Jaco

There are few musicians who fundamentally change their instrument, and even fewer still who transcend their instrument altogether. Jaco Pastorius -- jazz musician, composer, big band leader, and electric bass player -- did both. In 1976, Jaco's melodic "singing bass" style redefined the role of the bass in modern music, and he found himself hailed almost overnight by critics as a leading vision

Driven only by his own desire to create the music he wanted to hear, Jaco transformed himself from a poor and unknown Florida boy into an international sensation -- all without any formal musical training. Instead of chasing popular music, Jaco led his fans towards the music inside him. Defiantly jumping off amplifiers, heaving his bass through the air, and refusing to be just a "sideman," Jaco broke down the barriers between audiences and genres.