Jaco
If you look closely at this CD's cover photo of acoustic and electric bassist Brian Bromberg, you'll see that it's styled exactly like that of legendary bass playerJaco Pastorius'sfirst solo recordingfrom 1976. For Bromberg, who played withStan Getz,Horace Silver, andLee Ritenour, the magical and mercurial Pastorius was to the electric bass what Jimi Hendrix was to the guitar. On this tribute, with keyboardistJeff Lorber, saxophonistsBob MintzerandEric Marienthal, and percussionist and (ex-Jaco bandmate)Alex Acuna, Bromberg extends and elaborates on Pastorius's unique blend of jazz fusion, world, and soul influences. Bromberg skillfully reinterprets Pastorius's brilliant bass lines on the acoustic and electric bass and changes up the groove on a number of his compositions. "Continuum" and "Three Views of a Secret" are redone with Afro-Caribbean tinges and a funky big-band feel. The two versions of "Teen Town" rock with hip-hop-friendly backbeats, while "The Chicken" and "Come On, Come Over" recall Pastorius's love for the rhythm & blues starsSam & Dave. The tour de force of the CD is "Slang(ish)," a solo spotlight where Bromberg shows off advanced string-tapping skills that would have made his idol proud.--Eugene Holley Jr.