Req.: Jaco Pastorius

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Jaco Pastorius Big Band: Word of Mouth Revisited


Inspired by the music and spirit of Jaco Pastorius, Word of Mouth Revisited is possibly the most impressive lineup of bass virtuosity ever assembled to date.

"I remember the first time hearing Jaco...That was the day I turned into a different bass player." -- Victor Wooten

Word of Mouth Revisited is a brilliant tribute to Jaco's legacy that features the fourteen-piece Jaco Pastorius Big Band, along with guest appearances by the most talented electric bass players on the contemporary jazz scene: Victor Bailey, Richard Bona, Jeff Carswell, Jimmy Haslip, Christian McBride, Marcus Miller, David Pastorius, Gerald Veasley and Victor Wooten. The recording also boasts a previously unrecorded track with Jaco.

Christian McBride calls Jaco "the Charlie Parker of the electric bass...Nobody has ever innovated on that instrument like Jaco did." And Marcus Miller is convinced that "every year, Jaco's memory gets stronger. It's up to us to make sure folks don't forget."

The Jaco Pastorius Big Band is the life-long project of trombonist/conductor Peter Graves, who first hired Jaco in 1971 to join the rhythm section of what was then known as the Peter Graves Orchestra - the house band at the Bachelors III, a popular Ft. Lauderdale nightclub. The group backed a variety of top jazz and pop acts ranging from Mel Torme and Nancy Wilson to the Temptations and Patti Page.

Graves' orchestra served as the laboratory in which Jaco first explored the depth and scope of his genius as a writer and arranger (for more, see Portrait of Jaco, the Early Years). The five-year gig with Graves was also a springboard for Jaco's later pursuits that included a brilliant solo recording, six years with Weather Report, collaborative projects with various high-profile artists - Joni Mitchell and Pat Metheny to name a few - and his own progressive jazz project, Word of Mouth (which featured Graves and various other members of Graves' orchestra).

The thirteen tracks on Word of Mouth Revisited span most of Jaco's prolific and diverse career, from his early compositions and arrangements with Graves' orchestra ("Punk Jazz" and "Killing Me Softly") to his more progressive forays with Weather Report ("Havona" and "Teen Town") and Word of Mouth ("Continuum," considered by Graves and many others to be Jaco's signature song). "Wiggle Waggle," one of Jaco's favorite Herbie Hancock tunes, features Graves' current lineup playing around a bass track originally recorded by Jaco at a live gig on Sanibel Island in the late 1970s. In many cases, additional arrangements are provided by Larry Warrilow, former guitarist with Graves' orchestra and Jaco's longtime friend and collaborator.