Jaco

Rating:
Summary: A compulsive read.....................
Review: .......Milkowski's book is an effort that should be applauded by all who pick up its pages. When I first looked at the intro to the book, I found it a fascinating look into the genius and tragedy of this landmark musician. Unlike others, who have stated that the book falls short in examining Jaco's psychological short comings and mental closet skeletons, I found the read not to be wanting in any area describing his life. Not only is it a book that is I feel is mandatory reading for any music lover.........it is a book that even the non musician can appreciate as well. The shock and saddness in which the stories unfold make the subject of Jaco as a performer simply a compelling story which the reader begins to empathize with Jaco but feels the same helplessness as those within the book while reading along to the inevitable conclusion. An easy read, and I've read that book at least 3 or 4 times and still pick it up to refer to some of the of profound statements and observation about not only Jaco's life........but the with human experience in all of us as well...Finally, this book (as a screenplay) would make an unbelievable movie ....Kudos to Bill...........RIP Jaco

Rating:
Summary: fascinating
Review: Anyone familiar with Jacos music can appreciate what a great bassist he is. After reading this book I really began to understand just what a musical genius he really was. I enjoyed the story about how his brother took up playing guitar because he wanted to be better than jaco at somthing (Jaco was better at most everything than his brother). To his brothers surprise, Jaco took the guitar having never played an instrument before and was playing it in no time.

There are many stories like this, each one giving insight to how special he really was. This book is an easy read and very enjoyable to anyone but musicians particularly will enjoy it.

Rating:
Summary: Bio: Like Jaco's Life, A Sudden Rise and Long Decline
Review: Bill Milkowski's admirable attempt to chronicle the life (and death) of Jaco Pastorius, arguably the world's greatest electric bass player, captures the early years in Jaco's development extremely well. As the young bass prodigy grows into manhood, one cannot help but to look ahead to the day when talent of such magnitude is rewarded with due respect and admiration. Unfortunately, such accolades prove not to be enough to keep Jaco from -- and perhaps even contribute to -- a decade-long decline of alcohol, drugs, and worst of all, manic depression. Milkowski rightfully deplores the abandonment which Jaco faced in his most difficult times, yet honestly notes the lengths to which many of Jaco's friends go in order to give him opportunity after opportunity to straighten out. These middle chapters constitute a sad progression from bad to worse, during which Milkowski reports so many one-step forward, two-steps-back incidents that the redundancy plays like a two-chord ditty. Only Jaco's death from a nightclub beating, and the resulting aftershock it leaves in the jazz world, sober the reader into appreciating the full extent of the tragedy. In addition, throughout the book Milkowski makes brief references to a sort of death wish on Jaco's part, which serves to make the tale only more agonizing. Ironically, however, it is this martyrdom that contributes most significantly to the immortality of his musical legacy. In one incident, a strange parallel to the death of Christ, Jaco tells Carlos Santana, "I'm dead." Eleven years later, thanks in part to Milkowski, nothing could be further from the truth.

Rating:
Summary: Needs Authority
Review: For some reason or another I have read a number of books along this same vein. Successful Musician, gifted, genius, thunderbolt from heaven, then poof, they self destruct and are gone long before they should be... yet are memorialized because of the ground they broke. Bix Beiderbeck, Jimi Hendrix, Chet Baker, Charlie Parker etc...

While this book covers the basic time line information, it doesn't really get to deep below the surface. Perhaps because there are too many people too fond of Jaco.

Should the journalist delve deeply or just run a shallow narrative concerning the life and times of Jaco Pastorius? Jaco had severe problems which led to his untimely death. While he was taken early in a altercation outside of a bar... he had already pushed the self destruct button and appeared to be beyond anyone's reach.

Sadly, no one came forward to really help this suffering soul. A few tried, and yes the responsibility ultimately rests with the individual, but Jaco was in need of some serious tough lov., Could it have worked? We'll never know.

Rest peacefully Jaco, you WERE loved and ARE missed.

