No comments about Modern Electric Bass.

2 comments about Pastorius Modern Elec Bass CD and Book Edition (Alfred's Artist).

1. This instructional book gives many exercises from Jaco himself. It has a cd that comes with it that helps out. It covers harmonics (has a chart) and ways to improve your left hand speed, precision, and clarity. The book itself is clear enough that you can use it to teach yourself. Though the book goes with the video (of the same name) so it's good to get both. Also, on the cd is a jam session with jaco and an interview. All in all it's a great value and no jaco collection is complete without it.



2. First of all, I'm not a die-hard Jaco fan. Hell, he isn't even in my personal top 10 list. So my reason for giving this 5 stars is not "because it's Jaco"; it's because this package contains a WEALTH of bass knowledge and exercises designed for the non-beginner, jam packed into a 36 page book and single CD.

   The contents of this book/CD package were directly taken from the video edition of the same title. But the book/CD stands alone as a separate product; you DO NOT need the video to make sense of it. In fact after I bought this, it was still years before I got to see the video.

   The book starts off with a quick review of the scales and modes, and the rest consists of transcriptions of all the exercises and solo pieces found on the CD. One thing that sets some of these excercises apart from other books is that they're fun and musical, not boring and mechanical. You may have learned all your scales and modes before, but these exercises have you practicing and playing them in new ways and in new position. Jaco also covers the use of chords, harmonics, playing in odd beat divisions, and plays a few solo songs that really put it all together with groove. All of the exercises are GREAT for helping you think-out-side-the-box.

   Aside from the exercises, the CD also contains some of the band-performed music found on the video and interview clips. Jaco talks about subjects like the importance of reading sheet music (a good reason why this book contains no tablature), how he became a bass player, and playing different musical styles.

   Considering this book/CD set has pretty much everything from the video and costs half as much, I'd actually recommend this product over the video itself.

1 comments about Jaco Pastorius: The Greatest Jazz-Fusion Bass Player (Bass Recorded Versions with TAB).

1. Okay, first--you have to have skills needed to not only read music and tab, but the dexterity and articulation needed to tackle material other than the most basic bass lines. Secondly, you will need the CD's or source material needed to pick up on the nuances that Jaco employs through dynamics, touch and feeling. Thirdly -- you will need time. Acquaint yourself with the music then start hitting the book.

   Not wanting to play anything note for note like some sort of automotron, I choose rather to go for the feel. Afterall, can one really achieve each individual percussive attack or note? I hope not! If you can then buy an old beater Fender Fretless, drop in .9mf Cap, make sure the pickups supply the necessary Low, Mids and Trebs... change your roto-sounds weekly pick up an acoustic 360 amp and go for it. If not... go for the feel.

   The selections are good and cover a wide range of material and styles. It is enjoyable to get inside the music a bit.

4 comments about A Portrait of Jaco: The Solos Collection.

1. This is one of the finest selections I have for Jaco's written music. The markings and notations are well defined, but beyond the exquisite job done with the transcriptions the analysis that accompanies each piece is some of the real meat and potatoes that interested me. Malone points out what Jaco did stylistically and with note selection that gave him that elusive characteristic "signature sound" that only the truly great musicians had. The title was very clear. This book deals with the "solos" of Jaco and NOT his legendary "grooves". Dr. Malone rightly places Jaco among the musical geniuses of all time and affords the credit due to this master of music and the electric bass. This book will satisfy and should be on the shelf of every true Jaco afficianado.



2. i like this book, especially the brief analysis of each solo, but i would urge anyone using it to learn licks to take the book as a "suggestion", get some transcribing software, and do your own transcriptions, or at least do some note checking. there are plenty of mistakes in these books, i have seen, and sometimes it can obscure the logic of certain licks and how they must've been executed. i am thinking specifically of the bright size life solo. these books are fine for casual study, though.



3. This is a carefully and beautifully written book. I was among those who were stunned in 1976 when Jaco's debut CD was released, and I absorbed as much of his playing as I could at that time. Today, this book continues to help me, and it can only add to your insight, appreciation, and ability to play in the tradition of the late, great Jaco Pastorius.



