Jaco’s Secret Bass


First, the players.

1. The first view about this bass are being presented herein surround facts which can be found in a thread at
http://www.jacopastorius.com/interact/discussions/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4625&whichpage=1

But BEFORE YOU READ THAT please view the first post here. Because this thread will put it all in perspective, all in good time. That is the thread I wrote regarding a gift with a special meaning. More about that later, but it involves more than a bass and something higher than music. To understand the music and the musician you must understand the spirit which guides the earthly forces and opens up channels.
My view is that of a mediator.

2. The second view is about love which feels but cannot speak; hope that heals but is languished in fear; trust which yearns and sees only hurt. You get the picture. This view is from altruistic innocence struggling to be free of its own imperfection and the mirrors of instability which fire like the attack of an army against itself. A shy genius; an idiot savant; and finally a Tommy who had met the Gypsy Queen and is in denial that the bliss of being likened to deaf, dumb, and blind was the only way to play perfect pinball.
That view shall remain silent until there a channel to open that conduit. That is the “Kid”

3. The third view is that of the storyteller. For the intent and purposes of the word “storyteller” as it is used here; it is the individual who has gathered certain life experiences; the meetings of the spirit; earthly unions; kindred spirits; like-kind souls, etc in the form of meetings, coincidences, and connections. And has documented (or acted as a unknown catalyst) to them in a way which forms and integral stitch in the fabric, and often a seam--albeit seem or not it is there. Like we all are. That individual has been hiding from himself and others because his view is often contested and overlooked.

What I am about to write down and tell you may be scrutinized disbelieved, branded as utter imaginary nonsense; but I can tell you it is not. Any conjecture will be evident as will be the facts. There are other factors which need to be touched on, and explained, as they are in the realm of a form of communication whereby some may be able to peer into as in a good science fiction movie. Some may believe this tale possible, yet others have experienced similar events and even something like an epiphany.



A: First the conjecture:

There is amid the creative flow of the universe a common transmutative map, a stream of consciouness if you will, that we all must travel to reach the many levels of human and artistic development and expression. Fueled by the extension of our synapse into waves amplified in other dimensions, there exists a meeting of the minds tapping into essentially the same creative force. The catalyst for this extension of our higher functioning radiographic synapse, is our earthly endeavors which are often comprised of what we call coincidence. It’s all about energy. Einstien touched on it, and he could not take it any further or he would be called a madman. He would understand exactly what I am talking about. Is this simply conjecture or is there more to it?
Therefore:
1) (a) is it possible for people to connect and know each other through a higher power; experience different yet paralel, or junctioning paths? (b) does the conscious and/or subconscious factoring in of words of mouth, or happenstance meetings or other worldly connection discount or strengthen the higher connection, and what are the elements which actually weaken the bond?
2) can a seemingly innate act hold delayed or other lasting or cumulative repercussions which can maintain and develop as such described in “1)” and beyond?


B: Next the Facts:

I am neither a fan nor an aspirer of John Pastorius. I appreciate his achievements, his genius, and I’m saddened by the loss of seeing him supernova. Moreover, I am someone who understands some of his exponential gifts, art music and wandering of thought. The many facets of his genius and his connection to higher forms of communication and understanding; however, with this I also understand the many roadblocks and the maze by which we may be fooled and lead ourselves astray. To seek the sound of angels we also are confronted by the trickery of sirens, who can lure us into audible range of the tormenting discord of demons. For the traveler who reaches higher there is the fall. Remember Icarus.
I suspect Mr. Pastorius used not only his music to alter or secure various destiny (depending on how you look at it) but he understood cause and effect. His performance and other actions were at times overseen by the knowledge that he could shape and shift momentum of/by those around him. This was part of his music, his creative performance, his song titles, and in particular, the deed by which he would effect a mysterious traveler who’s life course was similar in some respects. Whatever Jaco knew about this traveling bass player who left home at 15 years of age to accompany a draft dodger to Canada and then on to Boulder Colorado , then to Tonawanda NY, then in 1970, all of three bass players would culminate into one publication 18 years later and after an additional 21 years the mystery now unfolds. That story is best told by the storyteller as outlined above. A real person who I hope will finally post to complete this part of the story.
For now he is “The Stranger”

C. The Object:

A Magic Bass - Mr. Pastorius though his seemingly untidy conduct and wrongfully misjudged actions were probably BRILLIANT as brilliant could be though the turmoil he had to contend with. Nobody understands this more than “The Stranger”. Mr Pastorius would be highly respected people and feared by adversaries in Traditional Lakota culture as a contrary. I believe things did get out of hand, but at least with respect to that bass talked about in my thread at:

http://www.jacopastorius.com/interact/discussions/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4625&whichpage=1

His actions were indeed guided and resulted in uncanny coincidences for years to follow.

