View the program - Jaco Pastorius

Welcome to the 20th Anniversary Tribute of John Francis Pastorius
III. Tonight is dedicated to celebrating one of the greatest musicians
that ever lived. Our goal is to inform, entertain, and commune
with you in matters regarding the life, music, and legacy of a truly
remarkable and complex man who touched so many people so
deeply, and who’s known to all simply as “Jaco.”
Most of you know a great deal about him already. For those
who may be new to the Jaco ‘experience,’ John Francis Pastorius
was a rare and wonderful spirit, brimming with life and vitality,
who traveled through this world in what to him was the noblest
profession – as a musician.
A true ‘American original,’ Jocko came of age in Florida during the 1970s, where he was raised on a
blend of rock-and-roll, R&B, jazz, classical, island, and Latin music. He possessed unbelievable levels
of natural energy and talent, both creative and technical; skills he shaped into a language that let
his remarkable and beautiful inner voice take flight through the instrument. His ability to combine
incredible precision of note and meter with a profound inner spirit allowed him to reach inside and
touch the listener’s most intimate and vulnerable emotions. He was a visionary who looked to the
past, an R&B player who looked to jazz, a jazzman who looked to rock-n-roll, an innovator who
drew from everywhere creating things that were completely new. Through a combination of hard
work, ballsy ambition, and an expansive yet singular inner vision, he brought the electric bass guitar
into musical adulthood. In the process, he gave birth to some of the most beautiful and compelling
music that’s ever been played.
But of course Jaco was so much more. What makes his music so infectious is also what made his life
so incredible – he lived it from inside each new moment. He was all about exploring and extracting
the maximum out of each moment of life. The smile was one of Jaco’s trademarks. It was a natural
outgrowth of what he did. Jaco’s music was about joy, spirit, and freedom; his life was about
adventure. Revered as a genius by some and a god by others, people all around the world were
taken in by the passion and the naked honesty of his life and music.
JACO
“The World’s
Greatest Bass Player.”

Born John Francis Pastorius III on December 1st 1951 in Norristown PA. Jaco,
as he would be known, was the eldest of three boys of Jack and Stephanie
Pastorius. Jack, a professional jazz drummer/singer, was also Jaco’s first musical
influence. Through his father’s extensive record collection a young Jaco was
exposed to all of the greats of the big band/swing era. On any given day the
Pastorius household would be alive with the sounds of Sinatra, Bennet, Nat
King Cole, or The Dorsey Brothers. Jaco also took after his father by taking up
playing drums at an early age. Starting out playing with his father’s sticks on a
set of old bongos, Jaco would eventually buy a full set of drums with the money
he earned from delivering newspapers. With the seed planted, Jaco’s interest in
music would steadily grow.
In 1959 the Pastorius family packed up and moved to Florida, settling down in the quaint
neighborhood of Oakland Park. Born in Pennsylvania, Jaco was about to put Florida on the map of
modern jazz globally. Over the following years Jaco would be heavily influenced by the wide variety
of music styles that were unique to the South Florida area. With its multicultural demographics, a
progressive music department at the University of Miami, miles of beach resorts, and its international
cruise ship industry, the southern tip of Florida was constantly alive with the sounds of jazz, rock,
R&B, country, reggae, Latin, and calypso. And it’s from within this diverse musical environment that
Jaco would develop his singular style. Over time, Jaco expanded his budding ideas into full-fledged
works of complex orchestrations ultimately creating a rich body of work that would stand the test
of time.
Biography: A Life of Music
During his youth Jaco would exhibit endless amounts of energy, practicing by day
while gigging or venturing out into obscure areas of town to jam by night. Totally
dedicated to music, Jaco quickly became known for a strong and healthy work
ethic that he would maintain all the way up through his startling appearance onto
the international music scene in 1976. However, by 1979 Jaco began experiencing
unusual mood swings and displaying erratic behavior presumably triggered by the
use of drugs and alcohol. Continuing over the years, the misguided notion that
alcohol and drugs were responsible for Jaco’s behavior was only masking the much
deeper psychological problems that would eventually lead to his untimely death
at the young age of 35.
