Jaco Pastorious was one of the most trailblazing bassists in jazz history during the rock era. A sideman on countless sessions, a member (and producer) of the jazz fusion behemoth Weather Report, and a key member of Joni Mitchell’s fabled Shadows and Light tour in 1979, Pastorius also played on Mitchell’s three most jazz-oriented and expansive studio works in the 1970s Hejira, Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter, and Mingus. He was also a tragic figure who died much too young at the age of 35.
For all his prodigious output during his career, he only released two solo studio albums as a leader in his lifetime. There are also countless posthumous releases. This is a reissue of Word of Mouth, released in 1981, his second solo studio album. His first self-titled solo studio album was released in 1976. He recorded his second solo album while still being a member of Weather Report.
These solo albums show the other side of Pastorius, which is reflective of his composing talents. But as good as his compositions were, it’s his singular innovative bass style that made him a legend. His talents were so vast and his bravado so precocious that he described himself as the best bass player alive. And few argued with that youthful brashness.
Once the listener gets past the dissonant opening track (the prophetic “Crisis”), the music here is quite accessible and reflects the end of the heyday of jazz fusion. While some took the sound in more electronic directions, many others, led by the likes of Wynton Marsalis, took jazz in a more traditional direction, echoing the pre-rock era of jazz.
This album was quite different from his first solo album, which showed off more of his athletic electric fretless bass skills. This release places more emphasis on composing, particularly expansive, somewhat orchestral soundscapes, such as “Liberty City” and “John and Mary.” There is a lovely cover of The Beatles’ song “Blackbird” and an inspired take on Bach’s “Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue.”
He enlisted a who’s who of jazz artists including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Hubert Laws, Peter Erkskine, Jack DeJohnette, David Duke, Chuck Findley, Snooky Young, Howard Johnson, Tom Scott, Toots Thielemans, Michael Brecker, and Don Alias, among many others. Pastorius played with Brecker and Alias on the Shadows and Light tour. The album was recorded over many months at no less than seven studios. In many ways, the album is Jaco’s solo magnum opus and maybe his last great work.
This reissue was cut from the original analog tapes by Kevin Gray and pressed on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl at Optimal. The jackets are gatefold packages, using heavyweight glossy covers, with an OBI strip and four-page insert with photos, memorabilia, and an essay. This is a limited-edition, numbered release of 5,000 copies. The vinyl comes in paper and polyvinyl sleeves, but does not replicate the original label; instead, it features a new label for the Rhino High Fidelity Series.
Fusion jazz fans, Jaco fans, and audiophiles will welcome this release. It is also a reminder of an incandescent musical talent too soon gone.
GRADED ON A CURVE:
B+
