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I lived 3 blocks from where Jaco was murdered. He walked past my apartment pretty much everyday on his way to sleep on the RR tracks behind the funeral home where he would end up in, ironically. He knew me as "tall boy". That was his moniker for me. I'd be jogging in Holiday Park when I would hear "Tall boy,you going to Peaches later"? I used to browze the record bins there and many times Jaco would greet me at the entrance, show me his handprints at Peaches little walk of fame by the front door. He always introduced himself as "the worlds best/greatest bass player". He never asked me for a dime. I would run into him at Mr. Laffs quite a bit. I heard from some people that he would go there after he recieved a royalty check. My saddest encounter with Jaco was at a concert at Summers on the Beach in which I was a member of the opening act for The Band. Jaco was there pounding down tequilas during our soundcheck. He kept asking me "Where da fuck is Danko"? , referring to The Band's bassit/singer. I went to grab a bite before showtime and came back to a packed to the fucking gills crowd. There was Jaco still pounding 'em down at the same sidebar close to the stage. His issues had taken him to a place mentally where he had cut lumps of hair off of his head, wore old man style golfing trousers and other thrift store type clothes and shoes. So we went on ...we were a duo known as Pete Harris and yours truly, Pat Maguire. Pete and I came offstage and into the dressing room where there stood the Band and Jaco. I was like "how many great musicians are in this room right now"? To see The Band before my eyes was like seeing the Fab Four in my eyes.......anyway....Jaco yelled to my partner Pete "you play like and old N****R......followed by "Tall boy....you play allright". He then offered me some of the Publix Platter that was there for the Band. Nice promoters ...HUH...a fucking Publix Platter for who i consider one of the best bands ever. So jaco was going on and on about how "It was the best food on earth". So later while the Band was playing to a "to the rafters" crowd they announced Jaco to come out and play one. I forgot what song it was but I can clearly remember Jaco just hanging on an low F note through the entire piece....just bizzare. Years later I would attend Jaco's funeral service and the party that followed that night at the Holiday inn at Commercial and Powerline. It was sad and celebratory at the same time.

Dear Ingrid,
Thank you for setting the record straight concerning Jaco and his experience with medication. I just wanted you to know I meant no disrespect typing out my Jaco experiences. I am all too familiar with manic/depressive illness. I am pro-medication for people with afflictions of the brain. The one simple thing I've learned is that the brain is an organ. People generally don't scoff at someone who has to take insulin for diabetes, cardiovascular illness, sexual disfunction,arthritis and on and on....but when it's mental illness people put a judgement on it and tend to make fun of it or worse. People used to think and some still do ,that mental illness is the work of evil posession. It is still amazing to me that many many people who chose denial as a way of life still think of the homeless mentally ill as bums and all that malarkey. When I see someone who obviously has mental issues on the street I think of the plethera of "voices and noise" that is filling their minds relentlessly and constantly and are powerless over their condition. Yet they are ashamed to get help because of our messed up culture's veiw of mental illness. They used to throw rocks and kill people whom they assumed were possesed by evil demons. Many still hold that failed belief out of poisonous pedigogy.

Sincerely, stratman