It must be understood that if this story is to continue the identity of “The Stranger” and the “Kid” will not be mentioned although some may know or suspect. The reason I am told by “The Stranger“ is to express a part of Jaco‘s genius and kindness in the wake of Milkowski‘s book that is also very different from any other account written or otherwise--pro or con. It is also a possible solution for those who currently own or hope or are in contest of any Pastorius Bass. What to do with these basses. “The Stranger” offers some insight to owners of the other basses, who like him realize that there is a higher power in a bass as to those who would play one of Parker’s Saxophones, or Pearlman’s Violin. What do you do with them when you can no longer play them, and why are they so prized; and finally their best and highest use.

I hope this interests you.


Drens

An introduction might be appropriate. My name is really not important and I never liked being in the spotlight so I would like to leave my name out of it. If ever you find out who "The Kid" is in the story, please leave his name out of it, too. Once his name is given, who and where he was in Jaco's story, what people will know of him is that he is autistic, or afflicted with Asperger's Syndrome. He was also diagnosed with Bi-Polar and a few other things, but really isn't. Aspergers is often misdiagnosed as BiPolar or can occur with it, just as you said in one of your posts. So, lets leave the kid's name out of this, because that's all people will remember in the forefront. Just like the bio done on Jaco. All we see is what one man had a controlling vision over. The fact is that Jaco did help that kid. Since I did not know Jaco, maybe Jaco somehow knew the kid. All I can sayt is that Jaco in fact did have that bass delivered to the BASS-MINT. I was the one who took delivery of it and arranged the tip. It was on exhibit at The Bass Players Hall of Fame until it the kid moved away and took it with him. I have not seen him or the bass in about 18 years, although I do get a card every year from ****port Long Island where he apparently lives now. I will write and ask for photos of the bass so you might share them.

I must congratulate you Drens, on your vivid and probably flawless memory. I have some of my own of that day since you and Paula rode in with me on the fourth of July in 1986. All I can say is that I am glad to have had the opportunity to ride in and for the experience. I knew Paula since 1983 and if not for her all of us would have been elsewhere that day.

I was the owner of Hackensack Music Shoppe Inc. and in 1984 it became known as the BASS-MINT. It was around that time that I started publishing a newsletter called BASS PLAYERS. It was a combination sales and inventory list. It had some new release notes on records (yes records) that were either headlined by bass players, or had awesome bass players in the band, also had some playing and minor repair and adjustment tips. It was done on a typewriter, with photo-stat screen art.

The bass-mint got its start from Hackensack Music which was in the actual basement of my parents house. I did not actually start selling guitars basses until I was given a Fender Six by George Benson in the shop called Grand Guitars in Englewood, 1981. He can verify this. I didn't know him. I was there getting some pots for a repair for Star Music in Morristown, NJ ; I just saw him take it out of the case and said I always wanted one of those and he gave it to me. This was a story I always told people on the phone who liked to talk about bass and when people would ask how it got started that was the answer. Till then I was a woodwind brasswind shop doing repairs for North Jersey music store and I had walk-ins.

At the time I sold that bass VI I had only three fretted instruments. I wasn't even playing. I needed the money to start my guitar repair and building biz.
George Benson, I hope you understand my selling it, but theof that bass changed my life and many others.

Because it was after the gift of Jaco's fender precision with the Jazz neck that my assistant and bass student, The Kid got that we started publishing a bit differently. What we ended up sending out to the music biz and the visitors we attreacted surely did change the world. We did noting. We were a mere vehicle. But it was Jaco's Bass, that somebody would do that for the kid, which gave us the confidence and power, though God, to do the impossible. It started as a letter writing campaign and ended up with a vist from Sully Simlane, right hand man to Nelson Mandela. Ended up in a letter to Frank Sinatra delivered personally, and a certain concert that was being pushed and talked about for years was diverted to become a Rainforest Concert because the biggest of Free South Africa Concerts was no longer needed.

Is that what you are talking about in your post Drens?

Yes. Something like that. In this instance I would like to place emphasis on the sequence of events, their cause and effect. Regardless that we know it or not everything that any individual does has an effect on the future which can have far reaching consequences. They can unfold over time and even be far reaching in time and space.
For example:

a) You start a woodwind and brasswind repair shop with limited guitar repairs, and you do this for other stores mostly.
b) George Benson gives you a six string bass and inspires you to do more fretted instrument work, then you sell the bass to start a guitar shop and finally open a shop which specializes in bass guitar. You then publish a newsletter about bass guitar called Bass Players. You decide to start a Bass Players Hall of Fame.
c) You then get delivery of a rare and valuable bass as a gift from a mysterious stranger that is identical to the dream bass of your assistant who could no longer play because of an accident.
d) he starts playing again and you are inspired to extent your publishing to a worthwhile cause. Somehow it gets the attention of Frank Sinatra and by some connection of some sort the Free South Africa concerts you got the African National Concerts to do, and the world wide broadcast are no longer needed because something happened.

