The Brian Melvin Trio - Standards Zone (feat. Jaco Pastorius & Jon Davis)

Full Album
Release Date 1986
Different Fur Recording Studio
Neo-Bop
Post-Bop
00:00 - Morning Star
07:04 - Days of Wine and Roses
13:16 - Wedding Waltz
19:36 - Moon and Sand
25:00 - So What
32:57 - Firewater
38:29 - If You Could See Me Now
45:21 - Out of the Night
50:31 - Tokyo Blues
58:28 - Village Blues

[@petercorbett3794]

Quite literally heart rending accounts from Brian Melvin of finding Jaco literally incarcerated in Belle Vue, New York, asking ‘can he come home with me, he really doesn’t belong here? And his family saying ‘Are you prepared to take him on?’ Poor old Brian saying ‘Well yeah, he’s my friend!’

[@petercorbett3794]

There are recordings that make me cry. This is one. Nobody listens or cares. In a strange way I don’t care. It becomes mine.

[@jazz65]

i wish to have more standards recorded on disc by Jaco. his approach to standards jazz was always very fresh to my ears, his way to accompany is just .. Jaco.

[@rastapastrychief]

Pretty much every note is perfectly placed & thought out, no matter how fast he played.

[@petercorbett3794]

I still marvel at an age where a Brian Melvin could be told ‘we think it’s time you made a solo LP, who would you like?’ And when he jokingly says ‘Jaco Pastorius on bass, obviously’, the guy turns up in middle of night, ‘hi Brian, where do I sleep? Long night man’.” Pastorius was so generous with his time, did he ever say no to anyone? Joni Mitchell always said he was sent from God. The Brian Melvin record is strangely Pastorius on a day off! One of the very few musicians who can take the piss and still make it profound. When the great man turned up at Melvin’s place he just said ‘tell your Mum I love her cooking, can she join the band? Can’t stand eating shit!’ What everyone knew was, when Jaco Pastorius went off on one, nobody could go with him. Too crazy. I only had one tenth of his genius, if that, but I do relate. I used to go AWOL minutes before going on, in a corner taking powders and pills, going ‘no worries guys I’ll just be better.’ Strangely guys like me were better, we weren’t especially talented so a gut full of booze and drugs just steadied the ship! ‘Jaco I can see it in your eyes bro!’ I just still try to imagine a guy turning up, old Fender jazz bass which he insists on playing even though it’s conked out, saying ‘I’m fucking Jaco Pastorius best bass player in the world!’ You have to love the front and he was, once he found the groove, I know of no other. I just go silly how he finds ‘So What’ again here. There are saddos who still don’t understand ‘So What’, hell there are saddos who don’t understand Weather Report! All you can advise, keep riding the beast surely you’ll get hang of it eventually! Poor old Brian Melvin. This is his magnum opus. The Jaco stories are his magnum opus. Yet he’s a brilliant musician. Jaco did this to people. There was a French drummer called Sery, he played in the Jaco band with Bireli Lagrene, said the man would go off on one, nobody could follow it. Nobody. ‘Follow me, here we go’ and suddenly it all made sense. It just is genius! As Joni Mitchell says ‘Sonofabitch would go hang on tight here we go 4-5 times per set!’ I did 1-2 times in my short lived career, but I know what that feels like’. ‘Hang on tight’.

[@petercorbett3794]

Some of the most beautiful music ever made. I would say ‘THE most beautiful’ only I heard Joni Mitchell with Pastorius! God it almost makes me cry, and I don’t cry easily. Jaco Pastorius RIP old son. Again and again I find myself thinking ‘what’s he doing now?’

[@unepomme1375]

I didn't expect this record to be this good 😅

[@aroulleauxdugage]

Jon Davis is excellent and the tandem Pastorius Melvin is really fine.

[@muonani]

Jon Davis, a great player!

[@Gusrikh1]

Lovely..

[@mikavanbasso]

In my students years in a jazz school, these tracks were always in my ears. Thank you so much Jaco

[@joaquindelarosa1215]

I feel ya, bro!

[@Monkeygroover]

Yes, and thx Brian Melvin 🙏 He took Jaco inside his home, gave him decent food (Brians mom would cook!) a place to stay and a bass to practice! And eventually he initiated these recordings.

[@gamingFTWchannel]

@@Monkeygroover he couldve saved him, but still did a lot !

[@Monkeygroover]

@@gamingFTWchannel you can say that about a lot of people if you want...

