User:EthanKoe/Jaco Pastorius

On September 11, 1987, Pastorius snuck onstage at a Santana concert at the Sunrise Musical Theater in Sunrise, Florida. After being ejected from the premises, he made his way to the Midnight Bottle Club in Wilton Manors.[23] After reportedly kicking in a glass door, having been refused entrance to the club, he became involved in a violent confrontation with a club employee who was a martial arts expert.[24] Pastorius was hospitalized for multiple facial fractures and injuries to his right eye and left arm, and fell into a coma.[25] There were encouraging signs that he would come out of the coma and recover, but they soon faded. A brain hemorrhage a few days later led to brain death. He was taken off life support and died on September 21, 1987,[1] at the age of 35, at Broward General Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale.[23] Pastorius was buried in Section L, Block 219, Grave 8 at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Cemetery in North Lauderdale, Florida.

The club employee faced a charge of second-degree murder. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to twenty-two months in prison and five years' probation. After serving four months in prison, he was paroled for good behavior.[26]

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Legacy
'''The Legacy of Jaco Pastorius is on that is one of the most impactful in the world of electric bass playing in jazz and as a whole genre. In the years near the end of his death, due to his flawed and controversial latter years, it has put a stain on his name . But as the years passed, his work had begun to be much more appreciated by musicians. Known from his solo career with his self titled album "Jaco Pastorius", the track "Donna Lee" is remembered as showcasing his incredible feel and speed on the electric bass , which had not been seen before. In Weather Report, he is remembered for his incredibly precise and fast bass lines that were plays with incredible flash and gusto . And not to forget, the fact that he entered the music scene at the age of only 16, has inspired many musicians in the future such as Victor Wooten. Jaco's Legacy while having some aspects that many find to be negative, overwhelmingly will show his unmatched skill and trailblazing in the world of jazz and electric bass playing.''' '

Stage presence and bass techniques
Until about 1970, most jazz bassists played the upright bass, also known as the double bass. At the time, with few exceptions (such as the bass players in the trios Bill Evans led), bassists typically remained in the background with the drummer, forming the rhythm section, while the saxophonist, trumpeter, or vocalist handled the melody and led the band. Pastorius had other ideas for the bass player. He played an electric bass from which he had removed the frets. He played fast and loud, sang, and did flips. He spread powder on the stage so he could dance like James Brown. He joked around and talked to the crowd. A self-described Florida beach bum, he often went barefoot and shirtless. He was tall, lean, and strong, and for someone who played sports the nickname "Jocko" fit. His thumbs were "double jointed" and his fingers were long and thin.

After being taught about artificial harmonics, he added them to his technique and repertoire. (Natural harmonics, also known as open string harmonics, are played by lightly touching the string at a fret while plucking the string, resulting in a note that rings somewhat like a bell. Artificial harmonics, also called false harmonics, involve fretting with the left hand as usual while using a finger or thumb of the right hand at the fret an octave higher, simultaneously playing and stopping the note.) An often cited example is the introduction to "Birdland".

He was noted for virtuosic bass lines which combined Afro-Cuban rhythms, inspired by the likes of Cachao Lopez, with R&B to create 16th-note funk lines syncopated with ghost notes. He played these with a "movable anchor" thumb technique on the right hand, anchoring on the bridge pickup while playing on the E and A strings and muting the E string with his thumb while playing on higher strings. Examples include "Come On, Come Over" from the album Jaco Pastorius and "The Chicken" from The Birthday Concert. What was also so characteristic of Jaco was how he would play his music and bass lines with an incredible level of proficiency with not only the notes, but with the rhythm and feel of the music '''. Another characteristic of Jaco's playing was his use of the "octave technique" which is very often seen with slap bass. Jaco's use of the technique with fingerstyle was revolutionary at the time, since previously it had only really been used on guitars. This technique is seen on the tracks "Portrait of Tracy" from Jaco Pastorius and it is seen on "Birdland" from Heavy weather . another aspect of his playing was the heavy use of chromatic runs, these were plays with Immense speed and precision and have become very characteristic of his style . These can be seen on "Opus Pocus" from Jaco Pastorius,  and "Port of Entry" from Night Passage.'''

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