Portrait of Tracy

"Portrait of Tracy"  is a composition by bassist Jaco Pastorius. It was named after his wife, Tracy Sexton.[1]

"Portrait of Tracy"
Jaco Pastorius in 1980
Song by Jaco Pastorius
from the album Jaco Pastorius
ReleasedAugust 1976
RecordedCamp Colomby Studios and Columbia Recording Studios C&B, New York City, New York.
GenrePost-bop
Length2:23
LabelEpic/Legacy (Sony Music)
Songwriter(s)Jaco Pastorius
Producer(s)Bobby Colomby

It appears on his landmark 1976 self-titled debut album, and has been covered by bassists such as Joe Ferry, Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten, John Myung, and Brian Bromberg. It is considered by many a bass guitar standard.

The song is played almost exclusively with natural harmonics, giving it a dreamy, unfamiliar tone for the bass, which is common in Pastorius's style.

"Portrait of Tracy" has been sampled in several songs, including SWV's "Rain", Rick Ross's "Bel Air (Black Dollar)", Cannibal Ox's "Pigeon", Amon Tobin's "Daytrip", Master P "Ghetto Love", Chingy and Tyrese's "Pullin' Me Back", Wagon Christ's "Mr. Mukatsuku", and Steve Spacek's "Hey There". Whilst it was not sampled in Childish Gambino’s Redbone, its melody has been said to pay homage to Pastorius's original bassline. In 2015, Kadhja Bonet recorded an arrangement of the song featuring vocals, lyrics and a string group accompaniment.

References
  1. Currin, Grayson (August 6, 2003). "Continuum. Jaco Pastorius is remembered by the music and muses he left behind". Independent Weekly. Archived from the original on 2012-10-14. Retrieved 2012-05-29.


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