Punk Jazz: The Jaco Pastorius Anthology

Jaco Pastorius | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 22, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Rhino
• ASIN: B00008PRS8
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,451 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. The Chicken (Home Recording)

2. Amelia (Live, 1972)

3. I Can Dig It Baby

4. Batterie

5. Continuum

6. Midwestern Nights Dream

7. Foreign Fun (Live, 1976)

8. Birdland

9. Nativity

10. Las Olas

See all 15 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. 3 Views Of A Secret

2. Liberty City

3. Chromatic Fantasy

4. Blackbird

5. Word Of Mouth

6. John And Mary

7. Good Morning Anya

8. Invitation (Live, 1982)

9. Soul Intro./The Chicken (Live, 1982)

10. Amerika (Live, 1982)

See all 13 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Bassist Jaco Pastorius was the Jimi Hendrix of jazz. Before he left this world in 1987, he virtually created the fretless bass with an unorthodox playing style that turned that instrument into a highly tuned, electrified African talking drum. This long-overdue, two-CD compilation details the incredible, but incomplete arc of this artist's genius that encompassed the R&B, Caribbean, fusion, and jazz-rock idioms. Jaco-heads will revel in these legendary sides that made Pastorius famous. There's his solo rendition of Bach's "Chromatic Fantasy," his dreamy improvisations on "Midwestern Nights" with Pat Metheny, and, of course, the 1976 Weather Report megahit, "Birdland." There are also a few unreleased tracks including an early home recording of "The Chicken" and a live version of "Okonkole Y Trompa." Pastorius's sideman work with Joni Mitchell, which features a wicked take on Charles Mingus's "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat," is also included. But Pastorius's own compositions steal the show: the West Indian-riffed big band number "Liberty City," and his expansive and exotic tone poem "John and Mary." This set will blow your mind and break your heart. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Product Description

The most comprehensive Jaco Pastorius retrospective ever released in the U.S. Features three tracks previously unavailable in commercial release. More than two dozen tracks, totaling over 2 1/2 hours of music, on two diverse, brilliant, career-spanning CDs! Rhino. 2003.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!! But Where is the Third Disc??, June 24, 2003

By 

A. Davis "astandavis" (Greenville, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Punk Jazz: The Jaco Pastorius Anthology (Audio CD)

This anthology is long over due. Jaco Pastorious was and still is the greatest electric bass player these ears have ever heard. Bold, soulful, melodic and full of pure talent - he is the benchmark for modern bass players and his arranging skills cannot be overlooked in the big band arena. As a total musician, Jaco Pastorious was a Genius. He left us way too soon. Upfront, this anthology is a welcomed addition to my music collection. I have managed to purchase most of his recordings, including the imported "Twins" Japanese concert that was only partially released on the U.S. "Invitation" album. Jaco had a long list of valuable guest roles on other artists recordings that are well represented here.

From the very start, Jaco had massive groove and technique. Listen to the bass lines on "I can Dig It Baby" - his signature sound is well defined on that 1974 track. His horn arranging skills are already in full bloom on the 1968 version of "The Chicken" - wow! The first disc is full of suprises that might have escaped many Jaco fans - if not captured here on Anthology. The beautiful "Midwestern Nights Dream" with Pat Metheny, was my first exposue to Jaco and his sound has been with me ever since. "Foreign Fun" is a lovely open-rump that allows Jaco, Mouzon and Mangelsdorff to stretch out and improvise within a tight groove. "Nativity" and "Las Olas" captures Jaco in the Airto and Flora Purim camp - laying down that fat Florida bass sound that only Pastorious could produce. The two Michel Colombier tracks "Sunday" and "Layas" are classic late 70's fusion workouts - bold, brassy and fun. The two Joni Mitchell tracks capture some of Jaco's most vibrant playing from the 1979 "Mingus" period. Exceptional contributions by Jaco always added a breath of fresh air to other artists' sound. For Joni, Jaco was a soulmate. They blended well together and made music magic on three Joni recordings. You can see this band live on the brilliant "Shadows and Light" DVD being released June 24th. Jaco is in top form during that concert and is part of a super group that includes Michael Brecker and Pat Metheny. Jaco fans should not miss that one.

Disc Two focuses on Jaco's solo recordings including the 1981 "Word of Mouth" and the incomplete "Holiday For Twins" and the 1982 Japanese concert "Twins". This disc captured the essence of a masterful musician in full bloom. No matter the musical combinations, be it big band, trio or septet - Jaco made it work. His bass sound and tone were so unique that you would never mistaken him for another musician. He was an exception and gifted writer, arranger and bassist - and the 11 tracks captured here are jewels.

What is suprising here is there is only one track represented from his career defining landmark 1976 "Jaco Pastorious" recording. The one track "Continuum" is a masterpiece. When you look at the track selection of Anthology, it is a glaring omission not to have an additional two or three tracks from Jaco's first solo release. So where is the third disc? Hopefully it will follow in a year or two and also include other side roles Jaco played with Al Dimeola, Randy Bernsen and Brian Melvin's Nightfood. I would also suggest a couple of tracks from Joni Mitchell's "Hejira" and "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter" recordings. If you don't have these two, Jaco is upfront and awesome in Joni's band.

I am very pleased with the release of this perspective of Jaco's career - I am just left wanting more. His music will live forever. Thanks Rhino for pulling this double disc together. Now let's get cracking on volume II. Enjoy!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars GREAT Compilation, but OH so incomplete, October 28, 2009

By 

Bill Board (God's Wrath, Ohio) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Punk Jazz: The Jaco Pastorius Anthology (Audio CD)

I appreciate the inclusion of the stuff Jaco did "in his bedroom," etc, but this compilation relies MUCH too heavily on the "Word Of Mouth" material (but didn't even include "Crisis," though), and gives 2..."examples" of what Jaco did with (ARGH) Joni Mitchell. Only "Birdland" by Weather Report is included, and, hey, WHERE is "A Remark You Made?" And WHERE is "Donna Lee," the track with just Jaco and conga player Don Alias, that absolutely terrified every other bass player in the world in 1976? And if Rhino is, really, trying to "touch all the bases," WHY wasn't "All American Alien Boy," by Ian Hunter included? That song that has the GREATEST bass guitar solo in the history of rock and roll, courtesy of Jaco.
While the liner notes were a bit "what we've heard before," they were still well written. I wish I could say the same about whoever was responsible for the "captions" on the pictures, though. On an "alternate version" of that pic that included the five members of Weather Report at their most prolific - Alex Acuna is identified as Airto Moreira and Manalo Badreana is identifed as Peter Erskine. Unforgiveable. Still...I appreciate the inclusion of "Foreign Fun," the song Jaco did with drummer Alphonse Mouzon and trombone (!) player Albert Manglesdorff, Jaco's "Amerika,' and the inclusion of guitarist Mike Stern's "Mood Swings," a track Jaco cut when, frankly, he was disintegrating. Nevertheless, the man was never poorer that perfect, and with drummer Steve Jordan as his rhythm section mate, the track was an wonderful "almost farewell, folks."

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars huh?, January 4, 2006

By 

Austin Smith "ajpadre" (San Diego, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Punk Jazz: The Jaco Pastorius Anthology (Audio CD)

Missing alot of good stuff on here, where is Portrait of Tracy??? Donna Lee?? 6-4 Jam????
This is an Okay overall image, but your missing alot and this is a horrible album to base your view on Jaco on. Get his self titled solo album.