During the opening credits of Jaco, the name of producer Robert Trujillo--better known as the bassist for Metallica and Suicidal Tendencies--pops up on screen more often than that of the film's subject, Jaco Pastorious. Trujillo used his Metallica money to help get this valentine to the pioneering fusion bassist filmed and good on him for that. Pastorious is a major musician but he's the kind of artist who is either completely beloved or totally unknown. To its credit, the filmmakers of Jaco are devotees who explain Pastorious to a wide audience. Testimonials from seemingly every major bassist, along with former colleagues, aren't merely enthusiastic but they explain why Jaco was different on a musical basis--a rare thing in music documentaries, probably because it's so difficult. Much of Jaco traces the evolution of his style and there's a compelling midsection detailing how Pastorious battled creatively Weather Report leader Joe Zawinul. Enough of the movie is focused on the music so when it starts detailing Pastorious' sad decline, it feels neither tawdry or exploitative: it's simply sad, a tragic conclusion to a musicians whose gifts shine in this fine doc.

jaco pastorius - modern electric bass (by henriquescudeller)

Hells Yes