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| various - Who Loves You? A Tribute To Jaco Pastorius (1998) |
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| Personnel: Hiram Bullock (vocals, guitar); Will Lee (vocals, bass); Marcus Miller (various instruments); David Sanborn, Andy Snitzer (alto saxophone); Bob Mintzer, Michael Brecker, Bill Evans, Chris Hunter (tenor saxophone); Jim Hynes (trumpet); Randy Brecker (flugelhorn); Michael Davis (trombone); Gil Goldstein (accordion, keyboards); George Whitty (piano, keyboards); Joey Calderazzo, Bob James (piano); Michael Colina (keyboards, programming); Jim Beard, Kevin DiSimone (keyboards); Steve Cardenas, Mike Stern (guitar); James Genus, Mark Egan, Victor Bailey, John Patitucci (bass); Steve Gadd, Peter Erskine, Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums); Don Alias (percussion). AMG: This tribute to the genius of jazz/fusion bass pioneer Jaco Pastorius features many of the friends and musicians that jammed with the legendary musician, including Victor Bailey (who replaced Pastorius in the Weather Report lineup in 1982) and drummer Peter Erskine (Pastorius's bandmate in Word of Mouth). Bassists Mark Egan, Marcus Miller, Will Lee, James Genus, and John Patitucci play three originals composed in memory of the bassist and cover six songs composed by Pastorius. "Third Stone From the Sun" is also included, a song that alludes to a riff that Pastorius would often quote in concert during his bass reign with Weather Report. At the center of this tribute the listener will find a treasure. In what must be one of the most stirring renditions of "A Remark You Made," tenor saxophonist Bill Evans plays a beautifully haunting sax melody underscored by Gil Goldstein's accordion and keyboards that taps into the depths of one's soul. This powerful rendition of Joe Zawinul's composition is even more emotional because of Mark Egan's recreation of the signature fretless bass voice that brilliantly reflects the nucleus of Pastorius' greatness. This, along with the plaintive wail of Mike Stern's guitar that adds another layer of pent-up passion, will bring tears to your eyes. Victor Bailey plays "Continuum" to perfection and offers some highly authoritative statements to his excellent perception of the original vision. The song continues to stand as an enduring medium for their brilliant bass chops. Randy Brecker, Peter Erskine, and Bob James perform the compelling ballad "Three Views of a Secret," with Brecker's muted trumpet emphasizing the dramatic inner self, or secret through shifts in nuance. "Song for Jaco - Song for a Friend" spotlights the reverence of alto saxophonist David Sanborn, the beautiful piano of Bob James, and the contemplative guitar of Steve Cardenas and closes the beautiful tribute. The music on Who Loves You: A Tribute to Jaco Pastorius is expressive, emotional, and brilliantly eulogizes the passion and forces that were a part of Jaco Pastorius' essence. ~ Paula Edelstein, All Music Guide CD Universe: Jaco Pastorius made such an impact on the electric bass that his influence will be recognized for generations by anyone who picks up the instrument. In this star-studded project, many of the modern bass luminaries who have drawn inspiration from the eccentric bass master gather to pay tribute with remarkable interpretations of some of Pastorius' greatest works. The presence of many of the musicians who shared the stage with the bassist, like Peter Erskine, Mike Stern, Michael Brecker, and Don Alias, makes this tribute even more special. Brecker and John Patitucci make a grand opening statement on Hendrix's "Third Stone From the Sun," a Pastorius favorite, before Mark Egan and Mike Stern make dramatic use of Joe Zawinul's moving "A Remark You Made." Victor Bailey contributes his exceptional performance of Pastorius's signature "Continuum." Likewise, James Genus' "Three Views of a Secret" and Marcus Miller's "Portrait of Tracy" each show not only how Pastorius influenced their art, but also what he means to them. Finally, Erskine's tender "Song for Jaco" is a heartfelt homage both to a dear friend, and a musical wonder. Urubu Mundi: "Who Loves You?" is a great tribute from a stars constellation to Jaco Pastorius, the greatest electric bass player passed away on September 21, 1987 in a tragic circumstance. Recently I listened "Third Stone From The Sun" with Hendrix when I watched "The Dreamers", but here I had the typical solo bass from Jaco (I love both). On "A Remark You Made" you will feel Goldstein accordion, Stern guitar and Evans sax. "Continuum" is a standard. Then I picked up "Fall'n Star" and "Three Views Of A Secret" as the better you can have in this album: the first with the melancholy of Cardenas guitar and Whitty piano; the second, best Jaco´s composition, with Bob James piano, Cardenas again and the Randy´s Brecker muted trumpet. "Dania" is a jam session. "Portrait Of Tracy" is a sentimental homage from Miller to his idol and "Song For Jaco" is a goodbye music with Sanborn´s sax and Bob´s James piano. JazzTimes (5/01, pp.188-9) - "...This