Word of Mouth

Word of Mouth is the second solo studio album by American bassist Jaco Pastorius, released in 1981, while he was still a member of the jazz fusion group Weather Report, and also the name of a big band that Pastorius assembled and with which he toured from 1981 to 1983. Critical reception Reviewing the album in The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings, Cook and Morton favorably assessed the album, they wrote: "A brilliant example of Jaco’s gift for sound (...) A lovely record, full of surprises", while in contrast Swenson saw the album as a troubled follow-up to the previous Jaco Pastorius album. Background While his debut album showcased his eclectic and impressive skills on electric bass, Word of Mouth focused more on his ability to compose and arrange for a larger band. The album still shows off Pastorius's skill, most notably in the solo opening to "Chromatic Fantasy" by J.S. Bach and the title track. "Crisis" also features a fast, bass pattern looping, which runs under the frantic soloing. Most of the rest of the album's bass is subdued and blends into the band's arrangement. The song "John and Mary" is dedicated to his children from his first marriage to Tracy; he had two other children, twin sons Julius and Felix with his second wife, Ingrid.