Jaco Pastorius' recording sessions with drummer
Brian Melvin resulted in five releases: four studio (including
Jazz Street) and one live. This body of work is unique in that it not only takes the electric bassist out of his New York element but also represents a focused, reinvigorated
Pastorius.
The instrumental
Jazz Street, one of
Pastorius' last studio dates, places him in a west coast pop-jazz climate and he comes through with flying colors. His playing is clear and vibrant, best exemplified on
Joe Henderson's "Out of the Night" which features extended, fluid soloing by
Pastorius. He's also quite prominent on "No Slack" and the title track, two upbeat cuts on which
Pastorius slickly executes some very familiar licks and riffs. Honorable mentions go to
Jon Davis' bluesy piano piece "Wedding Waltz" and
Melvin's atmospheric "Drums of Yadzarah," an offbeat drums/percussion/synth creation.
Though
Jazz Street was most likely the last
Pastorius/
Melvin collaboration, it most closely resembles their first, the superior
Night Food, recorded almost two years earlier -- not to be confused with
Melvin's later, nearly identically titled release,
Nightfood, featuring
Bob Weir. ~ David Ross Smith
