Still, though his career was all too short, it was packed with a lifetime’s worth of brilliant work and invention. The arc of his life turned out to be a troubled and ultimately tragic one – if bipolar disorder made his manic phases fascinating and productive, it also led to alcoholism, instability, and a propensity for violence which became fatal in the end. Like all living legends, though, he was also a human being.Īs his personality continued to become larger than life, so did his troubles and flaws. Pastorius was always a colorful character with a stage presence verging on acrobatic.

Nonetheless, that’s no exaggeration – nobody before him even conceived of doing so much with only four strings, and just about everyone since has still struggled just to catch up. It may sound over the top to say that he was an astounding virtuoso or even a genius, helped revolutionize the world of jazz, and actually reinvented the possibilities of his instrument. With his trademark fretless electric bass in his hands, he had one of those instrumental voices that’s inimitable and unmistakable. It’s always hard to talk about figures like Jaco Pastorius without making them sound downright mythical. He can often be found checking out new bands and shows in and around Philadelphia, at least when there isn’t a pandemic going on, and the rest of the time is most likely busy with a keyboard or a book.

Geno Thackara is a sometime arts journalist and full time music fiend.

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