But during the 1970s and ‘80s Jaco Pastorius brought an aura of rock & roll
celebrity to an otherwise studious genre evoking the heyday of Dizzy Gillespie
and Charlie Parker. Along the way, with effortless speed, lyrical articulation, and
his revolutionary fretless and harmonic styling, Jaco single-handedly transformed
the electric bass guitar, doing for it what Jimi Hendrix had done for the electric
six-string a decade before.

Biography
Originally a drummer Jaco switched to bass at the age of 16 developing his chops in a series
of local R&B bands. He cut his teeth as a composer while on the road with Wayne Cochran &
C.C Riders (1972), learning to read, write and arrange music from the group’s musical director Charles
Brent. Jaco later settled down in the house band at the Bachelors III in Ft. Lauderdale where, as a member
of the Peter Graves Orchestra, he backed up national artists as the Supremes, Charo, the Temptations and Mel
Torme’. In 1973 Jaco began playing with legendary multi-instrumentalist Ira Sullivan and jazz guitarist Joe Diorio.
Considered his “jazz period,” this would be the most productive of Jaco’s early formative years. Jaco had also developed a
close relationship with the young up-and-coming guitar phenom Pat Metheny who was teaching at the University Of Miami. All
of these musical relationships would be significant to Jaco’s overall development. In March of 1974, after a short stint on the road with
Lou Rawls, a very confident and determined Jaco returned home to begin recording quality demos of his own original music.
Within a year Jaco was discovered by BS&T drummer Bobby Colomby and signed to Epic Records. Jaco skyrocketed to fame almost
overnight with the release of his solo debut Jaco Pastorius (1976). But rather than go out on his own as leader Jaco decided to join the
fusion ensemble Weather Report headed by jazz veterans Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter. With Jaco as the third key member of the band,
Weather Report would go on to release six albums, win a Grammy, and was heralded as the premier fusion/jazz group of the era. Jaco
recorded with other major artists during the mid ‘70s and is well known for his groundbreaking performances on Pat Metheny’s first solo
album “Bright Size Life,” and for his lyrical fretless work with singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell.
Jaco was joined on his self-titled debut in ‘76 by some of music’s all time greats including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, David Sanborn,
Sam & Dave, Lenny White, Hubert Laws, and members of the NY Philharmonic string section. Bringing forth totally new approaches,
EPIC’s release of Jaco Pastorius totally revolutionized the way the bass was perceived from that point on, thus becoming a milestone in
the annals of modern music. After leaving Weather Report in 1982, Jaco recorded Word of Mouth for Warner Bros. and began touring
a 20 piece all-star ensemble featuring trumpeter Randy Brecker, steel drum virtuoso Othello Molineaux, and harmonica legend Toots
Thielemans. By this time Jaco had already attained international acclaim and was widely considered the “World’s Greatest Bass Player.”
But by the mid 1980’s, Jaco’s personal demons were competing with his music for control. One notable instance was his infamous onstage
meltdown during the 1984 Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl. Things were beginning to go drastically wrong. Finally in July
1986 Jaco was forcibly admitted to New York City’s Bellevue Hospital to undergo psychological evaluation. It was conclusively determined
that Jaco was suffering from Bipolar Disorder Type One, a mental illness characterized by drastic mood swings that range from manic
episodes of supreme confidence, to prolonged periods of depression. It appeared that Jaco was finally going to receive the help he
desperately needed. But after only eight weeks of supervised treatment he was prematurely released and back on his own. Unable to stay
on his medication due to the way it affected his playing, Jaco’s erratic behavior quickly resumed with devastating results. Within months
a terribly misunderstood Pastorius was living in the street and being shunned by the same musicians and fans who had once showered
him with acclaim. Tragically, on September 21, 1987, Jaco would die from injuries he received after being severely beaten by a martial arts
bouncer outside of an after hours club in his hometown Ft. Lauderdale.
Today, Jaco’s spirit lives on, inspiring musicians everywhere to step out from the shadows of artistic cliché, to reach one’s limits and push
beyond them, to find a personal voice, and to strive for and to achieve creative excellence.
FLEA, when asked about Jaco, wrote; “I love Jaco. I love everything about him, I feel the depth of his joy and pain in every note I have ever
heard him play. Obviously he changed the face of electric bass playing forever and a great poet would be needed to attempt to describe
it, so I will just remain humbly awe stricken like everyone else.”
