JACO PASTORIUS BIG
BAND
The Word Is Out!
Telarc
The Jaco Pastorius Big Band, originally conceived
and realized by Jaco himself, is currently under the care
of Peter Graves, a south Florida bandleader who employed
Pastorius prior to his breakout with Weather Report. Graves
functions here primarily as the conductor, with Don Bonsanti
and Larry Warrilow doing most of the arranging, with contributions
by Bob Mintzer (“Dania”) and Graves himself
(“Reza”). The band plays nicely and the arrangements,
while not earthshattering, are interesting to listen to
and provide sparkling settings for the guest performers
who provide most of the solos. These include saxophonist
Mintzer, trumpeter Randy Brecker, Toots Thielemans, Peter
Erskine, Mike Stern, Ed Calle, Arturo Sandoval, and steel
drummer Othello Molineaux.
But, as you might expect, the real attraction
here is the opportunity to hear the best electric bassists
around, all musicians who came up with Jaco and/or who were
massively influenced by him. These include Gerald Veasley,
Israel “Cachao” Lopez, Jr., Mark Egan, Victor
Wooten, Jimmy Haslip, Richard Bona, and Will Lee. The way
that these bassists contribute to the overall group sound,
even though they don’t solo all that often, is part
of Jaco’s legacy, as are his recordings and his compositions.
That The Word Is Out chooses to focus on Jaco’s talents
as a composer and a contributor to the ensemble is part
of what makes it ring so much truer than many similar tributes
to other jazz musicians. It’s doubtful that anyone
will soon forget Jaco the player, but keeping his formidable
compositions and his ability to contribute to a group aesthetic
at the forefront of this effort helps to remind listeners
of how much was lost with Jaco’s untimely death.
Among the highlights are Mike Levine’s
burning solo on “Kuru/Speak Like A Child,” “Cannonball”
(with Richard Bona on bass and Mike Stern on guitar) in
its entirety, Oteil Burbridge’s solo bass intro on
“Three Views of a Secret,” the gloriously funky
“River People” featuring bassist Will Lee as
well as Randy Brecker and Hiram Bullock, and the closer,
“Reza.” For “Reza,” Graves isolated
Jaco’s bass from an old gig tape, and the band plays
around it, creating a surprisingly organic recording for
something pieced together by technology.
The Word Is Out! is a fitting tribute
and a really nice record in its own right. Hearing Jaco’s
pieces with a large band, including horn charts, is a real
experience and the group’s enthusiasm matches Jaco’s
own. I’d recommend this to listeners who are Pastorius
fans as well as to those who enjoy a funky, modern big band
sound with electric guitar and bass.