Rating:
Summary: The eccentricities of a genius
Review: For those of you reading this, you are probably already familiar with the musical genius of Jaco. However, if you are like I was, you have only heard the menagerie of myths surrounding his life. In JACO, Milkowski breaks down the bariers for outsiders, like you and me, and allows us to explore the fascinating and tragic world of this modern Mozart. It is a poignant and rivetting foiray into the psyche of a tumultously and excitable man in whcih you will experience love, hate, joy, elation, and utter heartbreak as those who knew Jaco personally must have. Milkowski paints a gorgeous portrait of a young Jaco so that he may realistically tear it down with the tragedy that Jaco placed upon himself. I will never look at my own life or music the same way.

Rating:
Summary: Heartbreaking
Review: Heartbreaking story of the inability of society to cope with mental illness, and of a brilliant musician who suffered and died young because of it. You almost need to be a musician to understand Jaco's contributions, but you don't need to be one to enjoy this book.

Rating:
Summary: Too close to his subject?
Review: I finished this book thinking that Bill Milkowski was just way too close to his subject to do a true biography - at times, particularly towards the end, it becomes "my life with Jaco". However, that closeness does give Milkowski some insights into Jaco's personality that another author probably wouldn't have. Milkowski correctly recognizes that one of Jaco's greatest problems was the people surrounding him. One striking thing about the book was how many people close to Jaco blamed the "system" for failing Jaco (the author included), yet amazingly, how his family allowed a total stranger to convince a judge to release him under his own recognizance, 4 days before he received the fatal beating at the Midnight Bottle Club. However, unlike the treatment of John Belushi in Wired or Jim Morrison in No One Here Gets Out Alive, Milkowski avoids mythologyzing. Milkowski recognizes that when a supremely talented person destroyes himself, it's not heroic, it's tragic.

Rating:
Summary: Tragic that we do not have some support system for Genius
Review: I have read the whole book. Hardly putting it down. I knew nothing of the drama or of how close to my own walk of life Jaco was. As much as I have never done drugs and do not mark myself as a genius at all. I totally understand the problems of anger, money, love, etc mismanagement. It is enough stress on a person to be under performance pressure. This is the buffer of having agents. But to keep everything in a nutshell I think all along Jaco was expressed as a very sane person. I too would hate a system that allows your gift to be trampled over. If it were a patented thing oh boy we would all be in trouble. The art of music is so deep and touching that it kind of serves as a witness report to David in the time of old who was able to move the evil spirit from the king. As stated in the book it is not the same hearing Jaco's work copied than it is to hear it fresh from his fingers. And oh what a joy it must have been to know the man in his times of peace. As for the women in his life. I think the system attempts to make sense of it all and lay down some guidelines but overall if the children do not get good management skills from the start then whos to know when the best come forth from the ashes of the land. We should all have the best of training but ultimatly if we give in to the pressures of the streets and the overwhelming push of the lost ones to save them. How long shall the gifted poor last. Jaco was not God himself but of his talent he surely was the best. Not because he could do it all but because he had heart and touched ours too. I wish God himself would forgive Jaco for his mismanaged anger. For punishing us by punishing himself and we losing a true saint of music to a misunderstanding culture. We lost a good man. John. [e-mail]

Rating:
Summary: Maybe somewhat inaccurate, but still a great read
Review: I read somewhere that the Pastorius family had disputed some of the "facts" in this book, however, I was not able to put it down. Most of the stories related to ones I had previously heard. If you are a Jaco fan, you owe it to yourself to read this book.

Rating:
Summary: GREAT BOOK
Review: I SAW JACO PLAY WITH THE WORD OF MOUTH BAND IN 1976, I`M JUST OVERWELMED THAT I WAS ABLE TO SEE HIM AT THE WOLF & RISTMILLER COUNTRY CLUB IN RESEDA, FRONT ROW CENTER. THIS BOOK IS A VERY INTERESTING BUT SAD ACCOUNT OF ONE OF THE MOST TALENTED ARTISTS AROUND.I LIKE THE BOOK BECAUSE THE WORDS ARE SPOKEN FROM THE ACTUAL PEOPLE THAT TOURED WITH HIM AND ALSO FAMILY MEMBERS. THANKS FOR MARKETING SUCH AN INTERESTING BOOK. I`M GOING TO READ IT ONE MORE TIME BYE!!