Herbie Hancock is quoted as saying; “Jaco is without a doubt one of the greatest of all time, a genius… I don’t think anyone would dispute
that.”
But possibly STING summed it up best when he said. “For those of us who considered ourselves bass players in the 70’s. Jaco Pastorius
and the almost supernatural miracles he could wring from the instrument in his hands were as revolutionary as Hendrix had been to
guitarists a decade before. He altered the musical landscape to such an extent that nothing was ever the same again. He was my friend,
my teacher, and I miss him terribly.”

������� �� ��� ������� �� ��� �� ��� ���������
�� �������� ���� ������� �� ��� �� ��� ���� ����������
��������� �� ��� ����� �� ���� ��� ����� �� ���� ������
�������� ���� ������� �������� ��� ���� ���� ��� ������

Frank Malfitano
Our Master of Ceremonies tonight is one of the most prolific Jazz
festival promoters in the country.
Frank Malfitano founded Syracuse Jazz Fest Productions 25 years ago with the purpose
of developing an audience for jazz in Central NY. During that time, the Jazz Fest
produced more than 2,000 local, regional, and national events including 37 festivals
and 50 jazz events in New York with seven indoor mini-festivals
Actively involved for more then 30 years in the national and international jazz scene,
Frank also created and hosted a popular weekly jazz radio program, “Just Jazz,” and
two critically acclaimed series’ for cable, “Jazz In The Park” and “JazzBeat On Location.”
He served as Executive Producer of the 1990 Jazz Times Magazine (International Jazz
Industry) Convention in New Orleans, and was Associate Producer of the 1988 JT
Convention in Los Angeles.
From 2000-’06, Malfitano headed the prestigious Detroit International Jazz Festival and served as the artistic director of the Detroit Music
Hall Center for the Performing Arts. It was at the 2006 Festival that Frank decided to bring the Jaco Pastorius Big Band to Detroit to see
how Jaco’s big band music would be received.
It went so well that Frank invited them to perform at the 25th Anniversary of the Syracuse Jazz Festival, honoring Jaco Pastorius as the
2007 festival dedicatee. The 2007 Syracuse Festival would go on to break all previous attendance records and ended with Aretha Franklin
performing on the main stage with 20 thousand people strewn across the mountainside for one of the most beautiful festivals Syracuse
has ever seen. So, for a grand finale’ to an already great year where the Jaco Pastorius Big Band featuring bassist Richard Bona also
performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival in July, we decided to invite Frank down to our neck of the woods to host Jaco’s 20th Anniversary
celebration here at the Broward Center of Performing Arts. We welcome his spirit, enthusiasm and dedication to the arts and couldn’t
think of a more fitting host for tonight’s tribute to Jaco.
The Jaco Pastorius Big Band
Founded and conducted by Peter Graves, former trombonist and musical director of Jaco’s Word Of Mouth Band, The Jaco Pastorius Big
Band was a natural outgrowth of the Atlantean Driftwood Band that Peter formed back in the early 70’s, in which Jaco performed with
prior to his solo album and whenever he was in town during the height of his career. Over the past few years the JPBB has appeared at
concert venues and festivals all around the world performing Jaco’s original charts and featuring some of today’s top jazz soloists and bass
players. They are one of the primary forces carrying on Jaco’s musical legacy and have released two award-winning albums in his honor.
With this kind of dedication Jaco’s music will never die.

SCHEDULE OF TONIGHT’S PERFORMANCES
Featuring
The Jaco Pastorius Big Band conducted by Peter Graves, with special guests;
Peter Erskine - Randy Brecker - Bobby Mintzer - Dave Bargeron - Gerald Veasley
Jimmy Haslip - Felix Pastorius - Mary Pastorius - Bobby Thomas -
Ira Sullivan - Alex Darqui - Dana Paul
___________________________________________
Soul Intro / The Chicken Composers: Jaco Pastorius & Alfred James Ellis - Arranger: Jaco Pastorius
Elegant People Composer: Wayne Shorter - Arranger: Jaco Pastorius - Orchestration: Larry Warrilow
A Remark You Made Composer: Joe Zawinul - Arranger: Dan Bonsanti
Dania Composer: Jaco Pastorius - Arranger: Bob Mintzer
Longing Composer: Mary Pastorius
Teen Town Composer: Jaco Pastorius - Arranger: Larry Warrilow - Re-Orchestration: Peter Graves
Barbary Coast Composer: Jaco Pastorius - Arranger: Larry Warrilow -
Domingo Composer: Jaco Pastorius - Arranger: Jaco Pastorius
_______________ Intermission _______________
Havona Composer: Jaco Pastorius - Arranger: Larry Warrilow
Continuum Composer: Jaco Pastorius - Arranger: Jaco Pastorius - Orchestration: Larry Warrilow
Keio Plaza (Pan Art dedication) Composer: Robert Thomas, Jr.
