I post a weekly diary of historical notes, arts & science items, foreign news (often receiving little notice in the US) and whimsical pieces from the outside world that I often feature in "Cheers & Jeers".
OK, you've been warned - here is this week's tomfoolery material that I posted.
CHEERS to Bill and Michael in PWM, our Wyoming-based friend Irish Patti and ...... well, each of you at Cheers and Jeers. Have a fabulous weekend .... and week ahead.
ART NOTES — an exhibition featuring more than eighty works by the Taos Society of Artists will be on display at the Scottsdale, Arizona Museum of the West through April 30th.
Taos Society of Artists tourHAIL and FAREWELL to the comedian ‘Professor’ Irwin Corey — who once said, "When I tried to join the Communist Party, they called me an anarchist" … and on his 100th birthday in 2014 he quipped, "Ten years ago, we had Johnny Cash, Bob Hope and Steve Jobs. Today, ten years later …. there's no cash, there's no hope, there's no jobs" — who has died at the age of 102.
IN READING of last week’s horrific shooting in a Québec City mosque (by a Trump-LePen loving white man) it was interesting to learn that the province’s shock radio programs are referred to as Radio poubelle (trash-can radio) and that a conservative host at FM93 did express some (limited) remorse for some of his past remarks.
THURSDAY's CHILD is named James the Cat— a Hawaii kitteh (named before her family realized she was female) who went missing fifteen years ago … now reunited … via the number (with a heart) that had been tattooed in her right ear when she was spayed (at the Maui Humane Society) many years ago.
James the Cat … reunitedATTENTION, READERS - posted a few months ago in this space was this year's quiz from King William's College (a prep school located on the UK's Isle of Man) - with said quiz known as its General Knowledge Paper officially.
At one time, students at the school were required to take it home during the winter recess and be prepared to research the answers at home - today, the quiz is optional. It consists of 18 groups of 10 questions - the first section on events 100 years ago, and the last on events of the past year (in this case, 2016).
Each group's correct answers has a common theme (though perhaps not immediately recognizable) that helps if you can answer at least one of that group's questions - which will give you hope of answering some others. It is among the most difficult general knowledge quizzes on earth (quite British literature-laden, as you might well imagine) in part to being very cryptic, and each year the Guardian newspaper has printed both the quiz (and a few weeks later, the answers) since 1951.
At this link is the 2016-17 year's quiz if you would like a chance to take it.
Either way, the answers are available at this link - and yours truly doubled his score …. from a pitiful 1 correct ... to a sizzling 2 correct.
FRIDAY's CHILD is an Irish kitteh spotted by a motorcycle policeman (who then pulled over a motorist, who thought it was for speeding) in order to dismantle the grill in order to free the feline.
Kitteh in Galway, IrelandTHE OTHER NIGHT yours truly hosted the Top Comments diary with what I called Random Observations— or more aptly, “Nobody asked me, but ...” — with a look at subjects ranging from the age of champion tennis stars, an inquest into expense reports and a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay.
HAPPY TRAILS to two legendary singers and their retirement (at least from live performances) due to medical conditions: one is Al Jarreau— the winner of seven Grammys and whose rendition of the TV theme song to Moonlighting is still my favorite song of his — who is retiring immediately at the age of nearly 77 …….… and to Aretha Franklin — who will record one final album and end touring later this year (although she has not ruled out some one-off performances in the future — at the age of 74.
(Addendum) — alas, Al Jarreau has died from his illness.
BRAIN TEASER - try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC.
SISTER — BROTHER? — senior Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway and comedic TV/film actor Denis Leary.
Kellyanne Conway … … and Denis Leary...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… for about eight years, he was the most famous electric bassist on the planet. Though I had other role models while playing that instrument in my youth, one could not ignore the effect that Jaco Pastorius had on all electric bassists, no matter the style of music. Sadly, the effects of mental disorder (exacerbated by substance abuse) ended his life at only age 35, when he could have been celebrating his 65th birthday two months ago. Nonetheless, it’s worth a look not just at "What could have been?" ... but what actually did happen, as we approach thirty years after his death.
The family of John Pastorius III moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in his youth, and is where he both came-of-age and died ... but he was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania — and thus, he belongs in the pantheon of famous Philadelphia-area jazz bassists (including Reggie Workman, Percy Heath, Alphonso Johnson, Christian McBride, Jimmy Garrison and Stanley Clarke).
Originally he aspired to be a drummer, like his father Jack (who also sang in a big-band) but a football injury inhibited his arm motion. He was a noted athlete, and originally took the name Jocko after Jocko Conlon, the baseball umpire. The French-born pianist Alex Darqui spelled it Jaco, which the young Pastorius adopted.
His career began when his band in high school needed a bass player and he bought an electric from his paper route earnings. After finding his calling, he later saved diligently to buy a traditional double bass, becoming quite proficient on it and enjoying the freedom from having frets on it to slow down his technique.
Alas, the humidity in south Florida wrecked havoc on trying to keep the acoustic bass in tune and when the instrument cracked he decided to use a Fender Jazz bass – and legend has it he removed the frets himself. He began performing with R&B bands in Florida, notably Wayne Cochran & the CC Riders and later with the jazz trumpeter Ira Sullivan. It was in 1974 with Sullivan that he was noticed (as a 23 year-old) by the 19 year-old guitarist Pat Metheney, and the two recorded together on an album by the Montreal-born pianist Paul Bley.
