Word of Mouth (Jaco Pastorius album)
Encyclopedia
Word of Mouth was the second album
by Jaco Pastorius
, released in 1981 while the bassist
was a member of Weather Report
, and also the name of a big band
group that Pastorius assembled and with whom he toured from 1980 to 1986. While his debut album
showcased his eclectic and impressive skills on the electric bass
, Word of Mouth focused more on his ability to compose and arrange for a larger band than was previously featured on his first album. The album still shows off Pastorius' skill, most notably in the solo opening to the Bach
-written "Chromatic Fantasy" and the title track, "Word of Mouth," in which Pastorius' bass is drenched in fuzzy distortion. "Crisis" also features a fast bass pattern looping, which runs under the frantic soloing. Most of the rest of the album's bass is highly subdued and blends into the band's arrangement, allowing them to shine through. The song "John and Mary" is dedicated to Jaco's children from his first marriage to Tracy; he had two other children, twin sons Julius and Felix with his second wife, Ingrid.
The band's all-star cast included Herbie Hancock
, Wayne Shorter
, Peter Erskine
, Jack DeJohnette
, Michael Brecker
, Don Alias
and Toots Thielemans
who is featured on harmonica on many of the songs. Early pressings of the album did not include a list of musicians, though later releases listed only the names of the performers in respective, unnamed groups (for example, the main band was the first block of names.) The reason that early pressings of the album had no personnel listed was because Epic/CBS disputed Pastorius' contract with Warner, and only agreed to the album being released if no other CBS artists on the album were credited - prompting Pastorius to dispense with the credits altogether.
The title of the album is the namesake for the Pastorius tribute album
Word of Mouth Revisited.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by Jaco Pastorius
Jaco Pastorius
John Francis Anthony Pastorius III , known as Jaco Pastorius, was an American jazz musician and composer widely acknowledged as a virtuoso electric bass player....
, released in 1981 while the bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
was a member of Weather Report
Weather Report
Weather Report was an American jazz-rock band of the 1970s and early 1980s. The band was co-led by the Austrian-born keyboard player Joe Zawinul and the American saxophonist Wayne Shorter...
, and also the name of a big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
group that Pastorius assembled and with whom he toured from 1980 to 1986. While his debut album
Jaco Pastorius (album)
This self-titled album was Pastorius' solo debut and was originally released in 1976. The album was produced by Blood, Sweat & Tears drummer/founder Bobby Colomby...
showcased his eclectic and impressive skills on the electric bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Word of Mouth focused more on his ability to compose and arrange for a larger band than was previously featured on his first album. The album still shows off Pastorius' skill, most notably in the solo opening to the Bach
Bạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
-written "Chromatic Fantasy" and the title track, "Word of Mouth," in which Pastorius' bass is drenched in fuzzy distortion. "Crisis" also features a fast bass pattern looping, which runs under the frantic soloing. Most of the rest of the album's bass is highly subdued and blends into the band's arrangement, allowing them to shine through. The song "John and Mary" is dedicated to Jaco's children from his first marriage to Tracy; he had two other children, twin sons Julius and Felix with his second wife, Ingrid.
The band's all-star cast included Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
, Wayne Shorter
Wayne Shorter
Wayne Shorter is an American jazz saxophonist and composer.He is generally acknowledged to be jazz's greatest living composer, and many of his compositions have become standards...
, Peter Erskine
Peter Erskine
Peter Erskine is an American jazz drummer and composer. He has enjoyed a long and successful career as a session drummer, recording and touring with many famous jazz and rock artists, including Steely Dan and Weather Report...
, Jack DeJohnette
Jack DeJohnette
Jack DeJohnette is an American jazz drummer, pianist, and composer. He is one of the most influential jazz drummers of the 20th century, due to extensive work as leader and sideman for musicians like Miles Davis, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Keith Jarrett and Sonny...
, Michael Brecker
Michael Brecker
Michael Leonard Brecker was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Acknowledged as "a quiet, gentle musician widely regarded as the most influential tenor saxophonist since John Coltrane," he has been awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer and was inducted into Down Beat Jazz...