[@jazz65]

@@gamingFTWchannel i think he tried his best. i am grateful to Brian for what he has done for him, Jaco was a beautiful wild animal

[@derek4669]

It is so great after all these years to find that I still have not heard all Jaco's Music. This Brian Melvin collaboration stuff is great. Thanks! I never knew it existed👍

[@fabriziovincitorio9377]

Jaco perfect comping...the best walking bass lesson for electric bassist involved in standard jazz (IMHO)

[@docdurdin]

This is perfect ..... Just the way it is. No digital BS.. Smoky room, stale beer and the perfect trio of masters. I can feel the dirt in every groove.

[@Monkeygroover]

yes, and a slightly drunk piano :-D

[@murkymurk8305]

You have a way with words. Thank you. Such places are getting increasingly rare.

[@rastapastrychief]

@@murkymurk8305 His comment is GOLD

[@najilang7119]

A Classic recording!

[@ChaaShaq]

The first tune here entitled Morning Star was written by Rodgers Grant and was first recorded by Hubert Laws on CBS records. I met Rodgers on a ship where we both worked for a short stint and he gave me quite a few of his hand written tunes,glad to see his tune re-recorded here by these greats!

[@pierrechaouat]

I first listened to "moon and sand" (my favorite standard in the album). Music delivered its magic : I couldn't help but stop the thinking and enjoy the music quality as pure oxygen. ..

[@lastsiddhartha]

perhaps the most beautiful, loving recording of a jazz trio ever made

[@janghijselen3651]

Remains an exceptional document. Even with that beat up piano sound. Great trio playing.

[@victor12360356]

This is GOLD.....amazing musicians.....

[@petercorbett3794]

Some say…some say this is the best of Jaco Pastorius. Lovely stories from Melvin about Jaco, they were obviously close. Melvin’s Mum adored Jaco!

[@lapsiquisarcaica1]

Love this album

[@dedong_b]

Here’s his solo 3:05 9:58 17:21 30:26 35:52 42:35 47:52 55:32

[@danieledeangelis8406]

Grazie!!!

[@interestingisitnot1]

This so fresh and raw and real!!!

[@gmartins4393]

Another unique treasure for the history of music

[@teddownum7428]

What a fantastic album!

[@zimk5555]

@32'55' the Buster Williams classic "Dual Force" (here named "Fire water").

[@SuperQdaddy]

just finding this gem.now also 2022...cool stuff..melvin documentary is great..I saw jaco in nyc near his end..sad he would turn amp up full and go nuts..bar owner shut him down..delmar brown was there another great player gone...

[@petercorbett3794]

This is just exquisite. And I do indeed go a little bonkers when Jaco takes a solo. My baby, my poppet.

[@leehicks3172]

Holy shit, I’ve never heard this before!!! What a gem to find, thank you for posting!!! So cool to hear Jaco cover a bunch of jazz standards. It is so cool to hear how he chose to tackle them!! I’m going to be listening to this for a very long time now :-D

[@heldersufiano2816]

same here honestly without Jaco would not listen to this record please don't get me wrong the other guys are good but boy are too musicians that can do it as well but JACO is over the top no one is good as him playing bass!!!!! for my ears is even better than STANLEY CLARK

[@jcmp95]

Firewater is crazy AF! what an amazing performance!

[@memzehni]

Yes, a great tune by Buster Williams.

[@rickowenkennedy]

Thanks for posting this. I'm another one that had no idea this was out there. Nine years earlier, Jaco took the world by storm with his first tour with Weather Report. A year after THIS session... Damn.

[@lojken10]

Did anyone else catch this wonderful "jazz reharm" quote of "the wind cries mary" 12:47

[@infinitygasmask]

This was Jack’s (Jaco’s dad)‘s favorite record that Jaco ever played on

[@pierrepicot3706]

I have erery days this wonderfull session of greatest jazz standards in my car ... wondrefull landscapes in france with that trio

[@miriambatistadopt8269]

i love jazz , i love Pastorius

[@julixandjulianox]

this album needs to be on spoti

[@petercorbett3794]

Melvin’s memoirs are hilarious around this record, getting Pastorius and the great man turning up going ‘I’m not ready to play just yet’ and him only coming out of his spare room for meals before finally announcing ‘OK let’s play!’ It’s just exquisite, a joy.

[@MoReNo18heal]

This is so beautiful and very much underrated!

