I posted this at the jocopastoius.co- the other day and since then I have felt it should also be posted here. When (if) you listen to it please keep in mind that the tune is a recording of the first tune the guys played at they're first practice/rehearsal.


-----------

Have any of you heard any new Jaco music lately?

It's time I give to you The Uptown Funk Allstars, Song For My Father, as I've held on to it for 39 years and that's long enough. I've sent copies out to Ken, Bob Bobbing and probably about 2 dozen others. Bob B. listened to it with Bob Miller and Miller confirmed it's him playing second sax on it. Ken says yep it's him playing guitar. Tyronne Weston playing first sax, Bob Herzog/Zohn is on drums and of course Jaco is on bass.
I've described the night they did this tune in the Woodchuck thread. It was at a warehouse in Davie out under the stars. Weston and Miller were working on getting in sync., as they'd never played together. Ken and Jaco were exchanging licks, Ken played Jaco's bass some and Jaco play the guitar Ken was using, I think maybe a Les Paul JR. Ken had borrowed the guitar because his ES 355 had been stolen and he was using a little Gibson stereo amp that he had also borrowed because his Super Twin Rev had also been stolen. Bob Herzog was working on the drums & listening to what the rest of the guys were playing.

I recorded it using one mic. which the horns played directly into and the other three instruments just sort of got picked up as best the mic could do. I have equalized it as best I could without losing any sound. The recording is only a segment of tune but most of it's there. The tune was written by Horace Silver it's "Song For My Father".

For Posterity
Enjoy


Just go to:

http://boomp3.com/listen/4awbfyxe_u/song-for-my-father

the hiss was a hindrance at first, but the musicality beneath the sonic strata is a joy to experience. so thankful this diamond was not lost and thank you for sharing...

Listening To: finch

Absotootly wonderful!!

Thank you MUCHO, George! And Ken too! I often state that for me it's about the process, not only the end result, this recording is a moment in time of that eversotreasured process you all, we all were/are a part of... small but imperative part of the whole...

And so are the crickets, R, pretend you're listening to it in the jungle..a la Jaco :)

Ingrid
Your very Welcome!

You too R!

After I posted this tune Ken wrote to me. He said this could very well be one of the first recordings of Jaco. I've heard of the possibility of other recording around this time and maybe earlier. The Woodchuck (which I as I remember formed up just after the Uptown Funk Allstars) recordings are of the same time period (summer 1969) and it's hard to believe there are no Las Olas Brass recordings out there somewhere.
When I recording this tune there was also some others that I recorded. Sometime around 1972, thinking that the recordings weren't worth keeping Ken recorded an album over the rest of the tunes. I wanted to keep them but we didn't have any recording tape. So I kept just this one from that group which is the only recording of the Allstars anywhere. I still have the original tape and when Jaco Park gets finished and if there's a safe place to keep it there I'll splice it out and give it to the families or maybe the whole reel?

"R" at the beginning to the tune, what you describe as hiss is a cymbal being struck. The recording doesn't start at the very beginning of the tune. Bob Herzog is the guy playing drums on the tune. You might want to check him out play guitar, singing some and playing drums at youtube. Just do a youtube search for Blue Riddim Band. Bob and Jaco were very good friends. Bob and I talked on the phone a number of time in the 80's and he'd always keep me up to date on the latest Jaco news.
"R" I just want you to know those two guys were two really great people!!!!

Wow,amazing! Thank you for sharing George, and you can hear that it's already "in the hands"!

A gem for The Jaco Pastorius Park, a very good idea!
And yet another reason for crossing the Atlantic!

The best,
Örjan

Listening To: Victor Wooten \\\"I saw God\\\"

Reply from Bob Miller posted at jp.com

George:

Wow...forty years ago. Listening to that recording brings to mind how outstanding Ken was back then and how significant he was in Jocko's life.

In my experience, Jocko always had a bent toward jamming away, whether we were just sitting around, or at a rehearsal or on a gig. I think a lot of musicians who try to jam out wind up meandering around and making no sense, but Jocko always seemed to know where he was going and his inventive ability allowed him to bring it back to center, irrespective of how tangental things got.

Over time, I have had the privilege of playing with some great musicians, but Jamming Honors go to Jocko, Ken, Billy Burke and Rich Franks. Back then we were a bunch of teenage kids, making music for its own sake, learning from each other and having a blast doing it.

Thanks again, George.

Yes, Bob Miller's description of those days jamming in early Florida, easily brought visuals to my mind, fuzzy feelings too, I can see how Jaco was always focussed, he sure took his role as a musician seriously to heart (and soul).

Also reminds me I need to place yours, Ken's, Miller's, Billy's, Herzog's, et al in the list of Roots of the Cybernest.

Thanks for posting it, George.

Thanks for the thought, Ingrid

I don’t know about me having much if anything to do with Jaco’s roots I was for the most part an occasional observer. But Ken's, Miller's, Billy's & Herzog's as well as some others who are occasionally named, certainly belong on the list.
I know this is going to be a controversial statement but here it goes anyway. I remember back around 78 or 79 when I first came across some Weather Report albums. First of all I have to say I was emotional at several levels when I found Jaco was playing on them. But as I listened to them I heard and even made comment to a couple of the people I worked with that I could hear Ken’s influence, if not his licks in Jaco’s playing. I use Bob Miller’s statement to support what I have just said, “that recording (of the Uptown Funk Allstars) brings to mind how outstanding Ken was back then and how significant he was in Jocko's life.” I don’t want to take anything away from the accomplishment and originality of Jaco, he was an original, though he knew “where he stole every note”. Out of all the musicians I hung out with and was able to watch better their talent, back in the day, Jaco far more than anyone, watched or should I say intensely studied every movement of the person, their fingers, even their expressions to know and feel every note of what they were playing. And when the tune got cookin’, “Jocko always seemed to know where he was going and his inventive ability allowed him to bring it back to center, irrespective of how tangental things got.”


Sincerely
Again, Thank You Ingrid


George Gemmer