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Jaco: The Extraordinary and the Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorius, "The World'S Greatest Bass Player"
The life story of the man who revolutionized the electric bass is an in-depth look at a tormented genius who achieved international fame and died tragically at a young age. First serial, Bass Player. IP.
264 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 56 reviews
January 3, 2021
I fucking love Jaco. This book is probably worth 4 stars, but it is about Jaco so who cares? His playing on Joni Mitchell's live version of Hejira is simply perfection.
February 25, 2013
Ultimately a depressing story of the life of a genuine savant in the world of jazz. The unparalleled promise of his early career devolves into paroxysms of self destructive behavior. A sad tale of someone whose bi-polar disorder was not only untreated but exacerbated by his nomadic musician lifestyle and association with a host of enablers.
June 15, 2024
Jaco Pastorius was a tortured genius who transformed the bass into a musical voice much in the same way Jimi Hendrix did with a guitar and Charlie Parker had accomplished with the saxophone. All three suffered from serious substance abuse and Jimi died at twenty-seven, Bird at thirty-four, and Jaco at thirty-five.
Jaco's father was a musician who was frequently on the road and he had his own issues with alcohol. This trait was passed onto his son with the added fuel of cocaine in his son's case.
Pastorius became a legend after joining the jazz-fusion band Weather Report. Even as a music lover with more than five hundred CDs, I am more of a traditional rock fan(Beatles, Pink Floyd. CCR, Stones), than a listener of that particular category of music, although I did attend a concert by Return to Forever in 1983. YouTube has enabled me to catch up on the extraordinary talent of Jaco in recent times.
As someone who has never used drugs, I am always puzzled by the way in which human beings indulge in self destructive behavior. Jaco, Jimi, Janis, Bird, and too many great artists have been lost to us through the years.
Jaco's downward spiral was a truly heartbreaking tale. His drug use and romantic relationships were volatile and, worst of all, he left behind four young children when he died from injuries after a fight with a nightclub bouncer in Florida. He had told friends that he would die young, possibly at thirty-three, the same age as Jesus at His death. The former altar boy had experienced a dream in which he was present at the Crucifixion. He never lost his faith and a photograph of his prayer card is included in the book.
The author interviewed Pastorius and played basketball occasionally on a court in Manhattan where Jaco often slept. Milkowski has written a sympathetic love letter to the lost soul.
Jaco's father was a musician who was frequently on the road and he had his own issues with alcohol. This trait was passed onto his son with the added fuel of cocaine in his son's case.
Pastorius became a legend after joining the jazz-fusion band Weather Report. Even as a music lover with more than five hundred CDs, I am more of a traditional rock fan(Beatles, Pink Floyd. CCR, Stones), than a listener of that particular category of music, although I did attend a concert by Return to Forever in 1983. YouTube has enabled me to catch up on the extraordinary talent of Jaco in recent times.
As someone who has never used drugs, I am always puzzled by the way in which human beings indulge in self destructive behavior. Jaco, Jimi, Janis, Bird, and too many great artists have been lost to us through the years.
Jaco's downward spiral was a truly heartbreaking tale. His drug use and romantic relationships were volatile and, worst of all, he left behind four young children when he died from injuries after a fight with a nightclub bouncer in Florida. He had told friends that he would die young, possibly at thirty-three, the same age as Jesus at His death. The former altar boy had experienced a dream in which he was present at the Crucifixion. He never lost his faith and a photograph of his prayer card is included in the book.
The author interviewed Pastorius and played basketball occasionally on a court in Manhattan where Jaco often slept. Milkowski has written a sympathetic love letter to the lost soul.
July 25, 2022
Odlična knjiga o (kako i naslov kaže) fenomenalnom i tragičnom životu Jaco Pastoriusa, verovatno najbojleg električnog basistu svih vremena.
Ako niste fan jazz muzike, nemojte da gubite vreme. Kao i svaka druga biografija o jazz muzičarima, detaljno objašnjava odrastanja, uticaj drugih muzičara, prve uspehe i naravno veliki pad usled droge, alkohola i mentalne bolesti.
Jaco Pastorius . ekstremno talentiran, bez formalnog muzičkog obrazovanja do ranih dvadesetih, koji je uveo nove tehnike sviranja, totalno novi pristup električnog basa u bilo kom jazz/blues formatu, ali kao i Joplin, Hendrix, Winehouse....žrtva stila života, uzaludne potrošnje talenta zbog alkohola i droge (redovna pojava kod jazz muzičara, i ne samo) i ostao samo deo velikih enciklopedija kao jedan od odabranih, ali nas obične smrtnike uskratio za njegove albume, koncerte, uticaj na druge.
Pisac Milkowski je bio prijatelj sa Pastoriusom pa ima "svo pravo sveta" da napiše njegovu biografiju, ali, kako je i sam gitarista, može da stručno komentira o sviranju, albumima....
