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Usually ships in 1 business days | | | | | | Jaco is a fitting tribute to Jaco Pastorius, the troubled genius who revolutionized electric bass playing and bridged the gaps between jazz, R&B, rock, and funk. From his early days in R&B club bands through his international stardom with fusion group Weather Report and on to his solo career and tragic death at age 35, this book portrays the life and music of Jaco Pastorius. This special anniversary edition features new interviews with Jaco’s childhood friends, prominent bass players of Jaco’s era and afterward, and girlfriend Teresa Nagell, who was with Jaco in the last few years of his life. In addition, several incidents from the first edition have been further researched and expanded to full chapters. | | | |
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| | Product Details | | Author: | Bill Milkowski | | Paperback: | 337 pages | | Publisher: | BACKBEAT BOOKS | | Publication Date: | November 01, 2005 | | Language: | English | | ISBN: | 0879308591 | | Package Length: | 9.0 inches | | Package Width: | 6.0 inches | | Package Height: | 0.8 inches | | Package Weight: | 1.35 pounds | | Average Customer Rating: |  based on 44 reviews |
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| | Customer Reviews | Average Customer Review:
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
 great book about the Jimi Hendrix of Bass Mar 02, 2008
Anyone fascinated with Jaco should read this especially Bass players, like myself who understand his artistic brilliance. It dives into the musicians who worked with him, the manic behavior he had that could be attributed to his greatness, the dedication to his Bass, and the sadness of how mental illness (in my opinion) brought about his demise. I make no apologies or recantation for saying he was and still is the Jimi Hendrix of BASS.
 Jaco: The Extraordinary and Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorius Jan 08, 2008
I really enjoyed this in depth look into the life of my favourite bass player.
I've learned so much more about a guy I thought I had a pretty decent knowledge of anyway! The author, Bill Milkowski, really knows his stuff. He had a personal relationship with Jaco and writes in a way I found intriguing, I really could not put this book down.
To any musician - not just bass players - this book is a must. giving a detailed account of Jaco's genius in writing, composition, arrangement and whole approach to music which at the time really made the man stand out from the crowd.
Filled with interviews taken at the time and more up to date accounts of Jaco's antics the book makes you laugh out loud and at times shed a tear at what this remarkable man could have achieved had his life not been so tragically cut short.
The chronological approach of the author made it very easy to follow Jaco's life from his birth, through childhood, his rights of passage on the music scene to the point where he truly sat on top as the world's greatest bass player, all the way to his sad demise, fall from grace and that fateful night and what truly happened.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Entertaining, but is it accurate? Jul 19, 2007
First off, the title is great. There is no doubt that Jaco is one of the most (if not the most) gifted bass players of all time. The book documents his life as a young boy who picked up the bass (after he could not play drums any longer because he broke his arm), his career and his later years when he suffered from mental illness and died at 33. I bring up the question of accuracy as it has been raised by others as well.
One criticism about the book has been that it sensationalizes Jaco's destructive behaviour and takes away from his legacy. This is a point made by Metheny (who was a friend and a fellow musician) in the liner notes of Jaco's debut album. Also I have asked the opinion of (via a short e-mail) Jaco's second wife. Her website that details some minor inaccuracies that exist in the first edition.
That being said the book is well written and gives insight into Jaco's life. Milkowski (who is a music journalist) portrays Jaco as an extremely gifted, hard working and narcisisstic man who self destructs at the end due to bipolar disease. The clues to Jaco's illness are evident from his early years. He plays tirelessly and at times seldom sleeps. At the end of his life he self destructs due to a number of reasons including refusal comply with treatment for his illness,drugs and drinking.
One has to wonder what it says about our society that no one helped Jaco when he was clearly suffering towards the end. I posted the same question to Jaco's wife and her answer was that one has to be willing to accept help.
Mental illness is still misunderstood my most of the world. People who suffer from it can be hard to deal with and be around. I hope that if the same scenario plays out today, with better understanding of mental illness, the outcome would be different. But I am not an optimist.
 It's all we got Jan 05, 2007
Milkowski does not do justice to the artist or person of Jaco. This seems a greater let down being that he actually hung with the guy quite a bit. There is so much to Jaco's story that seems to have been glanced over. Being as though I anticipated this so much probably contributes to my lack of enthusiasm for it. Could have been much better. It is just the only book on him.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
David Nov 02, 2006
This book is a well done biography worth reading. Unfortunately it focuses mostly on the sensationalism of Jaco's life. Looking back what you remember is story after story of his out of control behavior, and attempts to explain it by blaming the negative people in his life. I would have liked to have heard more of his successes. It is an excellent book for musicians, but even better for anyone in the field of mental health.
This extrodinary man had serious mental health problems. It seems the only time he had a chance was when he was arrested and put in Bellevue psychiatric hospital. Unfortunately he always convinced friends to get him out. Even the author admits to this mistake.
This without a doubt one of the saddest books I have ever read especially since I know and love his music and talent. But also because had he lasted another 10 years, new drugs may have helped.
However there were too many hangers on and bad influences. It reminds me of the old Rodney Dangerfield joke in which he states,"I appeal to people who can do me absolutely no good."
In this book there is plenty of blame to go around.
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