“Slang” (Live at the Greek Theatre with Joni Mitchell, 1979 / Night 4) – No Treble

The Jaco Pastorius Archive shared another incredible recording yesterday. Joni Mitchell’s “Shadows and Light” tour stop at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles happened 45 years ago this month. This soundboard recording comes from the fourth of five concerts, and the second to last concert of the tour.

JPA shared: “By this point, Jaco had been performing the bass solo routine for over two years, and while it did go through some changes here and there, it had started to get a little stale and predictable. This one, however, is an exception, as Jaco opts for some more uncommon tunes and quotes. The first of those is a minute-long take on John Coltrane’s ‘Naima’ (2:45), which he wouldn’t start playing regularly until years later. Unlike the September 12 solo, where he opened the looping segment with ‘Teen Town,’ the first two minutes here are made up of very tight and groovy improvisation—including some nasty percussive playing at 5:18, right before transitioning into Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Third Stone from the Sun’ and more tight improvisation. Jaco finishes off the solo with ‘Portrait of Tracy.’ As far as I know, this is the only September 15 recording to have surfaced, which makes it all the more special. Jaco’s in great form, the clean soundboard recording making it a highly pleasant listen.”