When Jaco Pastorius formed his Word of Mouth big band it was as a sort of anti-reaction to his six-year stint in Weather Report where, during his last 18 months or so with the band, he had his wings clipped by Zawinul. For a start there were no keyboards to cramp his style (or guitars for that matter), so harmonically he had a greater freedom to express himself, whether holding down the bottom or interacting with ensemble or soloists in a way inspired by Scott LaFaro. This live date is well recorded, and we are able to hear with great clarity just why Pastorius was so widely admired. Here he is in his pomp, and this 2CD set (or 3LP vinyl box) is among the best representations of his great talent. Pastorius had it all, from really digging in and driving his band on the blues changes of ‘Fanny Mae’ to providing colour and imaginative obligato within ‘Three Views of a Secret’. And after his virtuoso workout on ‘Donna Lee’, that had amazed the jazz world six years earlier when it opened his debut album Jaco Pastorius (1976) on Epic, on this 13-minute 19-second live version you are left in no doubt what all the hyperbole that swirled around this remarkable talent was about.