What happened, stranger?



So,what I am trying to say I will summarize from the sequence above: that if not the external stimuli of inspiration Via George Benson and Jaco Pastorius you would not have had a bass shop. The would be no Bass Player Magazine as we know today;

You would have never started; never have sent the information which you were mailing to the music industry mailing lists, and other information you sent to Sinatra's people; about the Free South Africa concerts to the ANC and the economic impact to banking information about SA mining interests you emailed me about, which possibly hastened the fall of Aparthied. That does not sound realistic though.

The only connection I can see is that you were apparently trying to get big name musicians to work with the African National Congress on a MONDO Free South Africa Concert.
So in a sense the July 4th trucktop starring Jaco Pastorius may have been part of it, in some sense anyway.

So, how were you inspired by Mr. Pastorius and what happened later?


Thanks, Drens Remitrom

WHAT??? Why can't you just tell the story and skip the psycho babble.

Gee! Sorry you missed that one. I can do
Please
it again in a rap version, if that is
Go
more suited to your taste. Generally,
Away
when we don't like what we read we skip it. My writing is a weed-out process, so there's method to the so-called psyco-babble.
Try reading between the lines...

Drens, First Bass, Stranger, & Kid, I sense you are needing and trying to reveal something of extreme importance to you, about a bass Jaco gave to a Kid.

I hope this now-grown Kid, feels good about the bass, that he enjoys playing it, since it appears Jaco gave this instrument to inspire him. It's a unique and special experience, yet not an unusual gesture coming from Jaco.

My experience was that he didn't give gifts for the sake of giving something, they were above and beyond special, and thoughtful. One time on tour while in NY on Joe's birthday, which is today btw (he would have been 76), Jaco spent a whole day in town looking for the perfect accordion, the instrument Joe had started on. Same with my Dad, Jaco knew he played sax when he met my Mom, wanted to inspire him to pick it up again, and bought him a Selmer. I think I will post a picture, time to update the site anyway.

Ingrid: Thanks for that post. Honored. Jaco Lives! I like the pic of Joe and Jaco on the beach. Do you have one of Jaco and your dad with the sax? This site is so cool!
I would like to send you a copy of the magazine with the bass in front of the cornerstone, feel free to post or reproduce anything you wish from anything I published.

In one issue there is copy from the book of poetry "In Memorium" by Afred Tennyson, where I got the verse (pps 108-109)

It was for me a big help in motivating, but now today I picked up this Tennyson book "In Memoriam" again and turned to Page 110.. and it puts away any doubts... (I never read that one).

anyway....

ABOUT TODAY: What timing!!! That is so funny! I just got back from painting, exactly what I was doing when I received the GRP review demo "On The Corner" way back when.. when today, I come into the house, take a shower, start the computer and I see an on-the-minute post from Ingrid Pastorius (very honored), I get ready to answer the post and the doorbell rings and it's the other KID... (not the kid with the bass) ..this was one of the other Kids I taught... and his mom. He's been blind since birth and I taught him (Danny) guitar. It was about 25 years ago and used to charge him the Tailside of a Quarter per lesson. (I used to teach sometimes with my eyes closed... it was the best way.) (thinking now... wow...eagles in washington square, that's the other side of the coin)

HONEST you can't make this stuff up! Anyway he brings back the acoustic I sold him and his mom who always brought him to the music - his mom would learn along with him. He wants to start playing again... his mom too.
Lost track of him in 87...

I'll get a photo for proof!

THIS IS TOO WEIRD!!! hey Drens... what's it all mean???

Today of all days, on a seven, when Ingrid Pastorius responds about the Syndicate Man's (Joe Z's) date of first, record... man...


So... what was I going to write???

Oh yea...



IN RESPONSE TO DRENS: YES, Drens - without a doubt. There was a hidden agenda to the BASS-MINT since 84/85. And it is true that Jaco was an inspiration as stated.

And yes Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr took the letters about South Africa and the complaints about what was not being done and why, and I believe that they were the ones who sent money to the ANC and took the lid off of SA faster than was anticipated.

Believe you me that they had more (reliable) connections than The President... or could have caused a great US/UN black eye with a televised event.

And I believe they saved quite a few lives by hastening the fall of Aparthied... and YES it was
WITHOUT ANY DOUBT because of Jaco's Gift. It worked out that I would do all that with such confidence and conviction, and also to take my mother's advise and take Mr Sinatra and Mr. Davis a tray of Italian cookies. :) and those letters/info...


So yes Drens, We are all connected. Imagine if Jaco didn't give the kid that bass...


Signed, Still a bit strange...

...so where were you on the afternoon of July 4 1986?