Hey there, compadre!
What are some of your favorite jazz rock or fusion tracks? I think we're gonna be generous rather than strict with genre definition, so if you feel something's jazzy enough, feel free to mention.
I always also enjoy a tiny bit of background or context, but that's entirely up to you 🙂
Here's the opening track from the album The Rite of Strings by Al Di Meola on guitar, Stanley Clarke on bass and Jean Luc-Ponty on violin.
I like a lot of Japanese fusion/jazz stuff.
Jun Fukamachi is a favorite of mine. He has a lot of albums, some stuff is more synthy, some leans on the proggier side, there's some solo piano work, anime soundtracks, and even a full-album cover of Sgt. Pepper. This album is one of my faves, lots of 90s sounding digital synths and lovely piano playing. May stretch the definition of jazz a little bit but it's a great album so whatevs.
Seconding the Japanese scene here. One of the most famous bands are Casiopea. At first they sound a bit like elevator music (which isn't bad in my eyes anyway) but the compositions are lovely and memorable and the instrumental abilities of all members are outstanding.
There's some cool stuff from 70s Germany, some of it usually labelled as Krautrock, that is actually banger fusion.
There are so many great elements to jazz rock and fusion, it's really diverse yet sometimes contains very specific sounds which make one scream out "that's fusion!". It could be type of sax which sounds like a foghorn on octaves, or phrases which begin in a way that may cause a jazz purist to nod inquisitively but then end like a TV theme tune.
I really like the Ponty, Japanese and German posts above and I think this thread might be a hell of a ride. I also like to discover modern fusion artists, some of whom blend their music further in other directions such as electronic, hip-hop etc.
A couple of favourites, including the band members like Daryl Struemer, Ndugu Chancler, Tom Fowler, Allan Holdsworth..:
George Duke - That's What She Said - 1975Tony Williams - Fred
Been listening to some of the music posted here while working the other day 🙂 Great stuff!
Of the three big fusion bands, I love Return to Forever the most. My favorite tracks from them are probably these two acoustic title tracks:
Especially No Mystery is a song I've listened to for years and years. I never tire of it.
Quote from: Guybrush on Oct 26, 2023, 10:32 PMBeen listening to some of the music posted here while working the other day 🙂 Great stuff!
Of the three big fusion bands, I love Return to Forever the most. My favorite tracks from them are probably these two acoustic title tracks:
Especially No Mystery is a song I've listened to for years and years. I never tire of it.
@Guybrush, when you say the "three" big fusion bands, were Mahavishnu and Weather Report the other two you were thinking of?
Growing up, before learning who was who in the zoo, I thought this below was the most fusiony type of fusion, including the breakdown and hip gesture by Sanborn around 1:40 :thumb: But perhaps it was because I was listening to 80s fusion as opposed to 70s fusion.
Jean-Luc Ponty & David Sanborn at BEST NIGHT MUSICAnd reading about whale cries in
@ribbons post yesterday, this reminded me of the beginning of John Klemmer's "Blood of the Sun".
JOHN KLEMMER SAX "BLOOD OF THE SUN"
Quote from: Saulaac on Oct 29, 2023, 11:30 PM@Guybrush, when you say the "three" big fusion bands, were Mahavishnu and Weather Report the other two you were thinking of?
Growing up, before learning who was who in the zoo, I thought this below was the most fusiony type of fusion, including the breakdown and hip gesture by Sanborn around 1:40 :thumb: But perhaps it was because I was listening to 80s fusion as opposed to 70s fusion.
Jean-Luc Ponty & David Sanborn at BEST NIGHT MUSIC
Hey, more Night Music! Such a cool program 🙂
Yes, I was thinking of Mahavishnu Orchestra and Weather Report as the other two. I probably prefer Weather Report to Mahavishnu too, even if the latter had Ponty in it.
I like Black Market a lot:
Also saw you post a track from Ponty's Enigmatic Ocean earlier. I always thought of that album as a potential entry point for young fusioneers 🙂
Quote from: Saulaac on Oct 29, 2023, 11:30 PMAnd reading about whale cries in @ribbons post yesterday, this reminded me of the beginning of John Klemmer's "Blood of the Sun".
JOHN KLEMMER SAX "BLOOD OF THE SUN"
@Saulaac that's a lovely association with the whale cries and "Blood Of The Sun" is an absolutely gorgeous Klemmer track. Thank you for posting it!
