Jaco Pastorius (b. Dec. 1, 1951, d. Sep. 21, 1987) was a jazz bass player who is notable for popularizing the fretless electric bass. He was immensely talented; some have gone so far as to say he is the greatest electric bassist to ever live.
Pastorius was born in Pennsylvania, but soon moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he was raised. He played music throughout his youth, and in 1974, he began playing with his friend Pat Metheny. In 1976, he was invited to join fusion band Weather Report, where he played alongside Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter until 1981. His first solo album was released in 1976 to generally good reviews. He toured with his band called Word of Mouth from 1980 to 1984. However, in the mid-80s, he began to experience mental problems. These were worsened by heavy drug and alcohol use. He fell out of public favor and became an outcast in the music business. In 1987, he was beaten into a coma when trying to break into the Midnight Club in Fort Lauderdale. He suffered irreversible brain damage and died on September 21, 1987. Miles Davis wrote a song, called Mr. Pastorius, in his honor.
Albums
1974 Jaco (live) DIW
1976 Jaco Pastorius Epic/Legacy
1981 The Birthday Concert (live) Warner
1981 Word of Mouth Warner
1983 Invitation (live) Warner
1986 PDB DIW
1986 Live in Italy Jazzpoint
1986 Jazz Street Timeless
1986 Curtain Call (live) Another Hit
Links Jaco Pastorius (official site)