, Don Alias
Don Alias
Charles 'Don' Alias was an American jazz percussionist.Alias was best known for playing congas and other hand drums...
and Toots Thielemans
Toots Thielemans
Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor, Baron Thielemans , known as Toots Thielemans, is a Belgian jazz musician well known for his guitar and harmonica playing as well as his whistling. Thielemans is credited as one of the greatest harmonica players of the 20th century...
who is featured on harmonica on many of the songs. Early pressings of the album did not include a list of musicians, though later releases listed only the names of the performers in respective, unnamed groups (for example, the main band was the first block of names.) The reason that early pressings of the album had no personnel listed was because Epic/CBS disputed Pastorius' contract with Warner, and only agreed to the album being released if no other CBS artists on the album were credited - prompting Pastorius to dispense with the credits altogether.
The title of the album is the namesake for the Pastorius tribute album
Tribute album
A tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
Word of Mouth Revisited.
Track listing
All tracks written by Jaco Pastorius except where noted.- "Crisis" – 5:17
- "3 Views of a Secret" – 6:05
- "Liberty City" – 11:57
- "Chromatic Fantasy" (Johann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
) – 3:01 - "BlackbirdBlackbird (song)"Blackbird" is a Beatles song from the double-disc album The Beatles . Blackbird was written by Paul McCartney, but credited to Lennon–McCartney.-Origins:...
" (John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
) – 2:48 - "Word of Mouth" – 3:53
- "John and Mary" – 10:52
- "Word of Mouth" is listed as being 4:21 in the liner notes, as it begins with the feedback at the end of "Blackbird" and ends with the whispering and giggling at the start of "John and Mary".
Personnel
- Herbie HancockHerbie HancockHerbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
: Keyboards, Synthesizers, Piano - Wayne ShorterWayne ShorterWayne Shorter is an American jazz saxophonist and composer.He is generally acknowledged to be jazz's greatest living composer, and many of his compositions have become standards...
, Michael BreckerMichael BreckerMichael Leonard Brecker was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Acknowledged as "a quiet, gentle musician widely regarded as the most influential tenor saxophonist since John Coltrane," he has been awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer and was inducted into Down Beat Jazz...
, Tom ScottTom Scott (musician)Tom Scott is an American saxophonist, composer, arranger, conductor and bandleader of the west coast jazz/jazz fusion ensemble The L.A. Express.-Biography:Scott was born in Los Angeles, California...
: Saxophone - Toots ThielemansToots ThielemansJean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor, Baron Thielemans , known as Toots Thielemans, is a Belgian jazz musician well known for his guitar and harmonica playing as well as his whistling. Thielemans is credited as one of the greatest harmonica players of the 20th century...
: Harmonica - Chuck FindleyChuck FindleyChuck Findley is an American session musician. Most widely-known as a trumpet player, he also plays other brass instruments such as flugelhorn and trombone...
: Trumpet - Howard JohnsonHoward Johnson (jazz musician)Howard Lewis Johnson in Montgomery, Alabama, is an American jazz musician known mainly for his work on tuba and baritone saxophone, although he also plays the bass clarinet, trumpet and other reed instruments....
: Tuba - Don AliasDon AliasCharles 'Don' Alias was an American jazz percussionist.Alias was best known for playing congas and other hand drums...
, Bobby Thomas Jr.: : Percussion - Peter ErskinePeter ErskinePeter Erskine is an American jazz drummer and composer. He has enjoyed a long and successful career as a session drummer, recording and touring with many famous jazz and rock artists, including Steely Dan and Weather Report...
, Jack DeJohnetteJack DeJohnetteJack DeJohnette is an American jazz drummer, pianist, and composer. He is one of the most influential jazz drummers of the 20th century, due to extensive work as leader and sideman for musicians like Miles Davis, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Keith Jarrett and Sonny...
: Drums - Jaco PastoriusJaco PastoriusJohn Francis Anthony Pastorius III , known as Jaco Pastorius, was an American jazz musician and composer widely acknowledged as a virtuoso electric bass player....
: Electric bass, organ - Paul Horn-Muller: Steel pans
- Othello MolineauxOthello MolineauxOthello Molineaux is an acclaimed jazz steelpan player who spent much of his earlier career backing bass guitarist Jaco Pastorius. Additionally, Molineaux has worked with other musicians such as Monty Alexander, Chicago, and David Johansen.-References:...
: Steel pan