Many thanks to everyone for posting such great recs in this thread. I have huge gaps in my jazz fusion knowledge and inventory, so this is really helping! (I'm more of a free jazz, proggy jazz and straight jazz listener.)
As far as fusion goes, I'm a big fan of Pierre Moerlen-era
Gong. Moerlen was an incredible drummer technically but also an imaginative percussionist and musical colorist and composer. I'm especially fond of his work on Gong's
Expresso II.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxl22TAk79M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls3VUWinAho
Hey,
@ribbons ! I really like Moerlen-era Gong as well, though my favorite is the preceding Gazeuse!
A couple of interesting tracks 🙂
Of course Gong went through more changes and David Allen coming back etc. but Moerlen and Holdsworth etc. got back together under the name Gongzilla.
I've briefly listened to a couple of those albums, but didn't do a proper plunge so.. another item on my musical to-do list 🙂
Quote from: Guybrush on Oct 30, 2023, 07:47 PMHey, @ribbons ! I really like Moerlen-era Gong as well, though my favorite is the preceding Gazeuse!
A couple of interesting tracks 🙂
Of course Gong went through more changes and David Allen coming back etc. but Moerlen and Holdsworth etc. got back together under the name Gongzilla.
I've briefly listened to a couple of those albums, but didn't do a proper plunge so.. another item on my musical to-do list 🙂
@Guybrush I love
Gazeuse! as well! It's more playful and angular than
Expresso II and the musicianship is absolutely ALIVE (living up to its effervescent title!). There is something a bit warmer in
Expresso II that appeals to me, but that's a personal quirk - I'd agree that
Gazeuse! is more challenging and fun. 8)
Unfortunately I'd only heard Gongzilla's
Suffer back in the '90s but - whoa! - Holdsworth is killer on that record! Ditto for Bon and the always amazing Hansford Rowe on bass, and Benoit on vibes. Monster fusion! ;)
Quote from: ribbons on Oct 30, 2023, 08:21 PM@Guybrush I love Gazeuse! as well! It's more playful and angular than Expresso II and the musicianship is absolutely ALIVE (living up to its effervescent title!). There is something a bit warmer in Expresso II that appeals to me, but that's a personal quirk - I'd agree that Gazeuse! is more challenging and fun. 8)
Unfortunately I'd only heard Gongzilla's Suffer back in the '90s but - whoa! - Holdsworth is killer on that record! Ditto for Bon and the always amazing Hansford Rowe on bass, and Benoit on vibes. Monster fusion! ;)
Yes! Monster fusion is a good description 🙂 I feel they had a similar vibe as King Crimson - a little more intimidating than they were in their Gazeuse! days 🙂 might be the most aggressive playing by Holdsworth? Might have to do a proper revisit. Not many seem to know about it, though.
@grindy you mentioned German bands, do you like Passport?
Years ago, I listened a bit to their 1975 album Cross-Collateral which seemed like the one to get.
I may prefer their newer material, though, this one from 2020's Motherhood.
And there's of course Barbara Dennerlein.
She's of course known for her virtuosity with the organ bass foot pedals. She's actually amazing with them, so that's worth looking up.
Quote from: Guybrush on Oct 31, 2023, 11:52 PMYes! Monster fusion is a good description 🙂 I feel they had a similar vibe as King Crimson - a little more intimidating than they were in their Gazeuse! days 🙂 might be the most aggressive playing by Holdsworth? Might have to do a proper revisit. Not many seem to know about it, though.
@grindy you mentioned German bands, do you like Passport?
Years ago, I listened a bit to their 1975 album Cross-Collateral which seemed like the one to get.
I may prefer their newer material, though, this one from 2020's Motherhood.
And there's of course Barbara Dennerlein.
She's of course known for her virtuosity with the organ bass foot pedals. She's actually amazing with them, so that's worth looking up.
I know Passport and Dennerlein and I've enjoyed some albums here and there but they aren't among my favourites.
