Jaco Pastorius

Recording history and tape provenance

Colomby assembled an extraordinary cast around Pastorius – Herbie Hancock on Fender Rhodes and clavinet, Wayne Shorter on soprano sax, Michael Brecker, Hubert Laws, Randy Brecker, Peter Erskine, Don Alias, Narada Michael Walden, and a reunited Sam & Dave on the funk workout "Come On, Come Over." The album's centerpiece for many listeners is "Donna Lee," a blistering, note-perfect solo-bass arrangement of a Charlie Parker-era bebop theme played at tempo with an ease that still startles bass players decades later; the original LP labels credit the tune to Charlie Parker, though the song is now generally attributed to Miles Davis instead – a documented discrepancy in the song's authorship history, not an error specific to any one pressing. Elsewhere, "Portrait of Tracy" – a delicate solo piece built on natural and artificial harmonics, named for Pastorius's first wife – has become one of the most widely imitated pieces in the electric bass repertoire. One quirk worth flagging: some streaming-service descriptions of this album list Stanley Turrentine as a performer, a credit that doesn't appear in Wikipedia, the original LP credits, or any collector discography consulted for this guide – it looks like a mix-up with a different CTI-or-Epic-era session from the same period, and has been left out here rather than repeated.

This catalog number saw an unusually wide range of pressing-plant and label-color variants over the decades, including Terre Haute, Santa Maria, and Carrollton, GA domestic pressings, plus various European pressings on orange, blue, and grey Epic labels. Collector reports describe real, audible quality differences between these plants for this specific title, more so than is typical – confirm the Terre Haute plant and orange labels specifically if you're chasing a genuine, well-regarded first pressing rather than assuming any 1976-dated copy is equivalent. At least one experienced collector reports a UK pressing sounding notably crisper and more forward in the drums than the ORG 45rpm reissue, though the specific UK label and plant details weren't confirmed independently here – worth a follow-up pass if UK originals come up for sale.

Original pressing and modern reissues

The Original Recordings Group 45rpm reissue (2012) is the reference pressing. Splitting the album across four 45rpm sides widens the groove spacing considerably, letting Pastorius's dense low end and the record's busy percussion breathe rather than compete for space with everything else happening in the mix. Owner reviews on Discogs describe it as the definitive pressing of this title, and note that prices have climbed substantially since its original 2,500-copy limited run sold out.

The Epic PE 33949, Terre Haute pressing (1976 original) is the true first pressing, on orange Epic labels from Epic's Terre Haute manufacturing plant, in the label's original glossy gatefold jacket. Given the wide pressing-plant variance documented above, confirming the Terre Haute plant specifically – not just the 1976 date or catalog number – is the difference between a genuinely well-regarded first pressing and a merely period-correct one.

The Music On Vinyl 180g reissue (2010) is the standard modern reissue, widely praised by owners on Discogs for being flat, quiet, and clearly defined, particularly in reproducing Pastorius's low end without muddiness. A reasonable, easy-to-find way to own the album on vinyl without chasing an original pressing or paying Original Recordings Group prices.

Buyer's guide by budget

$$: The Music On Vinyl 180g reissue (2010) – flat, quiet, and clearly defined, particularly on Jaco's low end.

$$$: A Epic PE 33949, Terre Haute pressing original, condition-dependent – confirm plant and label color given the wide variance documented above.

$$$$$: The Original Recordings Group 45rpm reissue – widely called the definitive pressing, though prices have climbed since its limited 2012 run.

Pressing tier summary

References

• Discogs (master, all versions): https://www.discogs.com/master/49071

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