(Used To Be A) Cha-Cha Composer: Jaco Pastorius - Arranger: Dan Bonsanti
Jaco Time Composer: David Bargeron - Arranger: David Bargeron
Three Views Of A Secret Composer: Jaco Pastorius - Arranger: Jaco Pastorius - Orchestration: Larry Warrilow
Liberty City Composer: Jaco Pastorius - Arranger: Jaco Pastorius
Amazing Grace Composer: Traditional
Fannie Mae Composers: Buster Brown, Morgan Robinson & Clarence Lewis - Arranger: Jaco Pastorius
~ Finish ~
JPBB PERSONNEL
Conductor: Peter Graves - Alto Sax, Flute, Piccolo: Billy Ross - Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax, Flute, Clarinet: Ed Calle
Tenor Sax, Alto Sax, Flute, Clarinet: Gary Keller - Baritone Sax, Flute, Bass Clarinet: Mike Brignola
Trumpet, Flugelhorn: Jim Hacker - Trumpet, Flugelhorn: Jason Carder
Trumpet, Flugelhorn: Ken Faulk - Trombone: Dana Teboe - Bass Trombone: John Kricker - Piano: Mike Levine
Guitar: Lindsay Blair - Bass: Jeff Carswell - Drums: Mark Griffith - Sound Engineer: Larry Warrilow

Tonights Featured Performers
& Pastorius Alumni
Peter Erskine
Peter Erskine has played the drums since the age of 4 and is known for
his versatility and love for playing in different settings. He appears on over
500 albums and film scores, and has won 2 Grammy Awards as well as an
Honorary Doctorate. He has played with (among others) the Stan Kenton
and Maynard Ferguson big bands, Weather Report, Jaco Pastorius Word of
Mouth big band and small group, Steps Ahead, Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan,
Diana Krall, Kenny Wheeler, The Brecker Brothers, The Yellowjackets, Pat
Metheny & Gary Burton, John Scofield, Bill Frisell, et al, and has appeared as
a soloist with the London, Los Angeles, Frankfurt Radio, Scottish Chamber,
BBC Symphony and Berlin Philharmonic orchestras. Peter leads 2 groups ~
The Lounge Art Ensemble, and a piano trio with Alan Pasqua ~ and those
recordings can be found on the Fuzzy Music label. He is the author of several
books, the latest being “Time Awareness for All Musicians”. Erskine is also an
award-winning composer for the theatre, and teaches jazz drumming at the
University of Southern California and the Royal Academy of Music.
Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker has been shaping the sound of Jazz, R&B and Rock for more than
three decades. His trumpet and flugelhorn performances have graced hundreds
of albums. He has worked with a wide range of artists that include James Taylor,
Bruce Springsteen, Chaka Khan, George Benson, Parliament-Funkadelics, Frank
Sinatra, Charles Mingus, Steely Dan, David Sanborn, Horace Silver, Jaco Pastorius
and Frank Zappa. Brecker began his foray into jazz-rock by joining Blood, Sweat
and Tears. Brecker then joined the Horace Silver Quintet. In 1968, Brecker recorded
his first album as a leader – Score – which also featured his 19 year-old brother,
Michael Brecker, on tenor saxophone. Later, Brecker teamed up with his brother,
Barry Rogers, Billy Cobham, and John Abercrombie to form the seminal-fusion
group – Dreams. The group recorded two adventurous and wildly acclaimed
albums before they disbanded in 1971. In 1972, Randy was back with Horace
Silver, teaming up with Michael as the front line in Horace’s quintet. In 1974,
the brothers joined Billy Cobham’s group, Spectrum, with which they recorded
several albums. By 1975, the brothers were ready to front their own band. The
Brecker brothers went on to record a total of six albums, and garner seven Grammy nominations between 1975 and 1981. Both Michael
and Randy recorded and toured with Jaco’s Pastorius throughout his career, and Randy was a featured soloist In The Word Of Mouth
Big Band.
