Back in 1976, bassist Jaco Pastorius threw down the bass playing gauntlet with a debut album that still astonishes to this day. Jazz solos of bop standards, Memphis Soul and adventurous fusion all came together in a way that set the standard for either inspiration or frustration to every subsequent aspiring bassist. Now, those initial sessions by the then 22 year old in his private recordings have come to light in their original form, along with a bunch of other previously unreleased tunes, in lp and downloadable form as part of a documentary on the all too soon departed and tormented genius.Jaco is teamed here with keyboards, drums, percussion and a pair of steel drummers, in various mixes and matches. Your jaw will still drop over the performance here of “Donna Lee” while Spartan readings of “Havona-Continuum” and “Kuru” are illuminating. Two takes of “Balloon Song” are fascinatingly joyful, and “Opus Pocus” still sounds fresh after all these years. A challenge to Pastorious’ legacy ends the album with the song titled “Forgotten.” Keep playing this one to remember how far the bass has come
Omnivore Records
www.omnivorerecordings.com
www.jacopastorius.com