isn't a bass CD anymore than Jaco's records were bass albums. It's a jazz CD, with top jazz musicians infusing their own styles..." alaboutjazz - Todd S. Jenkins: When Jaco was good, he was very, very good. The best, in fact. Of course, when he was bad he could be horrid, as innumerable lousy bootleg CDs from his waning years testify. But when he was peaking, no one could hold a candle to Jaco Pastorius? bass artistry. At those times he was indeed, as he insisted, the World?s Greatest Bass Player. Which makes it all the stranger that this tribute album was released over ten years after his tragic death. Everyone on this all-star collection was deeply influenced by Jaco in some way, be it his bass prowess, adventurous spirit, or unpredictable but endearing personality. The album?s title is a Kojak catchphrase that Jaco loved to use around friends and strangers alike, reflecting just a bit of the extraordinary, uninhibited, fearless character known as Jaco. This album contains six of Jaco?s own compositions, one Joe Zawinul tune that he made famous during his Weather Report tenure, three separate tributes written by his friends, and a special Jimi Hendrix song that Jaco liked to quote in live performances. The Hendrix tune starts the disc off, the solitary groan of John Patitucci?s acoustic bass pounding out the main riff. Originally a drummer, Jaco never played the upright bass, always sticking to the electric Fender Jazz bass guitar of which he became the everlasting icon. But he was a tremendous inspiration to Patitucci and his spirit certainly flows through the piece. “A Remark You Made”, the Weather Report classic, is made more poignant by Gil Goldstein?s wistful accordion while Mark Egan and Bill Evans recapture all the tenderness that Jaco and Wayne Shorter infused into the original. Jaco developed his own signature tone on the fretless bass by finger-picking down close to the bridge pickup and boosting its volume. Mark Egan?s sound here is a striking echo of the Jaco style that has since become the standard J-Bass tone. I?m glad that this piece was selected instead of Birdland. While that will always be the Weather Report song most people associate with Jaco, it?s been recorded ad nauseam by everyone from Manhattan Transfer to Maynard Ferguson; enough is enough. “Continuum” is perhaps Pastorius? most famous composition, a high-range bass feature which he performed and recorded in numerous incarnations, varying the structure of the piece to suit his mood at the time. Victor Bailey revisits the original version from Jaco?s self-titled debut album, a record that seriously rocked the world of musicians everywhere in 1976. Next come two different tribute tunes. The first, by former Gil Evans keyboardist Gil Goldstein, is a comfortable jazz ride reminiscent of several of Jaco?s post-Weather Report tunes. It features Egan again, tenorist Bob Mintzer and guitarist Mike Stern, whose work here and elsewhere on the disc is forceful and majestic. Next is a contrasting piece by Patitucci wherein the bassist and guitarist Steve Cardenas interweave delicate, nostalgic lines of melody. “Okonkole Y Trompa” is a richly brocaded Afro-Latin piece from Jaco?s debut, headed up by Randy Brecker on flugelhorn and supported by ethereal keyboards, Don Alias? percolating percussion, and later the pummeling drums of Peter Erskine. The vocals on the original version of “Come On, Come Over” were performed by soul legends Sam & Dave and are revisited here by longtime David Letterman cohorts Will Lee and Hiram Bullock. Lee also lays down the bass funk in droves as this party boogies on. Randy Brecker returns with pianist Bob Moses for “Three Views of a Secret”, from the first album by Jaco?s Word Of Mouth big-band project. Brecker?s muted trumpet and Cardenas? brittle guitar dredge out all the beauty and darkness from the tripartite theme.”Dania” is a Latin-flavored sprint with Mintzer, Egan and Bullock at the helm. The omnitalented Marcus Miller plays bass, keyboards, bass clarinet and drum machines as he lovingly interprets “Portrait of Tracy”, another beloved Jaco tune. Its comely melody is sprinkled liberally with true and false harmonics, difficult techniques which Pastorius? double-jointed thumbs and extra-long fingers made easier for him but horrendous for copycats. The disc closes with a final tribute composed by Peter Erskine. It features Bob James? lyrical piano and David Sanborn?s warm alto, which sounds a bit nasal here due to the production. As excellent as these performances are, especially Mark Egan?s, the disc makes us aware of just what a loss Jaco?s death was to the music. Bass players across the globe still draw deep from the well of his influence, yet there was something about his style that no one else can quite pin down. Maybe it?s a part of his quixotic personality that emerged through those fleet fingers. At any rate, if you know Jaco?s music you will probably treasure this disc. And if you?re not familiar with the World?s Greatest Bass Player yet, this disc will give you many reasons to explore his legacy. |