A very dear friend of Jaco’s, Peter’s presence here tonight is very special as
they played and recorded together in Weather Report and in the Word Of Mouth band making some of the most incredible music ever
performed.
Bob Mintzer
photo by Tony Barbera / DW drums
Arranger and saxophonist Bob Mintzer merges a traditional jazz approach with an all encompassing
modernism that embraces lyricism, a strong sense of swing, and arrangements that take the listener
on an unpredictable and vibrant journey. Besides leading his own New York-based big band since the
early 1980s, Mintzer leads a jazz quartet, is a 15-year member of the Yellowjackets, and is active in
music education. In addition to his busy schedule playing and teaching others, Mintzer still manages
to find time to write saxophone quartets, symphony music, big band arrangements, music for the
Yellowjackets, and etude books. Mintzer honed his skills playing and writing for Buddy Rich, Thad
Jones, Mel Lewis, Art Blakey, Sam Jones, Jaco Pastorius, The GRP Big Band, Mike Manieri, Tito Puente,
Eddie Palmieri, and the New York Philharmonic. He also has done session work for James Taylor,
Queen, Steve Winwood, Aretha Franklin, and countless others. Mintzer has been nominated for
thirteen Grammy awards, both for his solo work and big band recordings, and his work with the
Yellowjackets. Homage to Count Basie won the Grammy in the best large ensemble category in
2001.
Bobby was one of Jaco’s front line soloists in the Word Of Mouth Band and will be featured in that
same capacity here tonight.

Gerald Veasley
Philadelphia-born Gerald Veasley began playing bass at age 12. Finding refuge in music
following the death of his father, he decided to build a career embracing the therapeutic
aspects of music. He studied all styles, and by the 1980s had become a much sought-after
sideman and session player across the musical spectrum. In ’86 he joined Grover Washington’s
band and in ’88 teamed up with one of his heroes, Joe Zawinul, with whom he toured for seven
years in the Zawinul Syndicate. Veasley launched a prolific solo career in the ‘90s, releasing
albums in ’92 (Look Ahead), ’96 (Signs), ’97 (Soul Control), ’99 (Love Letters), ’01 (On the
Fast Track), ‘03 (Velvet), and a live album in ‘05 (Gerald Veasley At The Jazz Base!). In addition
to a full touring schedule with his own band, Veasley makes time to lecture and teach at the
university level and at Bass Boot Camp, which he founded in 1992. Gerald Veasley has cited
Jaco as one of his major influences on electric bass and it shows.
Jimmy Haslip
Felix Pastorius
Jaco Pastorius’ youngest son, a twin, Felix Xavier Pastorius, born 1982 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
took piano lessons from “uncle Matty” (Matty Bonelli Sr.) 1989 - 1996. At age 14 he decided
to play bass. Two years later, at 16, he was performing throughout south Florida with Bobby
Thomas Jr. (Weather Report, Monty Alexander) in trios and duos, playing melody on his 7 string
bass to an impromptu bass loop, with Bobby Thomas on percussion. At age 19, after meeting
Jeff Coffin at one of the Victor Wooten Bass Camps, Felix went on the road with Jeff and the
Mu’tets, and has continued touring with him for the past 6 years whenever Jeff is not on the
road with Bela Fleck and The Flecktones. Earlier this year Felix finished the soon-to-be-released
Mu’tets CD “MUTOPIA” with guest performance by Victor Wooten and Bela Fleck. Locally, you
can also hear Felix rocking it in the Bendy/Pastorius Group with his twin brother Julius on drums,
as well as with his own jazz ensemble Counterpoint Jazz Collective. Felix’s website is www.
