JACO PASTORIUS: THE WARNER BROS. YEARS
Two-Disc Anthology Highlights Music The Influential Bassist Recorded Between
1980 And 1982, Including A Previously Unreleased 1981 Live Performance
Available On October 14 From Rhino
LOS ANGELES – The legendary Jaco Pastorius forever changed the way the bass guitar is played and viewed. Rhino explores the influential legacy of this musical revolutionary with a new two-disc compilation that focuses on the songs he recorded between 1980-82. ANTHOLOGY: THE WARNER BROS. YEARS will be available on October 14 at retail outlets for a suggested list price of $19.98. The collection will also be available digitally.
Most of the set’s 22 songs were selected from three previously released Warner Bros. albums: Word of Mouth, a 1981 studio release that stands as the fretless-bassist’s magnum opus; The Birthday Concert, a live big band set recorded in 1981 on his 30th birthday; and Invitation, which was recorded during a 1982 tour of Japan with the Word of Mouth Big Band. In addition, the set also includes an unreleased recording from 1981 of Jaco performing Charlie Parker’s bebop anthem “Donna Lee.”
In the collection’s liner notes, Jaco biographer Bill Milkowski writes, “Through his brilliant innovations…Pastorius liberated his instrument from its traditional role in the background and re-imagined it as a potent solo axe and orchestral tool.” His influence still resonates today on modern bass players like Metallica’s Robert Trujillo, a lifelong fan who is producing Jaco, a documentary about Pastorius that’s due out in November.
ANTHOLOGY finds Jaco pushing the boundaries of what the bass, and jazz, could be with album cuts like “Crisis,” “Word of Mouth,” “Chromatic Fantasy,” “John and Mary,” and a beautifully orchestrated version of the waltz-time ballad “Three Views of a Secret.” The live performances featured on the set mix selections from The Birthday Concert (“Punk Jazz,” “Reza” and “Liberty City”) and Invitation (“Sophisticated Lady” and “Fannie Mae.”) Also included is a recording of “Okonkole’ Y Trompa” that was originally available on the Japanese-only release Twins I & II.
The set also spotlights Jaco’s performances on other artist’s albums with “Nativity,” from Brazilian percussionist-vocalist Airto Moreira’s I’m Fine, How Are You? (1977), and “Upside Downside,” the title track from guitarist Mike Stern’s 1986 album.
Anthology: The Warner Bros. Years
Track Listing
Disc One
1. “Crisis”
2. “Blackbird”
3. “Chromatic Fantasy”
4. “Word Of Mouth”
5. “Three Views Of A Secret”
6. “John And Mary”
7. “Continuum”
8. “Liberty City”
9. “Soul Intro / The Chicken”
10. “Reza”
11. “Happy Birthday”
Disc Two
1. “Punk Jazz”
2. “Amerika”
3. “Invitation”
4. “Domingo”
5. “Sophisticated Lady”
6. “Fannie Mae”
7. “Eleven”
8. “Okonkole’ Y Trompa”
9. “Nativity” – with Airto Moreira
10. “Mood Swings” – with Mike Stern
11. “Donna Lee” – previously unreleased
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