If you bother to read the opening post properly you'll see that this thread wasn't ever intended to be a 'Jaco debate'. Yes we have had more than enough of those.
Thank you those who've chosen to reply. I'm pleasantly surprised by the extent of folk on here who do, like me, enjoy listening to him, whether gently accompanying someone else or more 'in the mix' directing things from the low end. I actually prefer the latter stuff even though I delight in Joni Mitchell. Heavy Weather, 3 kinds of a secret and his self titled album are Jaco heaven for me.
Of course there will be a disproportionate number of 'naysayers' who don't post. It's interesting that some folk are apologising for either not having heard his stuff or for not liking it. What is just is so far as I'm concerned.
Interesting the comments on 'fret w***ery'. Makes me wonder if you've ever listened to a representative proportion of his stuff (as opposed to the odd Youtube clip) as Jaco and 'fret w***ery' go together like champagne and chips imo. I do know some 'fret w***ers' though.
So thanks for the replies folks.
Peter