A few weeks ago I wrote an article about 70s show band and revue Wayne Cochran and the CC Riders. You may remember that Jaco Pastorius played with Wayne and that the only place to find any rare tracks of the CC Riders was on a compilation album titled "Portrait of Jaco: The Early Years" on Holiday Park Records. Well, I ordered it and I love it. This is one of the most interesting and informative box sets I've heard. Instead of it being a bunch of "best of" tracks mixed with outtakes, "Portrait of Jaco" is an audio documentary. Each track is introduced with commentary by one of Jaco's friends or fellow musicians including Wayne Cochran, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Joni Mitchell and Joe Zawinul. Besides studio recordings from his work with Weather Report, Joni Mitchell and his solo efforts, the CD contains a treasure trove of rare live recordings made by Jaco's friend, South Florida musician Bob Bobbing. You'll also hear the demo tape he created for Joe Zawinul, Jacko as a kid playing drums, as a teenager making a home recording of "The Chicken" where he plays all the instruments, and early tracks with pre-Cochran bands Woodchuck and Tommy Strand & the Upper Hand. There's also an thorough and informative 80-page booklet with rare photos and plenty of commentary.
Jaco suffered from severe manic depression, and his manic episodes became the stuff of legend. The CD contains a heartfelt essay by his daughter Mary who sets the record straight about her father's later years and talks about her own battle with the illness. She emphasizes that Jaco was killed by a violent man that beat him to death, not by his illness or his manic behavior. Sure, the bouncer that beat Jaco up outside a South Florida bar served time. He served 4 months for taking the life of the greatest bass player that ever lived and one of the greatest and most innovative musicians that ever lived.
One can't help but think that even a few years later with progress in the treatment of manic depressive disease and a better understanding of the chemcial imbalances that cause it, Jaco might have received the treatment he needed and returned to a full, creative life. Who knows what great music we missed out on?
Posted by: Diane | Aug 14, 2004 at 05:33 PM