TRILOGUE; LIVE IN BERLIN 1976, a concert film (Jazz Shots/Southbound DVD)

 |   |  <1 min read

TRILOGUE; LIVE IN BERLIN 1976, a concert film (Jazz Shots/Southbound DVD)

The tragic story of bassist Jaco Pastorius (1961-87) has been told in depth at Elsewhere (here) but this concert film from '76 -- with avant-trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff and drummer Alphonse Mouzon -- captures him before the rapid decline through drink, drugs and neglect.

In Weather Report, Pastorius's style often headed towards jazz-rock fusion and even funk, but here -- with Mangelsdorff reining in his free-jazz tendencies and Mouzon playing a straight bat - we see another side of Pastorius on material (mostly by Mangelsdorff although Jaco's Portrait of Tracy is included) which was complex and offering enough space for improvisation, but was also somewhat constrained and carefully planned in advance.

This concert -- now on DVD for the first time -- came at an especially good time for Pastorius: he was achieving acclaim through Weather Report; had recorded an album under his own name for Columbia; had worked for the first time with Joni Mitchell (her comments about Jaco made after his death are extensive on the liner notes here) and he was a huge star in the jazz world.

That said, an hour-long live concert of trombone, electric bass and drums (even as crisply filmed as this) is a hard call even for many dedicated jazz listeners . . . so this is best recommended to those who know some or all of the players here pretty well. 

Share It

Your Comments

post a comment

More from this section   Film at Elsewhere articles index

KENNETH WILLIAMS: An Audience with Kenneth Williams (DVD, Madman)

KENNETH WILLIAMS: An Audience with Kenneth Williams (DVD, Madman)

Even if you'd only ever seen one film in Carry On series and hated it, you'd still remember Kenneth Williams and his nasal delivery, high camp mannerisms, effeminate manner and innuendo-laden quips... > Read more

THE WHO'S QUADROPHENIA ON DVD (2001): The Mods will ride again

THE WHO'S QUADROPHENIA ON DVD (2001): The Mods will ride again

Quadrophenia -- the story and music written by Pete Townshend of the Who -- shifted the focus back to pre-Beatles Britain, to the world of Mods and Rockers, of battles on Brighton Beach... > Read more

Elsewhere at Elsewhere

RECOMMENDED REISSUE: Frank Black: Teenager of the Year (digital outlets/vinyl)

RECOMMENDED REISSUE: Frank Black: Teenager of the Year (digital outlets/vinyl)

The programme for releasing albums is much the same as it ever was: a drip-feed of singles, promotion and PR swing into action, interviews . . . The biggest difference between now and five or... > Read more

Boyd Rivers: Fire Shed in my Bones (1985)

Boyd Rivers: Fire Shed in my Bones (1985)

Not a lot is known about the Mississippi-based country-blues and gospel singer Boyd Rivers who died in '93, but his growling voice seems to belong to a much older time. He was born near the... > Read more