of his achievements as a legacy of music has no boundaries.
Jaco Pastorius is indeed a star and artistic genius of harmonics. To experience his the world great bass player and his talents as well as knowledge about bass guitar and the contemporary music history, JACO is the recommended documentary film for it.
Location Reference:
Nihon Budokan (September 1, 1982 Jaco Pastorius Big Band, Word of Mouth)| ADDRESS : 2-3 Kitanomarukōen, Chiyoda, Tokyo 102-8321, Japan
Tokyo Koseinenkin Hall (June 28, 1978 Weather Report) | ADDRESS : 5-3-1Shinjuku,Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo Japan
Palais Theater (July 9, 1978 Weather Report)| ADDRESS : Lower Esplanade, St.Kilda, VIC, Australia 3182
Horchschule der Kunste (September 27, 1978 Weather Report) | ADDRESS : Charlottenstraße 55, 10117 Berlin, Germany