[@boulevard251]

Nice rendition of a classic

[@petercorbett3794]

It’s just exquisite. No more words.

[@wouteraltena8241]

Thanks,first time i hear this,in 2019!!A gem in my Jaco collection!!

[@gianniorlati9275]

Same for me in 2020 ... here you can say Jaco was an accomplished jazz bassist .. Davis is impressive on piano as well

[@victormusic01x]

..better late than never friends!...

[@petercorbett3794]

A superb piece of work. At times the bass sounds like a sax. But then we always knew this after Donna Lee. Jaco was always very tight to Charlie Parker. This all kind of ended when Pastorius got his head split open by that bouncer outside that night club. A bit like if Miles had died after ‘Cool’. Jazz is like this, you have to get used to it, it goes with the territory.

[@petercorbett3794]

Dreadfully misunderstood and misrepresented. Pastorius was the best combo bassist I ever heard, never hogged it, always went to the front half-apologetic only to blow everyone’s mind. People say he was a show-off, too many notes…they need to listen to this, it’s the most soulful bass I’ve ever heard. And it’s when he doesn’t play…THAT’s the genius. But Holy Caroli that tone.

[@jimbosteen2935]

Yeah jon!!!!!

[@maxabeles]

So cool! Funny they picture Jaco playing an upright tho lol.

[@kikomegias7570]

Una joya!!!

[@petercorbett3794]

There are, sadly, folks who think the Jaco thing is limited to just a few records. Poor old man was crazy, but wow he wasn’t half generous. Stuff like this, I just think, another one tossed off. Thanks, maestro.

[@diegoraimondikonig3942]

Thanks so much for uploading this gem. Love this album. I had it in a cassette tape and listened to it for years!

[@taunopalo9856]

"So what" is my favorite track, great drum solo just before (or after?) Jacos epic solo. I don´t think i have ever heard a bass soloing on it before...

[@laurileinonen2123]

most fabulous

[@hectorluissancio8660]

Gran disco.y que buen audio!!!!!

[@taunopalo9856]

No words...just perfection...two guys+Jaco jamming in a nice, relaxed way. If this was with another bass player, it would probably sound a little cheesy. Great pianist though and the drummer ain´t too bad either, but for me it´s Jaco who makes the day here even though i know it´s a group effort...: )

[@user-vf6lp5re9m]

🙏👏🏼🙏👏🏼🙏👏🏼🙏

[@danieledeangelis8406]

Fantastico

[@Zaul2410]

Jaco's Last recordings with his buddy Bryan, no fretless whatsoever, it should be more of this Electric bass School

[@victormusic01x]

..thanks for sharing this recording Arthur!..awesome man, another dimension of Jaco’s playing that many are not aware of..stay safe..New York February 6, 2021

[@nobsoul2179]

same here man, cheers

[@MrPlume666]

Didn't know this, so inspired, thank you !

[@theopaopa1]

thank you very much !

[@SunnySongbirdProductions]

Aaaahh Jaco

[@rythmesmelodies1147]

Yeeaah...!! Greaatest❤

[@olandobobb243]

This is really enjoyable !!

[@bruceabas]

thanks for sharing! Amazing record

[@aaronfrank9649]

The pianist is excellent, I did not know of him before hearing this. Thanks!!

[@MarkRaymondLuce]

Absolutely beautiful music, thank you for uploading this album Arthur; this trio setting by these three masterful musicians should have been a guiding beacon back in 1986, what was going through the minds of the jazz world back then to have sailed past this tower of brilliant musical light? Way ahead of its time.

[@andymelendez9757]

Jaco quoting Jimi!

[@jazz4asahel]

Holy crap

[@erikmuench8023]

Thanks, dude!

[@mrkljyanarthur]

You're Welcome

[@svetlakarcina6430]

I wonder Is this recorded with his Jazz Bass?Jaco sounds different from his typical sound. First of all it doesn't sound like fretless ,second it is not his sound on bridge pick up,but sounds more like both pick ups together or neck pick up is more used,especially when he is walking and not soloing.

[@rastapastrychief]

Great question, for sure, I'm gonna say some Fender fretted bass (imagine that, haha), would love to know what he used on this album.

[@MamaJill]

Smooth jazz .. awesome

[@latoyarui1768]

High quality

[@petercorbett3794]

Tee hee. I have crazy ideas one of them is football and music work on the same go-around. It’s not about winning, that’s obvious, but the patterns. I hear so much of this in my boys. It’s so obvious but you won’t see nothing til later. Arsenal could (could) be about to do something big. This is serious music.