felixpastorius.com
In 1978, Jimmy Haslip teamed up with guitarist Robben Ford and keyboard player Russell
Ferrante to form the legendary Yellowjackets. In 1980, the critically acclaimed group recorded
its debut album, which was followed by 19 additional titles. The Yellowjackets has received 13
Grammy nominations, and won two Grammy awards. Over the last 20 years, Haslip also has
produced a number of recordings for artists that include Michael Franks, Take 6, Gino Vannelli,
Brenda Russell, Al Jarreau, Bobby McFerrin, Toots Thielemans, Chaka Khan, Rita Coolidge, Flora
Purim and many others. Haslip has produced and released two solo albums, and is now coproducing
his third with Joe Vannelli. He is a member of the National Academy of Recording
Arts & Sciences and of the International Association of Jazz Educators. He’s taught numerous
master classes, clinics, and music workshops in residency at music academies, institutes and
colleges all over the United States, Canada, Asia and Europe. Haslip also writes a quarterly
educational column for Bassics magazine. Jimmy studied with Jaco in the mid-seventies and
credits him as a major influence. We would like to thank Jimmy for his continual support over
the years in honoring Jaco’s memory.
Featured Bass Players

www.legacyrecordings.com
© 2007 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Sony BMG Legacy Recordings
Salutes
The Genius of

Additional Featured
Performances
Robert Thomas Jr.
Robert “Bobby” Thomas Jr. creates the most unique approach to percussive instruments in music
today by combining traditional playing styles of many lands and instruments, both ancient and
contemporary. Known worldwide for his work with Weather Report, Thomas converses melodically,
harmonically, and rhythmically by incorporating the use of cymbals, cowbells, and skins in a
systematic concept. Thomas, a two-time Grammy nominee and native Floridian, has shared the
bandstand with David Sanborn, Stan Getz, Herbie Mann, Monty Alexander, and his friend Jaco
Pastorius. In the late 1990s, Felix Pastorius, son of the late Jaco Pastorius, briefly joined Thomas
as part of the group Full Moon Project. Most recently, Thomas released the album “Outside the
Grid,” which he recorded along with Danny Walsh, Milton Mustafa, and Tony Hayes. Known as
the sole innovator of Bebop and freestyle-hand drumming, Thomas is also an avid collector of
bizarre string and wind instruments. For tonight’s performance Bobby will be playing an unusual
pan instrument called Pan Art.
Dana Paul
Ira Sullivan
Ira Sullivan is an elder statesman of mainstream jazz having come to New York from Chicago, in
1956, to join Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Celebrated internationally as a brilliant improviser,
Mr. Sullivan is unique in that he is the only person in jazz to play trumpet and saxophones at the
highest level. Except for his case, this is virtually unheard of. He played trumpet with Charlie Parker and
tenor sax with Roy Eldridge. His own recordings have consistently met with critical acclaim, and his
collaboration trumpeter Red Rodney, in the 1980s was celebrated worldwide. He has influenced and
helped to nurture several generations of jazz musicians, working in Chicago with an eighteen-year-old
Herbie Hancock and mentoring electric bass innovator Jaco Pastorius. After many decades of great
jazz music it is still astonishing to see him perform on a barrage of instruments with his characteristic
passion and creativity.
Dana Paul’s outstanding jazz-vocal performances earned him the title of “Best Jazz Artist” for 2002
given by the Florida Music Awards. Paul was the featured vocalist for Peter Graves’ legendary big
band, Atlantean Driftwood Band, which was part of the annual Sanibel Jazz on the Green festival.
There, he performed with Chick Correa, Chuck Mangione, Toots Thielman, Ira Sullivan, Bob
James, Bobby Caldwell, the Yellowjackets, as well as Tom Scott. Most recently, Paul released an
independent jazz compact disc recorded at Churchill’s, a popular restaurant and lounge in Miami,
FL. Featured on the recording are pianist Mike Orta, bassist Nickie Orta, and drummer Mike
Harvey, along with guest performances by pianist Mike Levine and bassist Rafael Valencia. Today,
Paul continues to collaborate with Graves by performing with the Jaco Pastorius Big Band, as well
as other Florida musicians, performing at local venues throughout South Florida.
Alex Darqui
In 1973 pianist Alex Darqui shared adjacent apartments with Jaco Pastorius above a Laundromat in
Hollywood during which time Alex witnessed from ground zero the creative explosion that took place
within the walls of that building as Jaco completed or at least began nearly every musical composition he
would ever write.
