1981 Jaco Pastorius – Word Of Mouth

Word Of Mouth was the second album by virtuoso bassist Jaco Pastorius, released in 1981 while he was still a member of Weather Report. As a solo artist, he toured with the Word Of Mouth orchestra until 1986. While his debut album showcased his eclectic and impressive skills on the electric bass, Word Of Mouth focused more on his ability to compose and arrange for a larger band than was previously featured on his first self titled album from 1976. The album still shows off Pastorius’ skill, most notably in the solo opening to the Bach-written “Chromatic Fantasy” and the title track, “Word of Mouth,” in which Pastorius’ bass is drenched in fuzzy distortion. Most of the album’s bass is highly subdued and blends into the band’s arrangement, allowing them to shine through. The music ranges from the Beatles’ “Blackbird” and some Bach-to-Jaco originals that cover straight-ahead jazz, Coltrane-ish vamps, and Fusion. The band’s all-star cast included Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Peter Erskine, Jack DeJohnette, Michael Brecker, Don Alias and Toots Thielemans who is featured on harmonica on many of the songs.