Ako ste nekad slušali Weather Report, ili ste neki povremeni jazz fan, preporuka.
Ako niste fan jazz muzike, nemojte da gubite vreme. Kao i svaka druga biografija o jazz muzičarima, detaljno objašnjava odrastanja, uticaj drugih muzičara, prve uspehe i naravno veliki pad usled droge, alkohola i mentalne bolesti.
Jaco Pastorius . ekstremno talentiran, bez formalnog muzičkog obrazovanja do ranih dvadesetih, koji je uveo nove tehnike sviranja, totalno novi pristup električnog basa u bilo kom jazz/blues formatu, ali kao i Joplin, Hendrix, Winehouse....žrtva stila života, uzaludne potrošnje talenta zbog alkohola i droge (redovna pojava kod jazz muzičara, i ne samo) i ostao samo deo velikih enciklopedija kao jedan od odabranih, ali nas obične smrtnike uskratio za njegove albume, koncerte, uticaj na druge.
Pisac Milkowski je bio prijatelj sa Pastoriusom pa ima "svo pravo sveta" da napiše njegovu biografiju, ali, kako je i sam gitarista, može da stručno komentira o sviranju, albumima....
Ako ste nekad slušali Weather Report, ili ste neki povremeni jazz fan, preporuka.
May 5, 2016
Took a short break to Re-read Bill Milkowski tremendous work on Mr. Pastorius
Having seen Weather Report during his heyday and subsequently with the Word of Mouth Band. I remembers being amazed by the speed and brilliance of ideas being put forth.
Little did I know of the mania that was fueling Jaco's work.
While it is understood that you cannot save someone from themselves as this book so aptly displays, in retrospect this work stands as an indictment against a system that throws away it's artists when they are no longer easily consumable.
There is a greater issue of mental health care for those of us in the lower classes but that continues to play itself out on a greater stage as time goes by in America.
Mr. Milkowski has set forth a cautionary tale of genius that is still as strong as the music that remains.
Having seen Weather Report during his heyday and subsequently with the Word of Mouth Band. I remembers being amazed by the speed and brilliance of ideas being put forth.
Little did I know of the mania that was fueling Jaco's work.
While it is understood that you cannot save someone from themselves as this book so aptly displays, in retrospect this work stands as an indictment against a system that throws away it's artists when they are no longer easily consumable.
There is a greater issue of mental health care for those of us in the lower classes but that continues to play itself out on a greater stage as time goes by in America.
Mr. Milkowski has set forth a cautionary tale of genius that is still as strong as the music that remains.
March 8, 2017
An enthralling music biography that had me reading large chunks of in single sittings. the facts of what Jaco also went through in his life just proves the point of the sad state of mental health in this country, let alone how badly it is stigmatized. the latter could be for another time though.
March 17, 2021
Jaco realmente lo tenía todo: groove, virtuosismo, identidad sonora, improvisación y astronómicos dotes para componer. Eso es algo que no se puede decir ni siquiera de los mejores bajistas contemporáneos y es un gran privilegio poder apreciar toda su trayectoria desde mi perspectiva como bajista. Jaco no era solo el mejor bajista, era el mejor músico de Jazz, Rock y Soul-una de esas que, ciertamente, nacen con ese dote natural cada 50/100 años.
Sufrida, ardua y sumamente triste vida personal que, lamentablemente, lo persiguió hasta el final de sus días. Es bastante obvio que Jaco estaba en medio de un episodio maníaco extremo. Es lamentable que nadie lo haya ayudado en el momento en que más lo necesitaba. Un final extremadamente penoso para una persona que supo transmitir tanta luz y emoción a través de su arte.
PD- Siempre que mi bandeja siga funcionando, tus huellas artísticas van a permanecer sonando.
Gracias eternas maestro y que viva el jazz!
Sufrida, ardua y sumamente triste vida personal que, lamentablemente, lo persiguió hasta el final de sus días. Es bastante obvio que Jaco estaba en medio de un episodio maníaco extremo. Es lamentable que nadie lo haya ayudado en el momento en que más lo necesitaba. Un final extremadamente penoso para una persona que supo transmitir tanta luz y emoción a través de su arte.
PD- Siempre que mi bandeja siga funcionando, tus huellas artísticas van a permanecer sonando.
Gracias eternas maestro y que viva el jazz!
July 5, 2023
This book almost landed in my lap as a cosmic gift from the universe.
I watched a documentary about Jaco less than 6 months ago, a recommendation I received from a college professor that lent me her DVD.
6 months later, after wanting to learn more about Jaco, I found this book in a "free library"...
This book filled in all of the gaps and questions that were left unfulfilled by the documentary, and it has only confirmed that Jaco remains to be one of the most polarizing characters, and talented artists, in the history of music.
I watched a documentary about Jaco less than 6 months ago, a recommendation I received from a college professor that lent me her DVD.
6 months later, after wanting to learn more about Jaco, I found this book in a "free library"...