Some great material here, with some names I'm familiar with, but Mrs. Waffles's and grindy's recs are all new to me, so I have some listening to do. :thumb:
With Jean-Luc Ponty, I liked his
Imaginary Voyage album, but for some reason found
Enigmatic Ocean disappointing: perhaps it's just that feeling we probably all get with some artists: "
One album by this guy is sufficient for me"
I like fusion with a decent dose of rock, and here's an album I bought pretty much on a hunch when it came out in 1973. The hunch paid off, in terms of listening pleasure, from first groove to last:-
___________________________________
Now, 50 years later, I just last night came across the Welsh band Gnidrolog, which were really a prog band, but this great track has a nice fusion intro, so anyone who can swallow a little prog along with their fusion might like it:
My favourite fusion track is Miles Davis "Ife", the version that's part of "Gondwana." I don't actually hear "Ife" in what I'm talking about so I consider it a different piece of music. The flute solo that starts it up is one of the most wondrous things I've ever heard.
Quote from: grindy on Nov 01, 2023, 01:53 PMI know Passport and Dennerlein and I've enjoyed some albums here and there but they aren't among my favourites.
No, that goes for me too. None of my fusion favorites are from Germany.. at least not yet!
In celebration of my Yamaha reface CP synth purchase that sorta lets me play a good sounding Fender Rhodes in my living room, I wanted to listen some Rhodes music.
I immediately thought of this.
We've yet to post Zappa in here. One of my favorites the last few years - and which I've also posted elsewhere - is Blessed Relief from the Grand Wazoo album.
I'll dare a repost as it seems on topic 🙂
Quote from: Guybrush on Nov 16, 2023, 12:35 AMWe've yet to post Zappa in here. One of my favorites the last few years - and which I've also posted elsewhere - is Blessed Relief from the Grand Wazoo album.
I'll dare a repost as it seems on topic 🙂
I love that song and album. I really like Zappa's compositional style in general, but it's frustrating because I'm not a fan of his vocals or lyrics. So the instrumental stuff is where it's at for me.
You ever listen to Jazz from Hell? Very interesting synth, sampler and early digital sequencing experiments and it's a fun album.
I know I'm a broken record, but I gotta post some Karen Mantler as well.
This is from the last album in her arc about herself and her cat Arnold who gets the flu. By this time, Arnold is dead and greatly missed by Karen. Her band can't even comfort her.
Also notice the two-note musical motif. I think it's funny.
2020's big band fusion from the "Euroradio Jazz Orchestra" event in May this year. The name alone sounds awfully cool. Youngish jazz talents competing, and the only one I know of is Emma Rawicz. She posted her solo below.
The full concert was broadcast on France Musique: https://www.radiofrance.fr/francemusique/podcasts/open-jazz/euroradio-jazz-orchestra-2023-jievaras-jasinskis-le-concert-de-vilnius-4186144.
The Rawicz solo is part of the "fifth movement" which starts around 41:30. It sounds quite like Weather Report in places (River People perhaps).
I was reminded of this again and it fits with the theme of this thread, so here's a repost!
I remember these shreds videos with the replaced audio being popular like 15 years ago.
Watched a 100 Greatest Jazz Fusion Albums video yesterday by Andy Edwards (UK drummer formerly in bands such as Frost, IQ) and I managed to get through it in 3 sittings. It's only his subjective opinion and is heavily European and North American centric (is anyone doing this for Japanese fusion?). Many of his picks overlap into jazz rock, jazzy prog, jazzy metal. I didn't know over half of these albums. He even mentioned fuzak a couple of times, so it seems to be a real thing :thumb:
Spoiler
100 - Golden Age of the Apocalypse (2011) - Thundercat
99 - Baselines (1983) - Bill Laswell
98 - Duster (1967) - Gary Burton 97 - Time in Place (1988) - Mike Stern
96 - Electric Guitarist (1978) - John McLaughlin
95 - Joyous Lake (1977) - Pat Martino
94 - 75 (2008) - Joe Zawinul
