John Francis Anthony Pastorius III (1951 – 1987), better known as Jaco Pastorius, was an influential
American jazz musician, composer and electric bass player. He is best known for
his work with Weather Report from 1976 to 1981, as well as work with artists
including Joni Mitchell and his own solo projects.
His playing was known for its highly technical,
latin-influenced 16th-note funk, lyrical soloing on fretless bass and
innovative use of harmonics. He was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of
Fame in 1988, one of only seven bassists so honoured (and the only electric
bass guitarist).
Pastorius started out following in the footsteps of his
father Jack, playing the drums, until he injured his wrist playing football
at age 13. The damage to his wrist was severe enough to warrant corrective
surgery and ultimately inhibited his ability to play drums. At the time, he had
been playing with a local band, Las Olas Brass. When the band's bass player,
David Neubauer, decided to quit the band, Pastorius bought an electric bass
guitar from a local pawn shop for $15.00 USD and began to learn to play with
drummer Rich Franks, becoming the bassist for the band.
In 1975, Pastorius was introduced to Blood, Sweat &
Tears drummer Bobby Colomby, who had been asked by Columbia Records to find
"new talent" for their jazz division. Pastorius' first album,
produced by Colomby, was Jaco Pastorius (1976), a breakthrough album for the
electric bass. Many consider this the finest bass album ever recorded.
Pastorius was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in late 1982
following the Word of Mouth tour of Japan, in which his erratic behaviour
became an increasing source of concern for his band members.
Pastorius was hospitalized for multiple facial fractures and
injuries to his right eye and left arm after an altercation with a nightclub
bouncer and fell into a coma. Initial encouraging signs that he would come out
of the coma and recover faded as a massive brain haemorrhage a few days later
led to brain death. Pastorius died on September 21, 1987.
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