Jazz Rock & Fusion

[Guybrush]

I 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.

[Guybrush]

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 🙂

[Lexi Darling]

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 🙂

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.

[Guybrush]

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.

[Saulaac]

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).

[Guybrush]

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.

[Saulaac]

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 

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

[close]

The 100 Greatest Jazz Fusion Albums - Andy Edwards

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)

[Guybrush]

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 🙂

[Saulaac]

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.

[grindy]

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 🙂

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.

[Saulaac]

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 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.

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.

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

[grindy]

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.
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.