93 - Vinnie Colaiuta (1994) - Vinnie Colaiuta
92 - We Want Miles (1982) - Miles Davis
91 - Decoy (1984) - Miles Davis
90 - Quantum (2007) - Planet X
89 - Music of Roland Vasquez (1979) - Urban Ensemble
88 - In the Moment (2015) - Makaya McCraven
87 - Lingua Franca (2012) - TRAM
86 - Knower Forever (2023) - Knower
85 - Modern Jazz Stories (1995) - Courtney Pine
84 - Mute Massaker (1999) - Casper Brotzmann
83 - Show Me What You Can Do (1998) - GHS
82 - People Mover (2019) - Scott Henderson
81 - Szobel (1976) - Hermann Szobel
80 - Steps Ahead (1980) - Steps Ahead
79 - Life Begins Again (2005) Jimmy Chamberlin
78 - Imaginary Day (1997) - Pat Metheny Group
77 - Lunar Crash (1994) - Medeski & Fiuczynski
76 - Lonely Bears (1990) - Lonely Bears
75 - Dressing for Pleasure (1994) - John Hassell
74 - Two Doors (1995) - Shawn Lane
73 - Truth in Shredding (1990) - MVP
72 - Taboo (1983) - Ronald Shannon Jackson
71 - Arc of Testimony (1997) - Arcana
70 - Bad Habits Die hard (1995) - Trilok Gurtu
69 - Electric Bath (1967) - Don Ellis
68 - Energy (1971) - Jeremy Steig
67 - Players (1987) - Berlin, Henderson, Lavitz, Smith
66 - Eyewitness (1983) - Steve Kahn
65 - Zawinul (1971) - Joe Zawinul
64 - Red Twist & Tuned Arrow (1987) - Doran, Studer, Wittwer
63 - Extensions (1990) - Dave Holland
62 - Melodies (1977) - Jan Hammer
61 - Iron Path (1988) - Last Exit
60 - Blue Matter (1986) - John Scofield
59 - Naked City (1990) - Naked City
58 - Rhythm People (1990) - Steve Coleman
57 - 2 Drink Minimum (1995) - Wayne Krantz
56 - 1995 (1995) - Screaming Headless Torsos
55 - Escalator Over the Hill (1971) Carla Bley
54 - Dregs of the Earth (1980) - Dixie Dregs 53 - Gazeuse! (1976) - Gong
52 - If Mountains Could Sing (1995) - Terje Rypdal
51 - Lotus (1974) - Santana
50 - Caravanserai (1972) - Santana
49 - Of Human Feeling (1982) - Ornette Coleman's Prime Time
48 - Hallucination Engine (1994) - Material
47 - Illicit (1992) - Tribal Tech
46 - Chick Corea Elektric Band (1986) - Chick Corea Elektric Band
45 - First Circle (1984) - Pat Metheny Group
44 - Secrets (1989) - Allan Holdsworth
43 - Jaco Pastorius (1976) - Jaco Pastorius
42 - Unorthodox Behaviour (1976) - Brand X
41 - One of a Kind (1979) - Bill Bruford
40 - I Love the Blues, She Heard My Cry (1975) - George Duke
39 - Enigmatic Ocean (1977) - Jean-Luc Ponty
38 - Grand Wazoo (1972) - Frank Zappa (Mothers)
37 - Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar (1981) - Frank Zappa
36 - Heavy Metal Be-Bop (1978) - Brecker Brothers
35 - Exhibition (1979) - John Serry Jr.
34 - Venusian Summer (1976) - Lenny White
33 - Leprechaun (1976) - Chick Corea
32 - School Days (1976) - Stanley Clark
31 - Stanley Clark (1974) - Stanley Clark
30 - Believe It (1975) - Tony Williams Lifetime
29 - Timeless (1975) - John Abercrombie
28 - Where Have I Known You Before (1974) - Return to Forever
27 - Expectation (1972) Keith Jarrett
26 - Bright Size Life (1976) - Pat Metheny
25 - Oh Yeah? (1976) - Jan Hammer
24 - Blow by Blow (1975) - Jeff Beck
23 - Wired (1976) - Jeff Beck
22 - Elegant Gypsy (1977) - Al Di Meola
21 - Thrust (1974) - Herbie Hancock
20 - Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy (1973) - Return to Forever
19 - Sextant (1973) - Herbie Hancock
18 - Introducing Eleventh House (1974)- Eleventh House
17 - Level One (1975) - Eleventh House
16 - Crosswinds (1974) - Billy Cobham
15 - Between Nothingness & Eternity (1973) - Mahavishnu Orchestra
14 - In a Silent Way (1969) - Miles Davis
13 - Jack Johnson (1971) - Miles Davis
12 - Hot Rats (1969) - Frank Zappa
11 - Mysterious Traveller (1974) - Weather Report
10 - Emergency! (1969) - Tony Williams Lifetime
9 - Visions of the Emerald Beyond (1975) - Mahavishnu Orchestra
8 - Heavy Weather (1977) - Weather Report
7 - B*tches Brew (1970) - Miles Davis
6 - Romantic Warrior (1976) - Return to Forever
5 - Birds of Fire (1973) - Mahavishnu Orchestra
4 - Head Hunters (1973) - Herbie Hancock
3 - Black Market (1976) - Weather Report
2 - Spectrum (1973) - Billy Cobham
1 - Inner Mounting Flame (1971) - Mahavishnu Orchestra
This guy Hermann Szobel was one such delight with his album "Szobel", coming in at no. 81, particularly "Transcendental Floss".
