WORLD'S GREATEST BASS GUITARIST HAD HIS LIFE CUT SHORT BY LUC HAVEN AT THE MILTON BOTTLE CLUB

Got something to review tonight which is a real musicians musician's delight. Especially if you are a bass player who likes a bit of fusion jazz. Personally i think it sounds terrible, i dont often put stuff on here that is as unlistenable as this, but nonetheless i respect the recording for its technical musical genius. I'm talking about the debut solo album of Jaco Pastorius, an american pioneer of fusion jazz who was born in Pennsylvania, who was of Finnish, German, Irish and Swedish heritage and died at the untimely age of 35 after he was involved in a violent altercation at a Fort Lauderdale hotel. I bought the album in the early 2000's when i was still going through the progressive rock / jazz rock stage which i started out on in full swing during the mid 90`s. To be honest, since around 1999 i have much preferred blues and good ol rock'n'roll. JACO PASTORIUS, self titled, was released in 1976, around a decade before his death. It is mostly all instrumental and it is almost entirely an attempt at making a bass guitar virtuoso album. Seems like a lead guitar of any sort and somebody like John Bonham bashing some drums from behind would have come in handy, as much as it is aggravating for the casual listener to listen to i reckon Pastorius was still a legend for having the guts to record such an elementally original album, and i am sure from a technical point of view, the album would have to be a major influence on bass guitarists to this very day. Many music critics rate it as the best bass guitar album ever recorded. Legendary 60`s soul duo SAM AND DAVE re-united to make a guest appearance on the album providing singing for COME ON, COME OVER, as well renowned jazz keyboardist Herbie Hancock & jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter were in the studio band backing Pastorius. Apart from this standout debut, his best and most creative work is considered to be what he played while a member of jazz fusion band WEATHER REPORT as well as what he contributed to the original crossover queen Joni Mitchell on her three late 1970`s albums, HERIJA, DON JUAN'S RECKLESS DAUGHTER, MINGUS and the live SHADOWS AND LIGHT. Diagnosed with bi-polar disorder in 1982 after alchohol and substance abuse got out of control while in Weather Report, his career was never the same, despite being treated with the drug Lithium which normally has a postive effect on treating people who suffer from bi-polar disorder and severe hypomania. That didn't work, so he was prescribed TEGRETOL, but it wasn't long until he was on the streets of Fort Lauderdale in Florida after a stint in New York causing havoc as a result of his mental illness. His death at Milton Bottle Club in Wilton Manors, Florida after a alcohol fueled altercation with club bouncer Luc Haven, who was convicted of manslaughter as a result, put Pastorius out of his bi-polar misery and it also robbed the bass guitar playing world of a brilliant and innovative genius.