Get a load of this! -Julius ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jaco Update" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 8:13 AM Subject: Letter from Bob Bobbing
> Dear Subscribers, > > First I would like to apologize to any of you who have personally been > offended or feel like they have been tooled with in reference to the > "Portrait of Jaco" and its release. My intentions have always been 100% > sincere, and I take great pride in the work that I am doing. However, > because of the unconventional nature of this project and the sporadic > cadence of its development, I am frequently left wide open for criticism. > This is understandable, and I accept full responsibility for the timeline, > but in reality, mainly because I have been just one person working alone, I > have very little control over events as they develop. In many ways this > project resembles a frail sailboat that totally depends on the wind for its > lift and direction, and although sailboats don't always arrive in a timely > manner, the experience is usually spiritually rewarding, as will be the > case here. Looking back now with only the packaging and manufacturing > matters to deal with, it's safe to say that all of the major obstacles have > been overcome, and every single artistic and creative vision fully > realized. I think that after reading this letter, you will see that there > has been a great deal more to deal with here than simply mastering audio > and pressing up some CDs. > > Trying to insure the best of quality and after considering of all the > various ways available of presenting "Portrait of Jaco," I finally decided > that it would be the most fitting to utilize AGI's Digipak format. "POJ" > will now be a 2-CD boxed-set of materials containing an 8-panel Digipak and > a full-color oversized companion booklet. Each CD contains over 74 minutes. > > The price will be $39.95 > > In reference to how-to-acquire "Portrait of Jaco," we will be utilizing a > major company for a secure on-line store that will soon reside at > http://www.JacoTheEarlyYears.com. As an alternative to major credit card > transactions, there will also be a downloadable order-form and address > available for checks or money orders. > > As far as a delivery system, I have secured a very established > fulfillment/distribution facility to insure a timely delivery. With years > of experience at shipping all over the world, they guarantee that orders > will go out within 24 to 48 hours. I have taken the necessary precautions > to ensure the best in online security, and that the e-commerce and shipping > process never cause any unnecessary delays. > > In trying to give an 'availability date,' the truth is I am still in the > process of completing the booklet and packaging (text/artwork/graphics), > and cannot give an exact time as to when we will begin manufacturing. > However, after the manufacturing process does begin, there will be an > additional three-to-four week period before the 'POJ' will be available to > ship. So please be patient, it will be along ASAP. And of course, you will > be notified first! > > Please read this additional information about the format: > > Initially, when I was planning to release just music, I compiled together > some material that I knew to be historically valuable, but it didn't > translate well and the results were somewhat disappointing. So, after > looking at this thing from every possible angle, I finally settled on what > I feel is an award-winning presentation. You see, "Portrait of Jaco" is not > a typical album of studio cuts containing the same 5 or 6 musicians > produced with attention to maintaining continuity. And it's not just a live > performance from a concert or nightclub either. It is a literal cornucopia > of rare artifacts that in totality represent a much larger picture, and one > that tells a story. You probably are beginning to see my dilemma. Like a > museum of dinosaur fossils, I felt that without a tour guide or written > materials of some kind, a large percent of people would become relatively > lost and begin to lose interest. Of course there are many studio cuts and > great live performances that could easily stand alone, but played in > succession, they too need to be put into context. And do you have any idea > what it would be like to listen to Jaco's first record appearance in > totality? After the first 60 seconds it would bore most everyone to death. > But set up properly by one of Jaco's friends who played drums on the > session, and when edited down a bit to maximize its impact, it becomes a > great addition to the project. This is just one example, but believe me for > most of us, it would not be as enjoyable of an experience to just sit and > listen to this stuff back to back. And unlike a documentary format that > usually features 70% talking, and 30% music to tell the story. 