Modern Electric Bass, Jaco Pastorius

Rating:
Summary: Jaco instructional video review
Review: A fancinating look into the man that was the genius behind so much amazing music. Shot during a dark period in his life Jaco still project a sense of humor and shares many insights into playing the bass. Just watching the command he has over the instrument's tone is worth the price of the DVD. Are bass players really getting a better bass tone these days?...I don't think so.

Rating:
Summary: Jaco instructional video review
Review: A fancinating look into the man that was the genius behind so much amazing music. Shot during a dark period in his life Jaco still project a sense of humor and shares many insights into playing the bass. Just watching the command he has over the instrument's tone is worth the price of the DVD. Are bass players really getting a better bass tone these days?...I don't think so.

Rating:
Summary: Jaco, Scofield and Kenwood Dennard on video - too awesome!!!
Review: As for Jaco, the world's self-proclaimed greatest bass player, he probably needs no introduction to anyone who is capable of appreciating him in the first place so I won't say any more to newcomers than that he isn't MERELY the greatest bass player ever; he downright revolutionized the instrument with his seldom imitated and never-duplicated sixteenth-note style of jam.

My brother used to take bass lessons and he got this on VHS a long time ago. Although I am a keyboardist, I think I watched this video more than he did, mainly to see the trio's performance of 'The Chicken.'

Jaco Pastorius on bass, John Scofield on electric guitar and Kenwood Dennard on the drums.

This is one of the best musical acts I've ever seen on video.

The music: please, I won't even downgrade it by trying to describe it in words.

The performers: Three jazz gems who are as entertaining to watch as anyone I've ever seen.

Watch John play that guitar; you can't help but feel the funk eating away at you as much as it does him. He looks likes he's about to burst, but listening to him play, it's easy to see why.

Kenwood Dennard is just a MACHINE on the drums. His beats are straight-ahead, but so, so tight and funky. He violently shakes his head from side to side continuously with the same level of entertainment and accuracy executed in his drumming.

And then there's Jaco. If his actual bass playing is outlandish, his stage manner one-ups it. This guy is just so uncommonly funky that his strange and somewhat comical facial expressions can be explained by nothing other than that he even stupefies (is that a word?) himself with his cutting-edge musical fare.

As for the pedagogical value of this video, I don't play bass, so I'm not in the best place to give an educated opinion on this. I did watch some of the instructional portions, and Jaco's riffs seemed difficult (that's no surprise). My two cents: I reckon that purchasing this video with the hopes of sounding anything like Jaco is tantamount to hoping you'll achieve half the wealth of Bill Gates by purchasing Windows XP. Get this video for the inspiration of watching masters at work; your advancement with any instrument is more a function of your talent, desire and persistent hard work than what you get out of ANY video beyond inspiration.

FYI: Although I refer to him in the present, Jaco was murdered in 1987 by a nightclub bouncer who brutally ejected him from the premises and beat him to death. He was even homeless and broke for much of his life. It is unfortunate what this world gave Jaco in return for his genius, but he will never be forgotten by any jazz musician who is worth the instrument he plays on. There a thoroughly excellent biography called 'Jaco' that I read a while back; check this book out if you want to learn more about this incredible musical legend.

Rating:
Summary: Jaco is the basslegend of all times!
Review: I can highly recommend any lets say "professional" bassplayer to buy this piece! Otherwise it's also a great gift for someone who plays the bass. It's not much for beginners but it can be a great source of inspiration. Jaco tells all about how to handle this beautiful instrument - the bass. The DVD also includes a manual of notes for the different advanced skills he shows the viewer. As extra material there is a ca 10 minutes long slap technique session. I really recommend this product!

Rating:
Summary: Jaco is the basslegend of all times!
Review: I can highly recommend any lets say "professional" bassplayer to buy this piece! Otherwise it's also a great gift for someone who plays the bass. It's not much for beginners but it can be a great source of inspiration. Jaco tells all about how to handle this beautiful instrument - the bass. The DVD also includes a manual of notes for the different advanced skills he shows the viewer. As extra material there is a ca 10 minutes long slap technique session. I really recommend this product!

