This album is Jaco Pastorius' debut and therefore a landmark in the carreer of the man who would change the face of electric bass playing forever! Jaco Pastorius is better known as a former Weather Report bassist, which contributed to catapult the formation into world fame after the release of their gold album Heavy Weather (I've reviewed that one too).

And what a promising debut to carreer that was; here's this kid no-one ever heard about who comes in the jazz scene in the mid-seventies and overwhelms everyone with his unique and unsurpassed skills and inspiration. Jaco was one of the creators of jazz-rock fusion. Such a shame that a genius like him had to destroy himself with drugs to later find a tragic death in the late 80s.

Anyway, the album kicks off with an amazing version of Charlie Parker's Donna Lee; the bass frantically plays the melody at a tempo of 300 bpm as it is accompanied in the back by some light percussion. The work of a genius.

What follows is a burst of joy in Come On, Come Over, the only song featuring vocals. A very nice old-school funky tune. Continuum has become a bass anthem, with gorgeous fretless slides and a beautiful piano to back up this solid sentimental tune. Kuru/Speak Like A Child is a funky tune, with quieter interludes featuring Herbie Hancock and an exquisite string section.

Probably one of my favorites is Portrait Of Tracy. Not only is this a very sentimental song, it also features unprecedented bass playing techniques with unexplored harmonics.

The album then enters a more Caribbean section, featuring Othello Molineaux on steel pans in Ocus Pocus and a nice monotonous percussion in Okonkole Y Trompa. What follows is the uptempo (Used to Be) A Cha-Cha with a piccolo flute and Hancock on the piano, and the album closes with the mysterious Forgotten Love featuring only Herbie Hancock and a string section.

This album features jazz heavyweights like Herbie Hancock, the Brecker brothers, Waine Shorter and Don Alias, to name a few. This is a true classic that will stand the test of time. A piece of jazz history in the making.



Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Reading or Studying