Hermann Szobel - Transcendental Floss (1976)
Interesting list 🙂 I didn't have time for all of it, but gave the top 12 a listen which is mostly familiar. He sure likes Mahavishnu Orchestra a lot with Inner Mounting Flame getting the nr. 1 spot. To me, that album was a bit too frantic and McLaughlin's playing was a little annoying.. but it's been about 15 years since I gave it a proper listen, so maybe it deserves a second chance.
Szobel is new to me! That was a fun track 🙂
I didn't see Mahavishnu Orchestra as the top spot, probably because I was too busy jiving to more commercial stuff. However the track "Meeting Of The Spirits" was absolutely brilliant. I agree with you that McLaughlin's playing often got a little annoying, as he seemed to always noodle the same minor stuff instead of mixing it up a bit. But I suppose, over time, MO is as worthy a top spot as anyone else.
Quote from: Guybrush on Dec 30, 2023, 01:46 AMInteresting list 🙂 I didn't have time for all of it, but gave the top 12 a listen which is mostly familiar. He sure likes Mahavishnu Orchestra a lot with Inner Mounting Flame getting the nr. 1 spot. To me, that album was a bit too frantic and McLaughlin's playing was a little annoying.. but it's been about 15 years since I gave it a proper listen, so maybe it deserves a second chance.
Szobel is new to me! That was a fun track 🙂
Szobel is great. It's also interesting that he recorded the album at a very young age (17-18, I think) and than disappeared from the world of music and altogether.
Quote from: Guybrush on Dec 30, 2023, 01:46 AMInteresting list 🙂 I didn't have time for all of it, but gave the top 12 a listen which is mostly familiar. He sure likes Mahavishnu Orchestra a lot with Inner Mounting Flame getting the nr. 1 spot. To me, that album was a bit too frantic and McLaughlin's playing was a little annoying.. but it's been about 15 years since I gave it a proper listen, so maybe it deserves a second chance.
Szobel is new to me! That was a fun track 🙂
I remember Rock Album Survivor had a Jazz Fusion round, and that was exhausting (in a good way) to try and make up my mind as I kept asking myself what is fusion, what should I be looking for, what is 'better'? So you just have to go with whatever tickles your fancy.
Quote from: grindy on Dec 31, 2023, 10:06 PMSzobel is great. It's also interesting that he recorded the album at a very young age (17-18, I think) and than disappeared from the world of music and altogether.
I read about that too, grindy. Was that the only album he released? Seems to be, according to discogs. A monster album from a 'wunderkind'.
Regarding the violinists who I have a soft spot for, I have only recently come to appreciate Zbigniew Seifert, probably because he released this very fusiony fusion album. He was born in Poland, and passed away at 32 years old in New York in 1979. I don't know, man, but I get the feeling that NY brought the best out of musicians in terms of colour and experience.
Man of the light by Zbigniew Seifert - 1977
Quote from: Saulaac on Jan 02, 2024, 10:08 PMI remember Rock Album Survivor had a Jazz Fusion round, and that was exhausting (in a good way) to try and make up my mind as I kept asking myself what is fusion, what should I be looking for, what is 'better'? So you just have to go with whatever tickles your fancy.
I read about that too, grindy. Was that the only album he released? Seems to be, according to discogs. A monster album from a 'wunderkind'.
Regarding the violinists who I have a soft spot for, I have only recently come to appreciate Zbigniew Seifert, probably because he released this very fusiony fusion album. He was born in Poland, and passed away at 32 years old in New York in 1979. I don't know, man, but I get the feeling that NY brought the best out of musicians in terms of colour and experience.
Man of the light by Zbigniew Seifert - 1977
Yeah, that one album is all we ever got. Apparently a second album was, at least partially, recorded, but never released. I hoped for some bonus tracks for the latest remaster, which is by the way highly recommended, but alas, we never got anything else.