Jaco, Alex, and drummer Bobby Economou joined great jazz multi-instrumentalist Ira Sullivan in late
1973 for a limited engagement at the legendary Lion’s Share gig. It was a combustible combination of
musicians being fueled primarily by Jaco’s growing force. The word traveled fast. Famous musicians and
jazz students from the University of Miami all came to see for themselves this groundbreaking group on
the cutting edge of what was becoming the fusion movement. Jaco subsequently brought Alex, and
drummer Economou with him to New York to record his debut solo album. Jaco has publicly credited Alex
with being one of his biggest musical influences. Alex continues to perform and teach full time.

Fender Musical Instruments presents “A Lifetime Achievement
Award” to Jaco Pastorius for his pioneering contributions to
music. To do the honors tonight, representing Fender, are Del
Breckenfeld and Tony Franklin.
Dave & Gussie Bargeron
Del Breckenfeld
Del Breckenfeld, Director of Entertainment Marketing at FMIC. A graduate of North Eastern
University, with a major in music, Del began his formal music career in the 1980’s as bassist and
songwriter for the band Gambler, recording for Capitol / EMI. After honing his skills in Marketing
and Artist Relations with guitar companies Dean and Washburn, Del joined Fender® in 1995. As
Director of Entertainment Marketing his responsibilities include movie and TV product placement
and National promotions throughout the Entertainment Industry. In 2007, Del was awarded the
Chairman of the Board’s award for embodying the Fender Spirit of Rock-n-Roll®. Amongst Del’s
many other achievements, he was responsible for launching the Jaco Pastorius Tribute Jazz Bass®.
Tony Franklin
Performing on stage since the age of 5, Tony Franklin first made his mark as bassist in the 80’s
supergroup the Firm with guitar legend Jimmy Page. Franklin’s signature fretless growl was a
distinctive and instantly recognizable element of the band’s first hit, “Radioactive.” After two hit
albums with the Firm, Franklin performed with Blue Murder (John Sykes, Carmine Appice), David
Gilmour, Kate Bush, Whitesnake, Donna Lewis, Pat Travers and many others. An in-demand session
bass ace, Franklin has released two solo albums, Brave New Tomorrow and Wonderland. Tony now
juggles his music career between his artist relations duties for Fender Musical Instruments and his
role as a clinician for Fender and SWR. Tony’s biggest musical influence… Jaco Pastorius.
Dave Bargeron is a versatile low-brass jazz artist hailing from Athol, Massachusetts.
He won his first lead trombone job playing with Clark Terry’s Big Band and
from 1968-1970 played Bass Trombone and Tuba with Doc Severinsen’s Band.
In 1970, he joined “Blood, Sweat and Tears” and went on to record eleven
albums. Dave joined the Gil Evans Orchestra in 1972 and played with them long
after the beloved Gil died. After leaving Blood, Sweat & Tears, Dave became
both a sought-after recording musician in New York City and a well-known jazz
artist. He records with many diverse artists playing musical styles that range
from pop albums with Paul Simon, Mick Jagger, James Taylor and Eric Clapton
to jazz albums with Gerry Mulligan, Dave Sanborn and Pat Metheny. Dave
currently records and tours internationally with the George Gruntz Concert Jazz
Band from Switzerland, the George Russell Living Time Orchestra, and is also a
charter member of Howard Johnson’s “Gravity,” the 6-tuba group that has been
together since 1968. Dave first played with Jaco in Blood Sweat & Tears, and was a long-time member of Jaco’s Word Of
Mouth Band
Dave’s daughter Gussie is a 16 year-old junior in High School who is also a student of Trudy Kane, Principal Flutist from the
Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Tonight’s tribute to Jaco performance will mark Dave and Gussie’s first official “gig”
together. This trombone/flute duet is of an original song composed by Dave Bargeron titled Jaco Time. This composition
was written inspired by all of the beautiful melodies that have been and continue to run through David’s head after
spending so much time with Jaco over the years. A fitting tribute for an occasion such as this.
It’s a pleasure to have Dave and his daughter Gussie here with us tonight. Jaco would appreciate it.

