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Reno
Steba's account of the experience
In late November 1984 I’ve received a brochure from a friend announcing that Jaco Pastorius will be teaching bass on the island of Martinique. To me
great news, wow I’m going to meet Jaco! But at the same time disappointments
because I had this tour to Venezuela for two weeks starting December 7th and
the lessons at the clinic started on December 5th till 16th. Lucky enough
they cancel the tour on December 3rd and gave me the opportunity to fly to
Martinique on time for the clinics. After signing in as a student at
Martinique Carrefour Mondial de la Guitare they informed me that Jaco would
be a week late. For five days I’ve walk around and attended several
workshops with Leo Brouwer classic guitarist and John Abercrombie as an
observer. Then it was December 10th and Jaco first appearance to the
students was about to happened. The classroom was full of bass players from
around the Caribbean some from Europe and U.S.A. They where like over thirty
student present that day. Then came Jaco into the classroom and for a minute
everybody was shock because he walk in the classroom on bear foot. But after
introducing himself to the students and started to play the bass and teaches
us some shops it became magic and rest was history.
The next day he decides to test some student after lunch, and to my surprise
I was one of them. After jamming with Michel Hatzigeorgiou he introduced me
to Jaco and we jam a Bb blues. At first I was nervous and struggle a lot but
as we keep on playing I started to get my confidence and enjoy my playing
with Jaco. He later comments me on my approach on the bass and to take my
time when I’m improvising, I quote; don’t shoot all your marvels on your
first shot. He also shows me how to play that singing vibrato on the string.
To me it was a great experience not only to take lesson from Jaco but also
to know him as a person. After classes we meet at the hotel pool bar and we
talked about music and also about Aruba because his wife Ingrid was raised
there. The fourth day of the workshop with only a few students present Jaco
taught us America the Beautiful and selected some student to play with him
on his concert the next day. He selected Michel Hatzigeorgiou to play Donna
Lee and myself to play "Continuum".
In the afternoon, on Friday 14 December we did sound check at the theatre
and had great fun with Jaco. He really was a great person and short period
friend, beside his BD. Four students showed up for the sound check that day,
Michel Hatzigeorgiou, Alan Brennan, Angel Vicens and I. Jaco asked us to
join him to perform "America the Beautiful" at the end of the show. At the
concert that night he played like the Jaco I always knew.
He played great solos, chords, harmonics, melodies and funky patterns where
the main course of the evening. Along with Rashied Ali on drums they played
the concert without any other instrumentalist. Then after the tenth song of
that evening it was time for Michel and me to perform. We both were nervous
but I guess that’s normal if you had to play with Jaco. At first Michel got
to play Donna Lee then I followed with Continuum. At the end of the concert
we all joined the stage and played with five basses America the Beautiful.
As encore we jam with four students and Jaco on drums.
After the concert Jaco wanted to celebrate our last reunion and so they took
us to a music bar in town. It was funny when we all walk into the club while
the band was playing and Jaco walked ride away to the stage. As he walked to
stage the bass player in the band couldn’t believe his eyes. Jaco took the
bass from his neck and pickup the tune from there like nothing happened.
After playing a couple of tunes with the band he took over in the break sad
down at the piano and played a couple of tunes from his album Word of Mouth.
Later when he join us again on the table he ask me if I wanted to go to
Europe to play some gigs, He and Michel where going over there, if I wanted
to come along. But this was at the time inconvenience for me because of
other obligation I had to complete. After a while we sad goodbye to each
other and the next time I heard about Jaco was when he died, three years
later. |
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