2003 reissue is a 'comprehensive new edition' of the 1998 album. A superb project of Jaco Pastorius with steel 'Pan' player Othello Molineaux dating back from 1981! Nine tracks packaged in a digipak. Sound Hills.
2003 reissue is a 'comprehensive new edition' of the 1998 album. A superb project of Jaco Pastorius with steel 'Pan' player Othello Molineaux dating back from 1981! Nine tracks packaged in a digipak. Sound Hills.
CD Reviews
It's great but Jaco not playing bass
M. Detko | Scarborough, Ontario Canada | 02/21/2003
(3 out of 5 stars)
"The Milkowski biography makes it clear - this is an illegal album. I loved the music on this album, it has a couple of great Jaco numbers that are fully composed and arranged, a couple of numbers that are mainly steel pan, and features Othello Molineaux and Toots Theilmans, among others if you can spot them. (Before you read the next line, keep in mind that Beatles' bassist Paul McCartney would lay down his bass track only after all the other tracks were finished.) Now, The only thing is that apparently Jaco didn't get around to laying down a bass part before he was tragically murdured... When I was told about this, I re-listened and noticed the bass that is on the tracks is sparse and muddy, buried in the mix. And really there is not much bass on the tracks at all. So what you get is everything but the true Jaco basslines that would have made this another classic Jaco album, along with the first one and Word of Mouth. It's up to you if you can handle these facts. Perhaps if the album could be released without any bass we could imagine what it would have sounded like...it's so sad how he was ripped away from us. No one has yet stepped forward to fill the void."
Incomplete Jaco Project
lothar-the-conqueror | Lotharvania, USA | 02/10/2003
(2 out of 5 stars)
"This is the project Jaco was working on for several years with Othello Molineaux, the steel pan player who often played with Jaco and appears on a couple of his officially released albums. I recall reading about this in Downbeat back in the early 80's in an interview with Jaco. He was very excited about the project. However, when he presented it to Warner Bros they rejected it. The master tapes were stolen and eventually sold to a Japanese businessman. The Pastorius estate sued the guy and was successful in keeping it from being released by a US distributor. It's been available for many years as a bootleg and is widely available among cdr trading circles. It's interesting to listen to but at the same time quite sad. Sad that the tapes were stolen and Jaco's estate has no control over them. There's open debate on whether the bass playing on it is at all Jaco himself. Some session bassist was quoted as saying he was paid to play over the tracks and mimic Jaco's style. It would be much better to pursue Jaco's officially released music before looking into this project. The recently released Weather Report "Live And Unreleased" album would be a good place to start."
Solid writing
Evan Mcgregor | New York | 01/24/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"So there's the warning by the pastorius estate that it's not jaco playing bass on the recording and all that. This does make me sad but i got the album anyway. It has some really really awesome stuff on it. Stand out track I would say is Good Morning Anya. It's definitely worth getting because Jaco's writing is amazing on it. Think of it like seeing the Mingus Big Band after Mingus died. Sure, Mingus isn't playing bass but it's the composition that you are listening to. The genius in the writing not just bass playing. It would've been better if Jaco were the one playing bass but get this cd because you love jaco's compositional work and not just his bass playing."
Jazz/Rock Fusion? Jazz/World Music Fusion
Anthony Lock | Christchurch, New Zealand | 02/05/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Okay, if you've read the Milkowski biography, or know of the legends vis-a-vis this project you'll know of countless stories. Regardless of everything to do with the tales, it would be a good idea to actually discuss the music involved. Music was produced and three tracks written by Jaco. The music is very much world music. However, clearly it is not him playing bass on the album, and the bass is boring and hardly plays much with the music, but despite the attempts to try to pass it off as him the music is brilliance. The track listing and music decribed is in accordance with the 'comprehensive brand new edition.'
'Holiday For Pans' - A nice introduction track to the music played. Shows that the steel pans are a major player more in this than other Jaco work, and is a good piece of music, with the instruments working well, to give an indication of what the rest of the album will be like
'Good Morning Anya' - Personally, I dislike 'killer' and 'filler' accolades given to tracks individually, as it gives the wrong impression: usually if you listen to a whole album all tracks have their place for whatever feel and purpose they give. However, some tracks give a backbone which the rest of the album works around. This is one. Awesome, awesome, awesome music here. If you hear the version on 'Punk Jazz: The Anthology', the one of the new edition is the same, just without Jaco saying 'roll it' and the first ~10 seconds of warming up the instruments. Very reminiscent of 'John And Mary.'
'Giant Steps' - John Coltrane written piece, which mainly showcases the steel pans
'She's Leaving Home' - The Beatles' track superbly worked, with again the steel pans taking main emphasis, but of course all instruments doing their part. Lennon and McCartney's song re-done in a fantastic way, a fine example of a decent cover; the music being redressed and added very well, but keeping the same basis
'City Of Angels' - Another backbone, probably because it has all instruments together creating a good powerful and louder sound than on other areas. Piano takes a good solo on this, and a bit of harmonica creeps in as well
'Elegant People' - Wayne Shorter's classic track done amazingly; imagine steel pans added to a big-band format for the wonderful piece, with santana-like guitar nestled in as well. One of the best versions ever done of this song
'Mysterious Mountain' - Sounds like what the title implies, and is a short piece that leads into the next well
'Birth Of Island' - In three parts, is mainly a jam sound with instruments together in a more jazz-like way. It has the sun-drenched steel pan, wooden sounding drums creating a jurassic feel in areas, and even some Eastern ambiance with certain passages. You feel like it takes you away to a strange landscape: Birth of island indeed
'extra bass track' - Not quite as it sounds, is actually some percussion with bass laying over it, forming a nice solo. This does sound a lot like Jaco - in fact, the only time on the album where the player makes a good effort, the most interesting bass playing on the album
To conclude: If you like Jaco a lot and have explored the other music, or you enjoy steel pan, this is very good. Sadly, without his bass playing, the full sound you get from his music is not there, but I have gave it 5 stars as if you overlook that it's very enjoyable. Like all jazz, give it 2 or 3 listens to appreciate it in full, but it is something very special"
A good picture of what COULD have been
Marcus J. Viduya | Campbell, Ca United States | 10/11/2007
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Anyone who read Milkowsli's bio of Jaco Pastorius will be VERY familiar with this work. If not, two things MUST be mentioned:
1) as far as I know, any retail sales of this CD do NOT benefit the Jaco Pastorius estate (I got it in trade for some guitar pick-ups and strings)
2) Jaco's involvement as bassist is questionable (he did produce it, but rumors of "Jaco clones" filling in bass parts are part of this CD's mythology).
A vehicle for steel pans player Othello Molineaux more so than a solo album for Jaco, this CD is less jazz and more world music. One highlight is Wayne Shorter's "Elegent People", and that song seems worth listening to this CD. However, one might wish to read up on the history and background (drama?) of this unofficial recording. [...]
Track Listings (8) - Disc #1