PASTORIUS / METHENY / DITMAS / BLEY (AKA JACO)

Recorded in NYC, Blue Rock Studio, June 16, 1974, but only released in 1976 as both Jaco Pastorius and Pat Metheny's stars were rising. Drummer Bruce Ditmas became infatuated with the electronic, synthetic, and machine- and computer driven drum technologies and even found himself living in Italy for a number of years, performing with Italian bands there as well as occasional stints with Gil Evans and Broadway productions, which is perhaps why his name never became the household known that the others achieved. All songs on this album were composed by either Paul Bley or his ex-wife, Carla, save for the final little ditty, "Blood" which Paul credited as coming from the pen of Annette Peacock.

1. "Vashkar" (9:54) a song that I'd always attributed to Tony Williams because of its significant presence on the landmark Lifetime album, Emergency! but I here find out that it was a Carla Bley composition all along! Kudos, Carla! The performances by the young trio, here acting under the guidance and leadership of veteran Paul Bley (Carla's ex- husband), are spry and exuberant, as one might expect from such youth, while Paul's domineering presence on electric piano seems to be the calming glue needed to keep everybody together--as well as to encourage adventure and experimentation. I'm not sure why Pat Metheny A) chose the muted guitar sound he is using throughout the song or B) why he is mixed rather low in the final mix, but his contributions are often overpowered (and, thus, overshadowed) by the other three. He's there (much more so than on the fourth song, "Vampira," where he's like a fly in the room), but his skills and creative talents are almost lost by these choices. Still, this is a pretty awesome version of Carla's song--one that has quite a few goose-pimpling highlight spots. (18.5/20)

2. "Poconos" (1:03) more of an interluding pastiche made from one wild bass riff, two single electric piano notes, and some appropriately reactive drumming. Interesting! (4.5/5)

3. "Donkey" (6:28) This one opens up with some very dynamic (and impressive) drumming over what starts out to be a fairly normal walking bass line with Paul Bley's electric piano acting as the lead instrument. Some of Jaco's patented bass chords and machine gun sprays begin escaping from his "fairly normal" walking bass line, Bruce reigns in his drumming (though still breaking out from time to time with wild outbursts) as Paul plays. It's not until fourth minute, after Paul has finished his soloing, that I can even hear anything being contributed by Pat Metheny's guitar--and when he does his sound and style sound a lot like early John Abercrombie. Meanwhile, Jaco just keeps strutting along, but Paul and Bruce rise to meet Pat's build up of speed and prowess with some bursts of crazed play, eventually supplanting Pat altogether. There are many times that I find myself wondering if the four are each operating in their own bubble-verse, but then they keep coming back together, keep falling back upon Jaco's easy-going, self-absorbed path down la-la-lane. The song may not be engaging or very melodic, but the performances are virtuosic and fascinating! (9.125/10)

4. "Vampira" (7:17) Pat Metheny playing "Shaft"-like rhythm guitar?!! The song seems to be built over Pat and Bruce's driving yet quite methodic rhythm tracks (at least, until the end), with Bruce acting much more controlled--as if he knows his role is to drive the song along a straight and narrow--but Jaco's machine gun burst of notes is jaw-dropping and mind-numbing--and yet, he, too, is sticking to a very straight and narrow pathway, embellishing very little within his repetitious rounds (not even needing any time to reload!). It is Paul Bley on his electric piano who adds the spice and dynamic crazitude to the song--performing at such a reckless pace and ever-shifting trajectory as to make Jaco seem tame and civilized (though we all know he is not). And all the while there is Pat Metheny, playing rhythm (and lead) guitar from the backdrop, with so much to say--so many comments added to the conversation--but muted to such a degree as to render him but a mosquito whispering in the room. The finish is when Jaco devolves into stroked chords. Another amazing display of dynamic virtuosity--from all four musicians--but, man! Paul Bley is on fire! (13.75/15)

The next five songs flow each into the other: as if tuning, warm-up, and jam all line up in one single taping but the producers decided to separate and title each part. Were I to rate it as one song, as it should be, it would probably earn a score of (17.5/20).

5. "Overtoned" (1:43) another weird little interlude. More like Jaco running scales while Bruce and Paul check the tunings and sound levels of their respective instruments. Sometimes it's even hard to give these any credit--and they're always a question mark as to why the band/producer thought this necessary to include on the album (though I get it: Jaco is amazing).

6. "Jaco" (3:30) and here we go: after the little tuning intro of "Overtoned" we launch into a "song" that still feels like Paul is still tuning his instrument and its levels while Bruce is now trying to team up with Jaco while the bass virtuoso is still half practicing, exploring, checking out new and spontaneous ideas, occasionally checking in to fall into sync with Bruce or Paul. All the while, Pat is just sitting in the background watching, amused and enjoying the action in front of him, occasionally pulling some ideas from his effected wah-wah-ed electric guitar (8.667/10)

7. "Batterie" (5:05) a continuation from the previous two songs that shows Paul, Pat, and even Jaco kind of backing off, perhaps taking breaks or playing with the settings on their instruments, while Bruce plays around with several rhythmic ideas on his "batterie"--eventually synching up with Jaco in the third minute (more like: playing support animal to Jaco's continued explorations). Bruce's play isn't particularly dynamic or diversified, but it does offset Jaco in a Jack DeJohnette kind of way. Pat and Paul join in during the final minute--both sounding as if they are practicing/prepping for the recording sessions that would produce "Vashkar" and "Vampira." (8.75/10)

8. "King Korn" (0:30) is a continuation of the play through on the practice pad toward "Vashkar" and "Vampira."

9. "Blood" (1:25) a very interesting song for its whole-band power-performances of Annette Peacock's odd chord progressions. Otherwise it is just the finale of the play-through of the practice of what would later become "Vashkar" and "Vampira." (4.5/5)

Total Time 36:39

A-/five stars; an excellent capture of a pretty historic recording session. Even the practice "Vashkar" and "Vampira" practice flow that engineer Jan Rathburn recorded and producer Paul Bley decided to publish is fascinating for both its music, instrumental virtuosity, and lesson in how a studio recording session flows.

P.S. This is NOT a Jaco Pastorius album! It is really a Paul Bley album (and should be filed/categorized as such). The young pups Paul invited to New York to record with him at Soho's Blue Rock Studio were by no means yet leaders much less composers to the level that the 42-year old veteran keyboardist had achieved. Please re-file accordingly: give credit where credit is due!

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