David Pastorius

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = David Pastorius

| birth_place = Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.

| occupation = Bassist

| genre = Rock, jazz fusion, funk, funk rock

| associated_acts = FHM, David Pastorius and Local 518, Elephant Gun, Tech N9ne

| website = {{url|davidpastorius.com}}

}}

David Pastorius is an American bass guitarist born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, residing in Melbourne, Florida.{{cite web|title=David Pastorius Exclusive Interview|url=http://forbassplayersonly.com/interview-david-pastorius/|work=For Bass Players Only|accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=July 14, 2014}} He is the nephew of late jazz virtuoso bass guitarist Jaco Pastorius.{{cite web|title=David Pastorius: It's Not What You Think Interview|url=http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2009/12/10/david-pastorius-its-not-what-you-think/|work=No Treble |accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=December 10, 2009|first1=Corey|last1=Brown}}

Pastorius has played in numerous bands in the Florida region, has toured across the United States with various artists such as Tech N9ne and Pat Travers, appeared in a number of bass guitar-related magazines and has released and appeared on several studio albums.

He spent summer 2019 playing with Carl Palmer's ELP Legacy on the Royal Affair Tour with Yes, Asia and John Lodge of The Moody Blues.{{Cite web|url=http://yesworld.com/2019/04/yes-announces-the-royal-affair-tour-launching-june-12-in-bethlehem-pa/|title=YES Announces "The Royal Affair Tour" Launching June 12 In Bethlehem, Pa|website=Yes World |date=April 2, 2019}}

History

Pastorius started playing bass guitar at the age of 15 after being inspired by his high school friend, who had played the Red Hot Chili Peppers cover version of the Stevie Wonder song "Higher Ground" for him. At the age of 17, Pastorius joined his first band FHM (The Fleshy Headed Mutants) and began to play with local musicians performing heavy metal originals and cover songs.

He performed on the album Jaco Pastorius Big Band Word of Mouth Revisited, a tribute to Jaco Pastorius, released on August 23, 2003, by the Ohio record label Heads Up International.{{cite web|title=Word Of Mouth Revisited Jaco Pastorius Big Band|url=http://www.concordmusicgroup.com/albums/Word-Of-Mouth-Revisited/|publisher=Concord Music Group |accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=August 26, 2003}} The album had performances by Pastorius with the popular bass guitarists Victor Bailey, Richard Bona, Jeff Carswell, Jimmy Haslip, Christian McBride, Marcus Miller, Gerald Veasley and Victor Wooten.{{cite web|title=Jaco Pastorius Big Band - Word Of Mouth Revisited|url=http://www.soundstage.com/music/reviews/rev545.htm|work=Sound Stage|accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=November 2003}}
- {{cite web|title=Jaco Pastorius Big Band Word Of Mouth Revisited|url=http://jazztimes.com/articles/14339-word-of-mouth-revisited-jaco-pastorius-big-band|work=Jazz Times|accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=December 2003}}
- {{cite web|title=Review: Jaco Pastorius Big Band - Word of Mouth Revisited|url=http://www.contemporaryjazz.com/review-of-jaco-pastorius-big-band/|work=Contemporary Jazz|accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=2003}}
- {{cite web|title=Review: Jaco Pastorius Big Band: Word of Mouth Revisited (2003)|url=http://www.allaboutjazz.com/jaco-pastorius-big-band-word-of-mouth-revisited-jaco-pastorius-heads-up-international-review-by-franz-a-matzner.php|work=All About Jazz |accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=October 3, 2003}}