Leo Fender and Jaco Pastorius:
The Summit of Electric Bass
F
ile it under “happy coincidences” that late 1951 saw the birth of two remarkable
electric bass guitar phenomena: the instrument itself and the man who became perhaps
its greatest practitioner. Fall of that pivotal year saw the very first production models of
an unusual new instrument-the solid-body electric bass guitar-from Southern California
inventor and guitar maker Leo Fender. Mere weeks later, on Dec. 1 of that year, John
Francis Anthony “Jaco” Pastorius III was born in Norristown, Pa.
Fender’s new instrument was destined to transform the world of popular music.
Pastorius was destined to one day master the instrument as no one else before and
perhaps no one since.
Leo Fender, for his modest part, can truly be considered one of the fathers of
rock ‘n’ roll, although he himself preferred the western swing music so popular
in postwar Southern California. The founding of the company bearing his name
predated rock ‘n’ roll by a full decade, but he was the right man at the right time
to usher popular music from the waning acoustic big band era of the late 1940s
into the new, excitingly visceral electric era of the 1950s and beyond with his
sleekly revolutionary electric guitars and loud, rugged amplifiers.
The electric bass guitar more than fulfilled its intended supporting role in
popular music, of course, but the 1960s and ‘70s saw new generations of
bassists come along who had a new and entirely different role in mind never
imagined by the instrument’s creator; a sonically adventurous, musically
dazzling re-imagining of the instrument’s possibilities that reached its
summit in the supremely virtuosic hands and visionary musical mind of
Jaco Pastorius. It is simply impossible to overestimate the monumental
and worldwide effect he had on the very character of the bass guitar;
an instrument whose role he expanded seemingly singlehandedly
in what amounted to a four-string quantum leap. With heart, soul,
mind and hands, Pastorius, during his all-too short stay among us,
took the electric bass to a bold and beautiful new place.
In his honor, as a tribute to Jaco’s enduring legacy, Fender has
created an exact replica of his signature 1962 Fender jazz bass.
We are also proud to present Jaco Pastorius with a Lifetime
Achievement Award for his pioneering contributions to
music.
Leo Fender. Jaco Pastorius. Two explorers. Two revolutionaries.
Two visionaries. Their legacies continue on, connected for all
ages to come in the instrument so near and dear to both.

y BRUNI
“My sincere support and congratulations to the
Pastorius family on their father's enduring legacy”
... BRUNI
“Her canvases explode with color and emotion.. Her brush is a wild
instrument of expressionism.. Her portraits capture the very Soul...that which
is intangible”.
��� ���� ������� ������ �� ����� � � ��� ����� ��������� �� ���� �������
Her work is in 4 Museums Nationwide, including
The Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C.
����� �������
394 East Campbell Ave
Campbell, CA 95008
�������������
www.brunijazzart.com

Tonight’s Event Sponsors
BEV OATES
SCOTT GOODMAN
JOHN HILL
ED FORBES
KARL MANGIALARDI
HOWARD ENDERS
Corporate Sponsors
FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
WARNER’S / RHINO RECORDS
HAL LEONARD BOOKS
ROTOSOUND STRINGS
SONY/BMG
HARTKE
Credits & Special Thanks
Producers: Bob Bobbing - Peter Graves - John Pastorius
Assistants to the producer: Elton Bradman - Bink Burns
Program Design & Layout: Bob Bobbing - Robin Gilbertson SCP Graphics
Writers: Bob Bobbing - Peter Weiss
Cover Art: Courtesy of Bruni
Special thanks to Tracy Lee for personally taking it on herself to provide transportation for all of Jaco’s alumni
and featured performers.
Special thanks to; Karla Dameon – Gary Mayone – Sara Waters – Trish Bobbing - Sandy Messinger – Mark Gray
- Lynn Oreal – and Travis Cook
I would like to acknowledge Mark Nerenhausen and all of the staff at the Broward Center who really helped make
this tribute as special as it deserved to be. They were truly a godsend for this event.
We would like to thank all of our sponsors for their generous support. It was much needed and most welcomed.
Also we would like to thank all of the wonderful musicians who went out of their way to help make this joyous
event possible. Collectively, the sponsors, the performers, the fans, the family, the Broward Center, everybody
made this tribute celebration to Jaco a night to remember, thank you.