Bass Player: Jaco Pastorius

We all love this one! The tune ‘The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines’ was written by bassist Charles Mingus and lyrics added by Joni Mitchell for the 1979 LP she did based around Mingus’s music called, imaginatively, ‘Mingus’. Jaco played his ass off on the following tour on which Mitchell featured a band comprising Jaco, Pat Metheny, Michael Brecker, Don Alias and Lyle Mays. The album ‘Shadows And Light’ features on the all time favourites list of many of us, including Bilbo and it is the live version of the track that is transcribed here.

We are none of us entirely happy with the attached transcription so, if anyone knows better (it’s mainly the harmonics and the run at the end that we are not comfortable with), then get in touch.