This revealing retrospective of Jaco's early years will inform and educate all generations of the valuable contributions Jaco Pastorius has made to the world of music. It's a wonderful celebration of his life intended to inspire not only those who loved Jaco and his music but anyone striving to achieve greatness in their lives. And although "Portrait" is literally loaded with new and historically significant recordings, it's not just about the music; it's about Jaco the person and the times in which he lived. It's also about what he achieved and how he achieved it. Every single note and word on this early years anthology loyally serves to help define who Jaco Pastorius was. The audio snapshots contained within follow Jaco throughout his early creative years and reveal every important development in chronological order. And remember, "Portrait of Jaco" consists primarily of recordings Jaco HIMSELF listened to and laughed out-loud about back in the day. In fact, some of these tracks are the exact recordings he took on the road while touring with Weather Report pro-claiming them to be the "real deal." Simply put - this collection is made up primarily of recordings that Jaco himself enjoyed. But most of all it is important to note that the spoken words about Jaco from family members, close friends, and fellow musicians who were there with Jaco during his early years, are essential to this presentation and is something that has been missing in Jaco's legacy until this release. Rumors, hearsay, and misinformation have held court in the absence of first-hand accounts and factual information. The oversized 80-page companion booklet also serves up valuable previously unknown information and the dozens of rare photos breathe life into the facts page after page. And the Grammy Award-winning artists, who along with Jaco created some of the most memorable recordings the world will ever know, had nothing personally to gain by setting the record straight on this release. Hopefully now, nobody will be able to dispute Jaco's rightful place in music's history as one of the greatest of all time. I do apologize that it has taken so long to deliver this important collection, but I guarantee that you will not be disappointed. Thank you kindly, Bob Bobbing