I took the frets out of my bass after I was getting into jazz a lot and I wanted to have that upright sound.

- Jaco Pastorius

A chimpanzee could learn what I do physically, but it goes way beyond that. When you play, you play life.

- Jaco Pastorius

I'm not a star. I'll never be a Frank Sinatra or Elvis Presley or a Ray Charles. I'm just an imitator, man. I'm doing a very bad imitation on the bas…

- Jaco Pastorius

It's really easy to play harmonics, anyone can do it. It's another thing to be able to swing, to make to make a band swing, to create a groove. Harmo…

- Jaco Pastorius

Women and rhythm-section first!?

- Jaco Pastorius

I'm not a star. I'm just backing up the cats.

- Jaco Pastorius

The secret to the sound is to drop the bass on the floor!

- Jaco Pastorius

Trumpets! Can you bring your... uh... extracurricular tubing necessities next rehearsal?

- Jaco Pastorius

All you've got to do is keep your ears open.

- Jaco Pastorius