Jaco Pastorius - The Essential Jaco Pastorius (2 CD) 2007

There's an avalanche of dazzling playing on this generous, superbly selected compilation; it gives a brilliant, comprehensive testament to a legendary musician.

DISC 1:
01. Donna Lee
02. Come On, Come Over
03. Continuum
04. Kuru/Speak Like a Child
05. Portrait of Tracy
06. Opus Pocus
07. (Used to Be A) Cha-Cha
08. Bright Size Life - (with Pat Metheny)
09. Barbary Coast - (with Weather Report)
10. Hejira - (with Joni Mitchell)
11. Talk to Me - (with Joni Mitchell)
12. Birdland - (with Weather Report)
13. Remark You Made, A - (with Weather Report)
14. Teen Town - (with Weather Report)
15. Havona - (with Weather Report)

DISC 2:
01. River People - (with Weather Report)
02. Punk Jazz - (with Weather Report)
03. Dry Cleaner From des Moines, The - (with Joni Mitchell)
04. Dreamland - (with Michel Colombier)
05. 4 A.M. - (with Herbie Hancock)
06. Teen Town (Live) - (Live, with Weather Report)
07. Slang - (with Weather Report)
08. Port of Entry - (with Weather Report)
09. Soul Intro/The Chicken
10. Three Views of a Secret
11. Liberty City
12. John and Mary

Personnel: Jaco Pastorius (bass guitar); Edie Lehmann, Petsye Powell, Mary Pastorius, Zedric Turnbough, John Pastorius, Dave Prater, Jim Gilstrap, John Lehman, Alfie Silas, Sam Moore, Myrna Matthews, Marti McCall (vocals); Larry Carlton (guitar); Gerald Vinci, William Hymanson, Stuart Canin, Harold Kohon, David Nadien, Harry Cykman, Paul Gershman, Harry Lookofsky, Joe Malin (violin); Manny Vardi, Stewart Clarke, Allan Harshman, Julian Barber, Denyse Buffum (viola); Ray Kelley, Beverly Lauridsen, Dennis Karmazyn, Charles McCracken, Kermit Moore (cello); Hubert Laws, James Walker (flute); Toots Thielemans (harmonica); Abe Most (clarinet); Tom Scott (bass clarinet); David Weiss (oboe); Robert Cowart (English horn); David Breidenthal (bassoon); Neal Bonsanti, Dan Bonsanti, Gary Lindsay (saxophone); David Sanborn, George Young (alto saxophone); Michael Brecker, Bob Mintzer (tenor saxophone); Randy Emerick, Howard Johnson (baritone saxophone); Chuck Findley, Brian O'Flaherty, Bobby Findley, Melton Mustafa, Randy Brecker, Snooky Young, Warren Luening, Ken Faulk, Brett Murphey, Ron Tooley (trumpet); Jerry Peel, Peter Gordon, Steve Roitstein, John Clark, William Lane, Brad Warnaar (French horn); Russ Freeland, David Bargeron, Dave Bargeron, Jim Pugh, Mike Katz, Charles Loper, Lew McCreary (trombone); David Taylor, Peter Graves , Bill Reichenbach (bass trombone); Tommy Johnson (tuba); Alex Darqui (Fender Rhodes piano); Michael Boddicker (synthesizer); Joe Zawinul (ARP synthesizer); Wayne Shorter (lyricon); Bruce Bransby, Arni Egilsson (double bass); Chester Thompson, Harvey Mason, Jack DeJohnette, Lenny White, Alex Acuna, Narada Michael Walden, Peter Erskine, Steve Gadd, Tony Williams, Bob Moses, Bobby Economou (drums); Manolo Badrena, Bobby Thomas (congas); Paul Hornmuller, Leroy Williams , Othello Molineaux (steel pan); Airto Moreira, Emil Richards, Bill Summers, Robert Thomas, Oscar Salas, Bobbye Hall (percussion); Don Alias (bells); London Symphony Orchestra.

Additional personnel: Joni Mitchell, Pat Metheny (guitar); Michael Colombier (electric piano); Herbie Hancock (Clavinet); Weather Report.

Notes at cduniverse.com
One of the most influential electric bassists of all time–in either jazz or rock–Jaco Pastorius virtually redefined the instrument during the 1970s and '80s. Pastorius pioneered a dynamic, agile style that emphasized melodic invention over steady, rhythmic pulses, and brought the bass line to the forefront in all his ensembles. Though his career and output were cut tragically short by his death in 1987, his influence has been immeasurable.
THE ESSENTIAL JACO PASTORIUS is the perfect introduction to Pastorius's style. The two-disc set also serves as an overview of the bass wizard's diverse output, covering his solo releases, his tenure with Weather Report, and his dates as a session musician (including two stunning tracks from Joni Mitchell's HEJIRA). There's an avalanche of dazzling playing on this generous, superbly selected compilation; it gives a brilliant, comprehensive testament to a legendary musician.

Review by Matt Collar
The Essential Jaco Pastorius collects tracks the innovative jazz bassist recorded during the '70s and '80s. Included here are cuts off Pastorius' two studio albums as well as some of the work he did with the seminal fusion outfit Weather Report. Also featured are recordings he made with other artists including Herbie Hancock and Joni Mitchell. As a two-disc anthology, this is a hard collection to pass up and certainly includes all of the most well-known of Pastorius' recordings, not the least of which are his 1976 take on Charlie Parker's "Donna Lee," Weather Report's "Birdland," and the Mitchell tune "Hejira." You also get such stellar tracks as the frenetic "River People" and the iconic "Punk Jazz" both from Weather Report's 1978 album Mr. Gone. As a well-rounded representation of Pastorius' unique genius during the high-point of his career, The Essential Jaco Pastorius is superb listen.