4. I bought every highly ranked bass book on amazon as a gift for my brother. My brother loves Jaco. I loved Jaco. It is sad that he was into drugs. This ruined him before he became really great. It is fortunate he played with other highly profiled musicians, namely those in Weather Report. Those albums are amazing. As well as the live recordings in New York.

5 comments about Jaco Pastorius: A Step-by-Step Breakdown of the Styles and Techniques of the World's Greatest Electric Bassist.

1. i guess i was looking for a little more when i had bought this book and cd. it is really nice to have the cd right along with you in order to hear what the music is supposed to sound like, but i was looking for more girth, although this is still a very good book, with some words on the reasoning about the music.



2. Okay, first--you have to have skills needed to not only read music and tab, but the dexterity and articulation needed to tackle material other than the most basic rock lines. Secondly, you will need the CD's or source material needed to pick up on the nuances that Jaco employs through dynamics, touch and feeling. Thirdly -- you will need time. Acquaint yourself with the music then start hitting the book. Not wanting to play anything note for note like some sort of automotron, I choose rather to go for the feel. Afterall, can one really achieve each individual percussive attack or note? I hope not! If you can then buy an old beater Fender Fretless, drop in .9mf Cap, make sure the pickups supply the necessary Low, Mids and Trebs... change your roto-sounds weekly pick up an acoustic 360 amp and go for it. If not... go for the feel. The selections are good and cover a wide range of material and styles. It is enjoyable to get inside the music a bit.



3. Is the notation and tab accurate? Yup, but who cares, there's a million tab sites you can get that from. What I was hopping for was a break down on his right hand positioning and technique as well as his left hand. On tunes like Portrait of Tracy, where there are multiple lines going on at once, technique is very important. All of Towey's Commentary seemed bent on deifying Jaco. That's useless, Jaco's music Deify's itself. Give me adaquate information on how to place my hands in order to play the material!



4. First thing that I find irritating is that the only song fully transcribed is "Portrait of Tracy", but this can be forgived since the aim of the book is to get the techniques Jaco used. But then, on "Portrait of Tracy" there is just transcription (accurate, though) but there is no in-depth approach to techniques which are VERY hard to apply.
   
   If you want to continue studying Jaco stuff, I recommend this book to start with and later get something that's more into transcriptions



5. Detailed transcriptions of Jaco's great bass lines. Very useful, good for improving vocabulary; also great for improving techinque by playing the parts a tempo. The tunes featured are some of the greatest recordings by Jaco, including two he made with Joni Mitchell, "Bright Size Life" and many Weather Report remarkable pieces. Absences to regret: "Havona", and the fact that the transcription of "Birdland" includes only the intro with false harmonics.

3 comments about The Essential Jaco Pastorius.

1. i absolutely love this book!!! if you are into analysis, and checking out what jaco actually played from the beginning to the end this is a good book. i'm am actually learning these peices in the book, and i would say that there is no other way better to learn how and why he does what he does, than actually going over and playing what he did, note for note.



2. OK, first off, I'm a Fender Precision Bass player, and have been perfoming since 1971. So, needless to say, whatever Jaco played is/sounds brilliant, and I've rather dilligently tried to rip off/"play" some of his riffs - HA-ha...Anyway, MY favorite "Jaco Moment" is that ASTOUNDING (Cameron Crowe would probably say "incindiary") bass solo, right after the first verse of Ian Hunter's "All American Alien Boy." In just two lines, Jaco does things with his bass (a Fender Jazz Bass) that most "lead" guitarists I've heard/played with/for, just could NOT play with such finesse and speed. Ok, OK, WHY WASN'T THAT SOLO INCLUDED IN THIS BOOK?



3. I grew up playing bass. When I first started, all I wanted to do was to be able to play like Jaco. This book lays out very clearly all of the notes Jaco played on these recordings and alows you to (slowly for me) start hammering out the different licks and tricks and grooves. I appreciate this book much more as an older and more mature bass player, because I can now actually pull off many of the songs with Jaco's technique very nicely. Playing Jaco's material with any kind of finesse is not easy. So what this book so amazingly offers is the notes, the hard work and practice to get it right is up to you.