Rating:
Summary: requiem
Review: If at this time (2005) you are still seeking more from Jaco, you don't need another review. 18 years after his death we still mourn his untimely and brutal passing.

Buy this. Share it with your friends and children. While this is not Jaco at his best, it showcases the essence of what it's all about ....... inspiration, hard work, the dream. Thank you Jaco, forever.

Rating:
Summary: Live JACO !!!
Review: It is wrong to rate this dvd,cause it's live JACO,and thank You
to them who recorded it!

Rating:
Summary: And then there was Jaco...
Review: This can't be explained. Seeing is believing. We have heard his music and were awed. To actually SEE what the man was capable of will leave you astonished.
A true genius at work.
Before you do anything from here on, order this dvd.

Rating:
Summary: Important Historical Document Now Digital
Review: This is my revised review, due to the fact that my original review contained comments about the DVD not containing footage from the original VHS release. I got in touch with Warner Bros, and they set me straight. The entire, original VHS release is indeed preserved on the DVD version. I'm not sure how I kept missing this footage (The performance of "The Chicken"), but it IS there. Thanks to Warner for checking into this for me.

It's great to see that this important historical document of Jaco Pastorius is now preserved on DVD. The video quality in my opinion could have been cleaned up/sharpened a little bit better, but this is a minor issue. The sound quality is noticeably clearer. This, combined with the random-access ability to go to any section or example make this a great over-all package. It's truly inspirational to watch, and a great learning tool as well. While not exactly for the absolute beginner, it does cover some of the more "basic" elements of playing. I would still encourage any beginner to check this out, as it will definitely keep you inspired! It's pretty much essential viewing for any bass player - or musician for that matter. It's NOT a video of gimmicks, licks, or tricks (and believe me, I've seen enough of those). It's a video about music and possibilities, and THAT'S what it's all about folks. You won't get any "secret short-cuts" or "speed techniques", but what you WILL get is sound, practical, insightful KNOWLEDGE from a true musician and master of his chosen instrument. This video still inspires me after years of viewing the VHS edition. It's great that Warner saw the true value in converting this to digital for future generations to see.

Now for the complaints: If any, I would say that the bonus materials are of no value whatsoever. There is a short slapping lesson included (NOT FROM JACO!), that I feel cheapens the true essence of the video, but hey, you don't have to watch this portion if you don't want to! Also, the biography section is weak in not too in-depth. The last bonus section that is supposed to explain a little bit about Jaco's equipment and set-up is nothing more than an advertisement for Fender Jaco clone basses - shameless advertising in my view.

In summary, this is an important release both for its historical and educational value. It is true to the orginal VHS release. I'm glad to see the Jaco video has gone digital - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Rating:
Summary: Jaco is GREAT
Review: Why 3 stars... because if you're going to lay out the bread to watch Jaco do "The Chicken" you need aureal lessons not visual. Use the ear not the eye.

I love Jaco as much as the next bass affecionado, and as my nom de plume suggests, I'm not a stranger to the Electric Bass, but my gawd people... this isn't the end all product to improve your playing.. That's called practice, rehearsal, having BIG EARS. With some technicality, good listening and patience YOU TOO CAN PLAY THE ELECTRIC BASS! Quit kicking sand in your own faces and get on it!

I get the feeling that people love this demo for all the wrong reasons. It's not going to make you play any better, or worse, only you can do that.

Jaco was a great influence on the vocabulary of the Electric Bass, and he was actually lucid when he made this video (for the day). I'm not taunting him or disrespecting him or anything of that nature. But if anyone knew the VALUE of hard work and application it was JACO. So sit down, move away from the T.V. and start working out on the instrument and the ear... not gluing your peepers to the T.V. and wishing... wishing is not good enough and hoping is not a method.

my 2cents