Photo: Chris Hakkens / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Say the words 'greatest bassist' and I have nothing left to argue: Jaco Pastorius owns that conversation. Born in Norristown, he reinvented the instrument with Weather Report, turning the fretless bass from background support into a lead voice. His death at 35 in 1987 still strikes me as one of music's cruelest losses. He burned bright and brief, and the genius that drove him clearly tormented him too, but the sound he left behind is immortal. I get chills every single time I hear his fingers glide across those strings.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Jaco Pastorius
- Name (Japanese)
- ジャコ・パストリアス
- Reading
- じゃこ・ぱすとりあす
- Born
- December 1, 1951 – September 21, 1987
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Sagittarius / Rabbit
- Origin
- Norristown, Pennsylvania, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- bassist / composer / jazz musician / bandleader / recording artist
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Northeast High School
- University
- University of Miami
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Jaco Pastorius born?
December 1, 1951 – September 21, 1987.
Where is Jaco Pastorius from?
Jaco Pastorius is from Norristown, Pennsylvania, United States.
What does Jaco Pastorius do?
Jaco Pastorius works as bassist, composer, jazz musician, bandleader, recording artist.
Bassist — see all → · Composer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.