Jaco Pastorius

I was reminded today of a Joni Mitchell gig I saw over 20 years ago. The amazing bass player, Jaco Pastorius, finished an exceptional solo, and then ran toward the back of the stage. He jumped high in the air and, as he did so, the glaring narrow spotlight extinguished. It had the effect of making him disappear, midair. Not long after that, and echoing his jump, his life support was switched off. He'd run into a brutal attack from a bouncer in a club, and died. The memory of that night's playing, and his exit, is still vivid.