He formed the band, David Pastorius and Local 518, and released its first album, David Pastorius and Local 518, in spring 2007 on the Japanese record label P-Vine Records.{{cite web|title=David Pastorius & Local 518|url=http://p-vine.jp/artists/david-pastorius-local-518|publisher=P-Vine Records|accessdate=February 24, 2015}}
- {{cite web|title=David Pastorius & Local 518 Release Debut Album|url=http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2007/05/18/david-pastorius-local-518-release-debut-album/|work=No Treble |accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=May 18, 2007|first=Corey|last=Brown}} In 2009, the band released a follow up album entitled Sense of Urgency.{{cite web|title=David Pastorius & Local 518 Sense of Urgency|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/sense-of-urgency-mw0001963631|website=AllMusic|accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=2009}}
- {{cite web|title=David Pastorius' New Album "Sense of Urgency"|url=http://bassmusicianmagazine.com/2009/12/david-pastorius%E2%80%99-new-album-%E2%80%9Csense-of-urgency%E2%80%9D/|work=Bass Musician|accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=December 1, 2009}}

In 2009, Pastorius joined the Southern punk/funk band Elephant Gun with Trevor Prince on guitar and vocals, and Tom Van Dyke on drums. The members were from the local Florida bands Local 518, Goliath and Big Orange Nitty Gritty. Elephant Gun hosted Wednesday night open mic events at Hustler Bar and Pool Room in the town of Indialantic, Florida.{{cite web|title=Elephant Gun|url=http://thebeachsideresident.com/2009/12/elephant-gun/|work=The Beachside Resident|accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=December 1, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225025551/http://thebeachsideresident.com/2009/12/elephant-gun/|archive-date=February 25, 2015|url-status=dead}}
- {{cite web|title=Indaba Members Compete to Play at NAMM|url=http://blog-archive.indabamusic.com/2011/06/elephantgun/|website=Indablog |accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=June 24, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225010518/http://blog-archive.indabamusic.com/2011/06/elephantgun/|archive-date=February 25, 2015}} On December 17, 2011, while playing a set at Off The Traxx Sports Bar in Melbourne, Florida, with Elephant Gun, Pastorius had a heart attack.{{cite web|title=Rolling With a "Band Of Psychos"|url=http://www.rockeramagazine.com/mag/index.php/interviews/item/868-rolling-with-a-band-of-psychos|work=Rock Era |date= |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141206162518/http://www.rockeramagazine.com/mag/index.php/interviews/item/868-rolling-with-a-band-of-psychos |archivedate=December 6, 2014|accessdate=March 5, 2023}} He went to the hospital after the show and had two stents placed in his arteries. On January 21, 2012, Baroos Beachside Bar in the town of Indialantic held a benefit concert to assist him and his family with his health issues. Six bands played at the event.{{cite web|title=Benefit For David Pastorius|url=http://321magazineonline.com/dpastorious-baroos-012112/|work=321 Magazine online |accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=January 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225013545/http://321magazineonline.com/dpastorious-baroos-012112/|archive-date=February 25, 2015|url-status=dead}}

On July 31, 2011, Pastorius performed live with the drummer Keith LeBlanc and the guitarist Eric Gales for the concert event Eric Gales + Voodoo Chile - A Tribute To Jimi Hendrix at the B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York City.{{cite web|title=Eric Gales + Voodoo Chile - A Tribute To Jimi Hendrix|url=http://www.cityguideny.com/wireless/eventinfo.cfm?id=88466|work=City Guide |location=New York |accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=July 31, 2011}}

In 2013 and throughout 2014, Pastorius started to record and film a series of video "bass remixes" of songs by one of his musical idols, the American rapper Tech N9ne, and posted them on YouTube.{{cite web|title=Melbourne's Pastorius is all about that bass|url=http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2014/10/31/melbournes-pastorius-bass/18271015/|website=Florida Today |accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=October 31, 2014}}{{cite web|title=Bass Remix: An Interview with David Pastorius|url=http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2014/07/03/bass-remix-an-interview-with-david-pastorius/|work=No Treble |accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=July 3, 2014|first=Kevin|last=Johnson}} Pastorius' renditions caught the attention of Tech N9ne and his record label Strange Music, who requested him to perform a version of the Tech N9ne classic song "This Ring". Shortly afterward, in autumn 2014, Pastorius joined Tech N9ne's "Band Of Psychos" for a brief tour including 13 shows on the west coast of the U.S.{{cite web|title=David Pastorius on Tech N9ne and Marleaux basses|url=http://forbassplayersonly.com/news-features-david-pastorius-on-tech-n9ne-and-marleaux-basses/|work=For Bass Players Only |accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=November 26, 2014}}{{cite web|title=Meet The Psychos - Bassist David Pastorius|url=http://www.strangemusicinc.com/2014/10/tech-n9ne/david-pastorius-band-of-psychos-interview/ |publisher=Strange Music Inc |accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=October 22, 2014}}