This book filled in all of the gaps and questions that were left unfulfilled by the documentary, and it has only confirmed that Jaco remains to be one of the most polarizing characters, and talented artists, in the history of music.
March 11, 2026
4.5
"He went from being the most beautiful thing ever created to sheer destruction!"
Listening to "Picture of Tracy" (still one of the most beautiful pieces written for bass, ever) you would never guess where the GOAT of bass guitar would end up. And yet, this biography, without going into overt theorizing about what really was going on in its hero's brain, does a pretty good job at presenting the complexity of the character that was Jaco Pastorius. It is not always pretty, but that is only natural.
"He went from being the most beautiful thing ever created to sheer destruction!"
Listening to "Picture of Tracy" (still one of the most beautiful pieces written for bass, ever) you would never guess where the GOAT of bass guitar would end up. And yet, this biography, without going into overt theorizing about what really was going on in its hero's brain, does a pretty good job at presenting the complexity of the character that was Jaco Pastorius. It is not always pretty, but that is only natural.
October 28, 2024
Loved the first half. Hated the second half. The writing is excellent, but the story is so painful. It's just incomprehensible that a person who brought so much joy and beauty into the world could have lived like this. Hopefully we can start focusing on the 'extraordinary' part going forward and let the 'tragic' story fade into the background. BTW, in my humble opinion, The Greatest Musician of the Century!
November 27, 2025
The book itself is OK: well written, no factual mistakes that I could spot.
But the subject matter is problematic for me. I'm a bass player. I'm supposed to revere this guy. But I dont. I never did. He had talent, he had skills. But I never found him to be influential in the least. I'm sorry he had a rough time growing up, and I'm sorry he died the way he did. But I think he squandered his talent and the opportunities he had along the way.
But the subject matter is problematic for me. I'm a bass player. I'm supposed to revere this guy. But I dont. I never did. He had talent, he had skills. But I never found him to be influential in the least. I'm sorry he had a rough time growing up, and I'm sorry he died the way he did. But I think he squandered his talent and the opportunities he had along the way.
January 5, 2020
Un livre intéressant, mais trop centré sur les anecdotes de folies de Jaco. Cela fait partie de sa vie, mais il est avant tout un des plus grand bassiste de tous les temps. La musique m'intéresse, pas ses moments d'égarements. / An interesting book, but too much stories about his illness. What is all about for me, it's music side of Life, not the others bad things.
July 16, 2023
Heartbreaking
A great tragedy, well documented.
I must say I skipped the last section, which is just tributes and discography, but I get why they are included. They don't in any way diminish the value of the work even if you don't read them.
A great tragedy, well documented.
I must say I skipped the last section, which is just tributes and discography, but I get why they are included. They don't in any way diminish the value of the work even if you don't read them.
January 4, 2018
Good overview of his life but totally missing the Joni band and waaaay too much time spent on his downfall. Depressing in that sense.
March 12, 2018
Brilliant musician, deeply struggling individual.
November 25, 2020
It makes you feel you are there present witnessing his life, great book
February 6, 2021
Still a mystery to me, how could it happen..... But the book is comprehensive and enjoyable.
March 5, 2017
A very sad story about a young, fantastic musician.
April 4, 2022
Kindle Blew It
Definitely a 4-star book presenting the chronology of the career and life of one of the most important musicians, composers, and band leaders of our time. Jaco Pastorius was a genius and a phenomenon. Milkowski deftly separates the legend from the man, keeping the music at the forefront, while presenting hard evidence that our current protocols for approaching mental illness are tragically inadequate. If Jaco couldn't be helped, is there hope for the rest of us? The reader finishes this book with greater insight and appreciation for Jaco Pastorius' innovation and body of work as well as a profound respect for the men and women who dedicate their lives to their craft. Who loves ya, Jaco!
Three stars because my Kindle edition was chock full of typos and missing pictures.
Definitely a 4-star book presenting the chronology of the career and life of one of the most important musicians, composers, and band leaders of our time. Jaco Pastorius was a genius and a phenomenon. Milkowski deftly separates the legend from the man, keeping the music at the forefront, while presenting hard evidence that our current protocols for approaching mental illness are tragically inadequate. If Jaco couldn't be helped, is there hope for the rest of us? The reader finishes this book with greater insight and appreciation for Jaco Pastorius' innovation and body of work as well as a profound respect for the men and women who dedicate their lives to their craft. Who loves ya, Jaco!
Three stars because my Kindle edition was chock full of typos and missing pictures.
June 6, 2012
I recommend this book for any Jaco fans, or jazz fans in general, but you should approach it knowing that Jaco's family and many of his friends and peers have cast a lot of doubt on much of what is presented. There are some very entertaining stories, and even if you take everything said here with a few grains of salt it is still a worthwhile read. Hopefully the upcoming documentary takes a few steps towards setting the record straight.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 56 reviews