[@felipemontilla756]

EXCELENTE

[@jiyujizai]

月と砂😃だなぁ🎵😁😃サンキュー

[@samhardingham5591]

Sucks that you cant even find a lot of his best work on spotify

[@aaronfrank9649]

Wonderful music!

[@monsterjazzlicks]

Sounds like CD "Jazz Street"!

[@petercorbett3794]

You’ll never hear all of Pastorius’ music. He was too generous for that to happen. The later bipolar years, when he just wasn’t well, still he gigged anywhere that would have him and was still peerless if crazily unpredictable. I’ve heard those late bootlegs, he was far from done. I still believe Jaco Pastorius is the greatest instrumentalist on any instrument since Jimi Hendrix. Yes we all know he was crazy, self-medicated as best he could, but God almayty listen to the little dances he does inside the big dance. And then he does another little dance inside, and he’s not playing that many notes, the vomit is coming from the piano. I hate it when they say Pastorius played too many notes. In my opinion he played too few.

[@pedroaragon8006]

Thnks dude!!!!!

[@proposalain6693]

ジャコはスタンダードでも素晴らしい！

[@user-gm2fx8kl1p]

全盛期と呼ばれる76~82頃のジャコでも同じ様にトリオ編成でのジャズ・スタンダード聴いてみたかったですね。

[@felipen.493]

Fire water - 32:55

[@patricioblanche2619]

35:50 !

[@user-bl7ko5ne9l]

good drums require level mix as other instruments..nice cymbuls...whew..wood on it.

[@sashakingcrimson187]

💿💿💿💿

[@rinahall]

fuck you

[@rinahall]

@@sashakingcrimson187 fuck you

[@sashakingcrimson187]

@@rinahall грамотный похуизм - залог успеха😂😂😂😂

[@rinahall]

@@sashakingcrimson187 fuck you

[@m.a.jernigan641]

@@rinahall fuck you

[@leehicks3172]

Is there any audio of Jaco playing on a double bass anywhere? Or footage of that wedding he played at??

[@user-bl7ko5ne9l]

I like the drum mix...hearing all not just fills...remix old guys with level jaco used...ummm

[@npaulp]

Why is this amazing album not on Spotify?

[@kamrulhasankakon769]

03:50

[@MoReNo18heal]

I love Jaco but the piano could be a bit louder ;-)

[@TheFlightsimNerd]

35:45

[@judelinton1175]

Can't find this album on Spotify!

[@mrkljyanarthur]

That's the reason I've uploaded it here

[@petercorbett3794]

You can embarrass yourself here. Pat Metheny has kind of asked for it to be toned down, ditto Zawinul, implying Pastorius wasn’t quite that good. The tone he achieved is something that can’t be taught because you need an ear to want to produce that tone. Joni Mitchell hired him because everyone said he found bass lines without things like root notes. It’s all true of course, but what makes me weep is his TIMING. His ability to play a little behind or ahead of. Many folks deny this exists. Yet the whole of classical music in the west plays with its tempo and looks to its conductor. There are lots to talk about. But for me, that tone…

[@chrislinhares7311]

The piano is out of tune in the upper register. How did the engineer not hear that? And why does Jaco have reverb on his bass?

[@stephenmthompson272]

Upper register? When I first heard this back in 87 I thought the piano sounded out of tune. Ears are more mature now and I am convinced, the piano is out of tune. And, I for one don't mind the reverb on Jaco' bass. It adds a certain flavor.

[@Carryon392]

Don't fear the reverb.

[@jazz65]

Jaco was a master about using the effects too

[@rogervallve7375]

the verb gives it more body and soul.

[@gamingFTWchannel]

its not out of tune. it is a fretless piano

[@catseye4332]

People trying to make music together instead of alone. I've been reading through the comments. Maybe Everybuddy should get some sort of instrument, cultivate Fellowship and try it...

[@GoVeggieGo]

Great record, but that has to be the poorest illustration I've ever seen on a cover...

[@erikwissinghansen2958]

Where is it a pity that in the eighties you should promote yourself by mixing yourself up in the soundscape. The drums are too loud and that damages the soundscape. Regardless, Jaco was very ill that year, he plays well. Jon Davis is also dazzling. But as I say: jaco4ever!