I love transcribing solos! It’s like peering inside the minds of geniuses. I’ve transcribed boxes full of solos. I’ve done plenty of bass solos: Jaco, Paul Chambers, George Mraz. I’ve found it really inspiring to transcribe other  instrumentalists. Ideas conceived on other instruments applied to the bass can be real conception stretchers.

I’ve always loved Joe Zawinul. I had the luck to see him several times with Weather Report and to hang with him. The last time I saw him I played opposite him at the North Sea Jazz Festival. He  was still awe-inspiring.

This solo is from Jaco Pastorius’ great song: Havona.  Joe’s solo struck me the first time I heard it and I’ve wanted to transcribe it ever since. His phrasing and time feel are fantastic and he makes innovative use of pentatonic scales and the lydian mode. Enjoy!

Click on the link below to download this transcription