Objectives:

• To prepare to play Jaco Pastorius’ Invitation
• To look at his concepts involved in playing Invitation

Lesson Plan:

Here’s a structured action plan to help you achieve these goals:

1. Immerse in the Music: Start by deeply listening to the recording while closely following the transcriptions. This step sets the foundation for understanding Jaco’s approach.
2. Melodic Mastery: Begin by learning the melody at your own pace, without the constraints of time. Once you feel comfortable, transition to playing it alongside a fitting backing track.
3. Bass Line Brilliance: Next, focus on grasping Jaco’s exceptional bass line. Pay meticulous attention to the subtleties that define his unique rendition.
4. Solo Exploration: Dive into the depths of Jaco’s solo, meticulously dissecting the harmonic, melodic, and technical elements at play. Practice performing his solo in sync with a backing track to solidify your comprehension of these concepts.
5. Your Jaco Moment: Finally, bring it all together by performing “Invitation” in Jaco’s inimitable style.

Practice Assignment:

1. Melody Practice:
   Play the melody slowly, paying attention to dynamics. Increase the tempo as you become more comfortable, and try playing along with a backing track.
2. Bass Line Refinement:
   Isolate tricky sections of the bass line and practice them at half speed. Focus on capturing the subtleties of Jaco’s tone and phrasing.
3. Solo Mastery:
   Break the solo into manageable parts and practice each one until you’re confident. Once comfortable, aim to play the full solo in sync with the original recording or a backing track.
4. Full Performance:
   Perform the entire song with a backing track. Record yourself playing and listen back to identify areas where you can improve.

Transcriptions