'Portrait of > Jaco' contains 70% music limiting the spoken words to 30%. This is also why > the companion booklet will be so important. Like a program at the opera, it > will help to explain every passage allowing for a much more informative > listening experience. Complete with pictures related to the recordings and > events, the companion booklet will provide historically accurate > blow-by-blow descriptions of every track. > > I think it's important to announce at this time that later I will be > releasing single CD's featuring "Woodchuck," "Tommy Strand & Upper Hand," > "Wayne Cochran & CC Riders," and "The Florida Demo's." All of this stuff > will be made available in totality on single releases shortly after the > Portrait comes out. So for the Jaco fans who want to hear all the music > from those periods, it will be made available. Also, because what I am > doing here is trying to tell a story to a much broader audience to get > Jaco's name and music more out to the world, I have settled on a format > very similar to one that has recently become popular on television. I'm > sure everyone's familiar with "Legends & Headliners" or VH1's "Behind the > Music." These personality- driven shows have become extremely popular by > chronicling the lives of 'legends' utilizing film, video clips, music, > still pictures, and interviews with family members and friends who were > part of the scene. And of course they stick to a timeline highlighting > every milestone along the way. But although I did approach 'Portrait of > Jaco' in a similar way, it's important to know that there isn't a narrator. > There are only first-hand recollections from Jaco alumni who were there on > the front lines. Oh! Another very important note; every significant piece > of music plays in its entirety! As you already know there are plenty of > virgin, never-before-heard recordings, and for the most part will be heard > uninterrupted. > > In closing, this release of "Portrait of Jaco" will be the most compelling > and comprehensive work ever done on Jaco Pastorius. This isn't just > propaganda, it's a fact! And when coupled with several highly respected > endorsements and all of the media coverage I hope to generate around this > release (7 major magazine cover stories scheduled worldwide to date) I am > planning to put Jaco's face and name back in the minds of many who have > forgotten him as well as the many who would have never even heard of him > otherwise. This isn't just about releasing a CD! I could have easily > released a series of cheesy, low quality single CD's to immediately cash > in, but instead I chose to produce something meaningful and worthwhile to > hopefully make a difference. Also the fact that I have persuaded numerous > music notables and Jaco alumni like Joni Mitchell, Joe Zawinul, Pat > Metheny, and Herbie Hancock to come onboard with their early years > performances and spoken word tributes speaks volumes to the scope and power > of this release. And each and every one of their decisions to get involved > should also speak volumes to my sincere intentions. Please have faith in > what I'm doing. > > And although I knew it would be extremely unlikely and incredibly time > consuming, I was determined to secure the legal rights from Warner Bros, > and Sony, to include some very important recordings of Jaco playing with > 'Little Beaver,' Weather Report, and Joni Mitchell. Falling within my > 'early years' timeline (1967-1976), I felt that including these recordings > was imperative in order to complete the story. I am proud to say that this > project will now culminate with classic examples of these early > collaborations that see Jaco at the top of his game. > > I initially reached out to all of the above artists and companies with a > letter very similar to the one I am now writing you. If you feel that there > is something very special going on here and want to be an instrumental part > of it, please get back with me indicating that I can count on your support. > You can contact me by visiting http://www.jacotheearlyyears.com/feedback. > All of us fans working together could really make a difference. I am not > affiliated with any major labels and I don't have unlimited financial > resources. I feel a tremendous responsibility to my old friend Jaco and I > hope that all of my efforts will make enough of a difference to redefine > and elevate his legacy up to where it rightfully belongs. I have received > numerous words of encouragement from many of you, and for that I am > grateful. It gives me hope that there are many, many Jaco fans out there > that understand the importance of this release, and even more, the > importance of doing it right for Jaco's legacy. > > Thank you for your interest in the "Portrait of Jaco" release. > > Sincerely, > Bob Bobbing > > > You are being sent this email because you signed up for the Jaco Update > Newsletter at http://www.JacoTheEarlyYears.com or > http://www.PortraitOfJaco.com. If you no longer wish to receive this Jaco > Update Newsletter, simply send an email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be automatically > removed. We respect your privacy. Your email address is not shared to > anyone for any purpose, ever.
