I first met Jaco back in 1976 when he came to Chicago with Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters, but he was playing bass for 
the Headhunters. It was the headhunters featuring Jaco Pastorius because he was touring for his first record. After the show I got a chance to meet him and got a chance to play his bass and I couldn’t get one note out of the Bass and then he picked it up and played it and this amazing Tone came out of it. I then asked him “How did you do that?” and he said it comes from my hands. Since he was double jointed he bent both of his thumbs all the way back and it scared me to death. Years later, back in the early 80’s I did a clinic with Jaco Pastorius and Darryl Jones in New York and while I was warming up for my clinic, Jaco was in the back having a beer and he heard me playing and he dropped his beer and he said what the heck is that and he came out jumped on the drums and we went at it for about 20 minutes until I got tired playing and then I just tripled my speed on my Bass and he fell off the drums, (which was funny). He said to me afterwards, “I have never heard anything like that in my life but, I’m still the greatest bass player in the world!” and we became good friends. Ever since then, I wanted to see if I could get him help so he could get back on his feet but that never happened. I miss Jaco very much and I knew his wife and his kids. I also recorded the song on my CD “Tha Truth” on Ropeadope records called “THE CHICKEN” a song Jaco recorded years ago. Jaco changed my life forever and for this he will always have a special place in my heart.
Rest in peace Jaco,
Bill the Buddha Dickens.
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