Customer Reviews

Jaco: The Extraordinary and the Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorius, "the World's Greatest Bass Player"

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I couldn't believe it when I finally found a book about Jaco. Where have I been? I was thinking of writing my master's thesis about Jaco a couple of years ago. But how could I top this book. What a great read. I read it in 2 days. I couldn't put it down. Of course when you love someone's music, and are amazed and saddened by someone's life like Jaco's, it's not hard completely diving into the book and not coming up for air. I wish someone would option this book for a movie. It's a great, yet tragic tale.

Jaco was a genius trapped on this planet! He inspired me to keep going even though his talent may never be reached by a common man. Sad and Amazing!

I picked up this book out of curiousity after buying Jaco's solo album. I heard of him and I wanted to read about him. This book has changed my views on the music industry and performing and has ultimately made me a better musician. Jaco single handedly revolutionaized the electric bass to unimaginable proportions. No bass player should ever go without a Jaco album and no musician should go without reading this book. Informative, tragic and educational. I love this book and have have read it through four times. Jaco and his music will live in my heart forever.

Even when we know that there are issues with some parts of it between Ingrid and Bill, every page reveals amazing things about Jaco. Those stories have the power to immerse us in the life of the Greatest Bass Player in the World. From the beginning and the good moments, to the suffering of an unknown psychiatric illness. Jaco even now is the greatest, and his life shall be preserved through the memories that survived him and that are transmitted by Word of Mouth. Jaco shall live forever on all of us.

This book was recommended to me by a friend (that happens to play bass). Not ever being exposed to jazz before, it sounded like an interesting read so I bought it for my Kindle.

As I started to read the story, my immediate reaction was to purchase all his music. Although I don't have all the music yet (I'm working on it), I was intrigued at once by not only his music but the story behind it all.

I'm not going to get all analytical about the book however I will say it's a must read for anyone.

As I read the book I was overcome with the sense that there wasn't anybody in Jaco's life that wanted to offer some substantial help in his recovery,( just for the sake of preserving one of the 20th century's greatest contemporary composers who had barely started to show the world as a whole what he stood for) but, rather just for the sake of making it to the next show to fatten someone's wallet. Unfortunately even that small percentage of help disappeared when his so-called friends and hanngers on lost intrest. Overall I think Bill Milkowski did a fantastic job of portraying Jaco's life story. He wrote the story as someone who missed a friend and not a business associate.Hats' off to him, and shame on those who caugth on only after it was too late and chose to opportunise on his music at the expense of his estate, (posthumously ofcourse).

This has got to be the best book I have ever read. It has quotes from so many different people that knew Jaco. It really makes you realize what a terrific guy he was. It's a easy book to read and it's the kind that you just can't put down! It's totally incredible. I would recomend this book to ANYONE, whether they're a bassist or not. Even if they aren't a musician at all, I know anyone would love this book!

Jaco, "The World's Greatest Bass Player" is true to form. As a bass player I could hardly wait to see and hear him at a local club here in Rochester, New York. To my disappointment his behavior was exactly as described in the many examples Bill Milkowski mentions in his book. A packed house left demanding a return of their cover charge. Jaco, although attempting to play a keyboard, a drum set and his bass could not in fact play a note of sense on any one. Oh, one thing I did get from the experience, a high five from Jaco as he circled the bar with his long hair drenched in water, an attempt to sober himself. Thanks Bill for a larger than life look at an extradinary musician. I highly recommend this book to all musicians and teachers of young students.

If you are a fan of Jaco's music, and why else would you be here reading reviews of his biography, then you must buy this book. Mr. Milkowski cleared up a lot of things for me, helping me to put a (totally interesting) personality behind the name. It's a great read from cover to cover, by crackie!

Jaco Pastorious's story is a very interesting one; certainly fitting to the extremes of the American culture. Even if you are not a bass player, or even a musician, you should find Milkowsky's chronicle of Jaco an to be an interesting, emotionally charged, reading. However, I think a question is unconsiously brought up by the author. That is, just how far outa whack should you stretch your neck looking up towards Jaco? Honestly, the author is very one-sided about how he presents Jaco: Jaco was a very sweet man of a musical genious that most cannot begin to imagine. He was tormented by a mental disorder and it, unfortunately, caused the ruin ofhis career. The author makes it very clear that he sympathises with Jaco, that he, as best as he can, sees it from Jaco's point of view. I disagree though. I have known several of those who suffer from bi-polar disorder. They do find it hard to get along, but not like Jaco. I don't think his illness was his only problem. I! ! didn't know the man personally, but I don't think that disqualifies me as a critic of him. He made beautiful music, but that doesn't excuse his behaviour either. Milkowsky does a great job telling you how Jaco lived and died, but leaves the reader wondering just what Jaco's problem was. I think it makes the book even more interesting though.