LIVE IN ITALY

I don't seem to share everyone's high praise for this album,which is unfortunate because it is a great album,but perfect by no means.When you listen to a fusion album especially one lead by probably the greatest bass player in the world,It would be difficult not to judge this solely by Jaco's bass playing alone.Which I will purposely avoid on this occasion,but that isn't the problem I have with it.

My problem,though a fairly small one can be seen from the very beginning as soon as Bireli Lagrene enters with a guitar solo,where he trades back and forth from shred guitar to funk but then shockingly and distastefully IMO comes with pinch harmonics with an over the top distorted rendition of smoke on the water which then he fumbles into Weather Report's Teen Town.This kind of surprising change in style happens throughout the album on multiple occasions.He changes from clean funk guitar into hard rock.,the most notable time is during their cover of "I shot the Sherrif" he sounds like Eddie Hazel for one momment then Eddie Van Halen the next.Which when given the funky rhythm section holding down the groove,it seems like something of a novelty.My problem isn't the fact it's bad playing,because it's not.There's some very tasteful moments in his playing and it's always at a high standard.It's the fact it sounds completely unnecessary,which I know comes down to taste alone.But this is surely very important,especially in a trio.

But once I accepted the guitar playing was not to my taste and I realised this was going to be very different to other Weather Report or Pat Metheny,I began to see the light at the end of tunnel.The moment Jaco enters in teen town his playing his exceptional and makes the album a worthy listen.In fact I'd go as far by saying he saves the album (which as the album is titled under his name,it points out the obvious) I would say this album perhaps has my favourite live performances by him.It shows all sides,possibility's and effect that the electric bass can have most when placed in the heads of a great musician.Jaco is known for going off on tangents,but as he does so,he remarkably keeps the groove and virtuoso skill,still keeping the most difficult of basslines extremely tasteful no matter how high the register.And with such a funky drummer (who still remains unknown to me) you'll realise funk is the definitive genre of this performance.And even preformed convincingly by Bireli Lagrene.

For something which could realistically be seen as a bootleg,it's a great album and I don't believe anyone would turn down the chance to keep hearing Jaco.For me this album gets a 3 due merely down to a matter of taste as I feel everything he did solo and with Weather Report is at a better standard.I would highly recommend the trio of doom with John McLaughlin,Jaco & Tony Williams though short lived (just one album)it was everything this album should of been and more.

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