That drew the attention of Blood, Sweat and Tears drummer Bobby Colomby - who recruited Pastorius on behalf of Columbia Records for their jazz division. And that led to his next big break: the release of his 1976 debut solo album Jaco Pastorius– which shook the jazz rock world, as well as forced many other bassists to ‘raise their game’ with the short, solo-bass version of Donna Lee– credited to Charlie Parker historically (although now believed to be a Miles Davis composition) and which at this link you can hear why a 2-minute song caused such a stir about him. And he attracted a stellar group of sidemen, including Herbie Hancock, David Sanborn, Michael Brecker … and even R&B star vocalists Sam & Dave, for the vocal tune Come On, Come Over as a nod to his R&B past.
The other break – which made him an international star – came from his rather cocky manner. When a tour brought to Miami the pioneering jazz rock band Weather Report– Jaco approached the band’s founder Joe Zawinul. The Vienna, Austria native Zawinul was initially taken aback when Jaco said the band played well but that he expected more – and that Zawinul was looking at the "best bass player anywhere". But Zawinul later said that Jaco reminded Joe of himself (when he had been a brash young man in the band of saxophonist Cannonball Adderley in the early-to-mid 60’s) and so Joe requested a demo tape. And when Weather Report’s bassist Alphonso Johnson – one of my favorites – told Zawinul soon afterwards he was leaving to begin a solo career, Zawinul contacted Jaco .... who began a five-year stint with the band.
The best-selling album Weather Report ever had was 1977’s Heavy Weather– Jaco’s second with the band, which included Jaco’s own song Teen Town as well as the album’s classic song Birdland– Joe Zawinul’s tribute to the legendary 52nd street nightclub in New York. (At this link you can hear a Grammy-winning vocal version of "Birdland" by the Manhattan Transfer). By that time, Zawinul and co-founder saxophonist Wayne Shorter were now joined by Pastorius (with a wild stage presence) as a three-way focus of the band.
Along the way, he also became an in-demand studio musician. Even if you’re unfamiliar with the works listed above: you may have heard him on albums by Mott the Hoople’s Ian Hunter plus Blood Sweat and Tears and on four 1970’s Joni Mitchell albums: Hejira as well as Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter in particular.
Jaco Pastorius left Weather Report in early 1981 (at age 29) to form Word of Mouth– his own big band. Their two albums featured the Beatles’ “Blackbird”, songs by Duke Ellington (as well as a re-worked Bach composition) in addition to originals.
But beginning in 1982, he began showing signs of erratic behavior. His long-time Weather Report bandmate (drummer Peter Erskine) had asked his doctor father to examine Pastorius, and Dr. Fred Erskine (suspecting bi-polar disorder) asked Jaco’s wife Ingrid to have him admitted to a Florida hospital – who confirmed the diagnosis and prescribed lithium for his mood swings.
Yet he was unable – or unwilling – to keep up with his medications, and the situation was exacerbated by drug and alcohol abuse. For awhile, he seemed to be able to confine this to his private life – but a 1984 Playboy Jazz Festival concert at the Hollywood Bowl saw him break-down on-stage, mid-set. He continued to perform - but more sparingly, with a smaller group in smaller venues over the next few months.
His wife Ingrid had divorced him due to his behavior, but had not given up on him – after Jaco was evicted from his New York City apartment in 1986, she had him committed to Bellevue Hospital, rather than have him become a street person. But to no avail: he returned to Fort Lauderdale and (for all intents and purposes) left the music business for a life on that city’s streets ... frequenting inner-city drug hangouts.
On September 11, 1987, he first snuck on-stage at a Carlos Santana concert and was ejected. He then made his way to a nightclub where he was beaten by a club bouncer. After sinking into a coma (after suffering numerous facial fractures) Jaco Pastorius died ten days later, a few weeks shy of his 36th birthday. The bouncer pled guilty to manslaughter, yet served only a few months in jail in the end.
While Jaco Pastorius had become nearly forgotten the past 2-3 years of his life: his death was a thunderbolt to the music world. One of those most influenced by Jaco was the bassist Marcus Miller – and his song Mr. Pastorius was made famous when Miles Davis recorded it. In addition, other musicians (and not just bassists) have recorded tributes to him — including The Zombies’ keyboard player Rod Argent as well as banjo star Bela Fleck.
Approaching thirty years after his death, his name is not forgotten. He was voted into the Downbeat Jazz Hall of Fame– one of only eight bassists to have been so honored (and the only electric bassist) – and in 2007 Fender issued a signature Jaco Pastorius fretless bass. A 1995 biography sold well, but is the subject of dispute from his widow and old friend Pat Metheney. Each December 1st, an annual birthday concert is held in south Florida by his two youngest sons (Julius and Felix) and on his birthday in 2008, a new park near Ft. Lauderdale was named Jaco Pastorius Park in his honor. Finally, a documentary on his life was released last year (produced by bassist Rob Trujillo of Metallica) and streamed on Netflix.
Jaco Pastorius (in mid-70’s) … and later (1951 — 1987)Of all of his work, my favorite – and I think the most enjoyable for the non-jazz fan — was an elegiac ballad from the 1977 Weather Report album Heavy Weather.
A Remark You Made became a Joe Zawinul classic - and was often performed after his own death (in 2007) at memorial services and tribute concerts. The Chicago singer Kurt Elling has a wonderful vocal version of the song with added lyrics at this link (and was re-named "Time to Say Goodbye"). The Nashville-based new-grass Dobro player Jerry Douglas performs it in concerts (as I can attest).
On the Weather Report original recording, you can hear Jaco Pastorius out front, playing a portion of the melody on his fretless bass (as was often the case). And below you can listen to it.
x YouTube Video