OK, I'mma pull out a good story for this one told to me by an old jazz head.
Guy is talking to Ron Carter and Yusef Lateef outside a jazz club in NYC before they play that night. They're talking and up from the shadows walks the one and only Jaco Pastorius. Mr. Pastorius puts out his hand to Ron Carter and says "Hi, Jaco Pastorius, greatest bassist of all time." Ron Carter: I know who you are muhfucka. Jaco: What, I just... Ron: I know 5 jazz bassists NOT me who are better than you. Yusef: I know 10, you can't even play standup bass and you play jazz! Ron: My last concert you were in the audience dribbling a basketball. (Turns to security outside) If this muhfucka comes inside, I'm not playing tonight.
Now that is truly
BUMP
Been jamming today. These muhfugs could play:
Bernard Muhfug Edwards (My Forbidden Lover > Good Times. Yeah, I said it)
James Muhfug Jamerson (The concreat upon which all of Tamla/Motown was built)
Me'Shell Muhfug NdegeOcello (Plantation Lullabies and Peace Beyond Passion)
I don't want to talk about frustrated sax players with a trillion notes. I don't want to talk about muhfugs with more theory than Einstein who want to counter beauty and booty with some tangent into modes. You don't need to tell me why works.
Yeah I mean I admit it's an imperfect standard but jaco pastorius, and songs he played on, I don't know ANY of them and don't give a fuck. I don't need to hear virtuoso white jazz guys in my life. I am a man of simple tastes. I believe a bassist cannot be considered the greatest if they never played anything that was massively, widely beloved.
I am a strong believer in "popular does not mean good" but I am also a strong believer in "the greatest _____ has to conquer the popular sphere to be called the greatest". You can be virtuoso and meh at the same time.
...I am also a strong believer in "the greatest _____ has to conquer the popular sphere to be called the greatest". You can be virtuoso and meh at the same time.
It's kinda hard to do this if you are not a front man. Everyone knows Prince. Most people don't know John Blackwell or even Larry Graham outside of drumming or bass playing. Jaco wasn't just all about technique, he was a great feel player, writer and entertainer. "Word of Mouth" is his best stuff IMHO. He had a real spiritual thing about him. But again, this is not going to see him worrying Ariana Grande and dem.
Yeah like I said I don't know his music so I'm not saying he was trash or anything, just that the conversation for me doesn't start in that niche. Skills and talent aren't the only way to measure the best bass player - I'd argue that of all instruments, with what bass does best in an ensemble, they aren't the most relevant measures of a "best" bassist.
Comments
Oh 4 sho. Last time this thread happened, Jamerson was the first person I mentioned after Mingus, I think.
Gene Perla
BUMP
Been jamming today. These muhfugs could play:
Bernard Muhfug Edwards (My Forbidden Lover > Good Times. Yeah, I said it)
James Muhfug Jamerson (The concreat upon which all of Tamla/Motown was built)
Me'Shell Muhfug NdegeOcello (Plantation Lullabies and Peace Beyond Passion)
I don't want to talk about frustrated sax players with a trillion notes. I don't want to talk about muhfugs with more theory than Einstein who want to counter beauty and booty with some tangent into modes. You don't need to tell me why
works.
I am a strong believer in "popular does not mean good" but I am also a strong believer in "the greatest _____ has to conquer the popular sphere to be called the greatest". You can be virtuoso and meh at the same time.
It's kinda hard to do this if you are not a front man. Everyone knows Prince. Most people don't know John Blackwell or even Larry Graham outside of drumming or bass playing. Jaco wasn't just all about technique, he was a great feel player, writer and entertainer. "Word of Mouth" is his best stuff IMHO. He had a real spiritual thing about him. But again, this is not going to see him worrying Ariana Grande and dem.