In 2014, he was asked to contribute to the documentary film, JACO: A Documentary Film, produced and co-written by Metallicas bass guitarist Robert Trujillo.{{cite web|title=Metallica's Robert Trujillo eager to spread 'Jaco' love|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2014/09/18/metallica-robert-trujillo-jaco-pastorius-documentary/15678819/|work=USA Today |accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=September 22, 2014}}
- {{cite web|title=Jaco A Documentary Film|url=http://jacothefilm.com/filmmakers/ |accessdate=February 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014215428/http://jacothefilm.com/filmmakers/|archive-date=October 14, 2016|url-status=dead}}
- {{cite web|title=Jaco|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2385115/|website=IMDb|accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=October 6, 2014}} Pastorius, with the musicians Rodrigo y Gabriela, Chino Moreno, and Tech N9ne, are seen in a song during the credits at the film's end. To assist in raising funds to complete the film, a campaign was started on the crowd-funding website Pledge Music. Pastorius offered 60-minute one-on-one video Skype lessons to help raise funds.{{cite web|title=Robert Trujillo Presents Jaco: A Documentary Film|url=http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/jacothefilm|website=Pledge Music |accessdate=February 24, 2015}} On October 6, 2014, he made an appearance at the Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, California, for a work-in-progress screening of the film and a special live performance with a variety of music artists.{{cite web|title=A Musical Celebration honoring Jaco Pastorius|url=http://www.sweetwatermusichall.com/event/675603-musical-celebration-honoring-mill-valley/|publisher=Sweetwater Music Hall|accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=October 6, 2014}}
- {{cite web|title=A Musical Celebration of Jaco |url=http://www.mvff.com/musical-celebration-jaco/ |publisher=Mill Valley Film Festival |accessdate=February 24, 2015 |date=October 6, 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010002409/http://www.mvff.com/musical-celebration-jaco/ |archivedate=October 10, 2014 }}
- {{cite web|title=Artists In Residence|url=http://www.metallica.com/page.asp?ps_key=7967E279D0FE422B9CCB97C05F603B05|publisher=Metallica m|accessdate=February 24, 2015|date=October 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225035746/http://www.metallica.com/page.asp?ps_key=7967E279D0FE422B9CCB97C05F603B05|archive-date=February 25, 2015|url-status=dead}}

Influences

Pastorius is a fan of many genres but listens to a lot of hip hop, 1980s' and heavy metal. His influences include the bass guitar players Sam Griffith, Robert Trujillo (of Metallica), Flea (of Red Hot Chili Peppers), Steve Harris (of Iron Maiden), Les Claypool (of Primus) and Mark King (of Level 42). His musical hero is Mike Patton of Mr. Bungle and Faith No More.

Instruments

Pastorius plays Marleaux bass guitars,{{cite web|title=Marleaux BassGuitars Artists|url=http://www.marleaux-bass.com/marleaux_artists.html|publisher=Marleaux-Bass |accessdate=February 24, 2015}} a Classic Series Max-tone bass guitar made by Artisan Bass Works{{cite web|title=David Pastorius and his Classic Series Max-tone|url=http://www.artisanbassworks.com/products/classic-series-max-tone?variant=386980102|publisher=Artisan Bass Works |accessdate=February 24, 2015}} and Hartke amplifiers.