Lecture 22: Fusion & Funk Jazz Fusion Jazz fusion (or jazz-rock fusion ) is a musical genre that merges elements of jazz with other styles of music, particularly pop, rock, folk, reggae, funk, metal, country, R&B, hip hop, electronic music and world music Fusion music is typically instrumental, often with complex time signatures, rhythmic patterns, and extended track lengths, featuring lengthy improvisations Many prominent fusion musicians are recognized as having a high level of virtuosity, combined with complex compositions and musical improvisation in meters rarely seen in other Western musical forms Fusion music generally receives little radio broadcast airplay in the United States, owing perhaps to its complexity, usual lack of vocals, and frequently extended track lengths History In the late 1960s, jazz musicians began mixing the forms and improvisational techniques of jazz with the electric instruments of rock and the rhythms of soul and rhythm and blues At the same time, some rock artists began adding jazz elements to their music Chicago Transit Authority Blood, Sweat & Tears Much of 1970s fusion was performed by a core of musicians who had worked with Miles Davis on his influential albums In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew In addition to Davis, important figures in early fusion included John McLaughlin, Larry Coryell, Billy Cobham (with his album Spectrum), Tony Williams, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea (with his band Return to Forever), and Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter with their band Weather Report Jazz Funk Jazz-funk is a sub-genre of jazz characterized by a strong back beat, electrified sounds, the presence of the first electronic analog synthesizers The integration of Funk, Soul, and R&B music and styles into jazz resulted in the creation of a genre whose spectrum is indeed quite wide and ranges from strong jazz improvisation to soul, funk or disco with jazz arrangements, jazz riffs, and jazz solos, and sometimes soul vocals
Tony Williams Lifetime In 1969, drummer Tony Williams formed a trio, The Tony Williams Lifetime, with John McLaughlin on guitar, and Larry Young on organ Jack Bruce on bass was added later It was a pioneering band of the fusion movement, a combination of rock, R&B, and jazz Their first album, Emergency!, was largely rejected by the jazz community at the time of its release Miles Davis was so impressed with the album and its highly experimental direction that he asked to head the group as his own, but Williams declined Mahavishnu Orchestra The Mahavishnu Orchestra was a jazz-rock fusion group that debuted in 1971 and dissolved in 1976 and reunited briefly from 1984 to 1987 This group was considered an important pioneer in the jazz fusion movement The band was led by Mahavishnu John McLaughlin on acoustic and electric guitars, with members Billy Cobham on drums, Rick Laird on electric and acoustic bass, Jan Hammer on electric and acoustic piano, and Jerry Goodman on violin Earlier, McLaughlin had decided to follow the Indian spiritual leader Sri Chinmoy, and took the name Mahavishnu Awakening Released in 1971 John McLaughlin (guitar) Jerry Goodman (violin) Jan Hammer (piano) Rick Laird (bass) Billy Cobham (drums) Return to Forever Return to Forever is a jazz fusion band founded in 1972 and led by keyboardist Chick Corea The band cycled through many members, but the only consistent band mate of Corea s was bassist Stanley Clarke The band started with Latin-influenced music, but was transformed in 1973 to become a jazz-rock group that took influences from both psychedelic and progressive rock
Spain Spain is Chick Corea s most prominent composition, and some would consider it a modern jazz standard The Light as a Feather version of Spain received two Grammy nominations Chick Corea (Fender rhodes) Joe Farrell (flute) Stanley Clarke (bass) Airto Moreira (drums) Flora Purim (vocals and percussion) Weather Report At its inception, Weather Report was an avant-garde experimental fusion group The stable core of the group was the duo of pianist Joe Zawinul and saxophonist Wayne Shorter The band received considerable attention for its early albums and live performances, which featured songs that might last 30 minutes or more The band later introduced a more commercial sound, most noted in the hit song Birdland Weather Report s albums were also later influenced by different styles of Latin and African music, offering an early world music fusion variation Jaco Pastorius, often regarded as one of music s most innovative electric bass players, joined the group in 1976 Birdland Recorded in 1977 : Josef Zawinul (keyboards) Wayne Shorter (tenor & soprano saxophone) Jaco Pastorius (bass) Alex Acuna (drums) Manolo Badrena (percussion) Herbie Hancock & the Headhunters Herbie Hancock originally assembled the band for his 1973 album Head Hunters The Headhunters music is a complex blend of many styles and genres, including jazz, funk, African and Afro-Caribbean music The group is also notable for its pioneering use of electronic instruments and effects Hancock s debut album with the group, Head Hunters, is one of the best-selling jazz-fusion records of all time
Chameleon Herbie Hancock (keyboards) Bennie Maupin (saxophones, bass clarinet, flute) Paul Jackson (electric bass, marimbula) Harvey Mason (drums) Bill Summers (percussion) The Brecker Brothers The Brecker Brothers was the musical duo of Michael (saxophone and EWI) and Randy Brecker (trumpet and flugelhorn) The pair recorded several commercially successful jazz fusion albums together in the 1970s, 1990s, and 2000s The two played together as session musicians on albums such as Parliament s Mothership Connection and also had prolific recording careers separately Some Skunk Funk Randy Brecker (trumpet) Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone) David Sanborn (alto saxophone) Don Grolnick (keyboards) Bob Mann (guitar) Will Lee (electric bass) Harvey Mason (drums) Ralph MacDonald (percussion) Tom Scott and the LA Express The LA Express was originally a bar band, starting out as the Tom Scott Quartet playing Tuesday nights at the Baked Potato The band included keyboardist Joe Sample and drummer John Guerin When bassist Max Bennett joined the band, he brought in few rock-oriented tunes Soon after, guitarist Larry Carlton joined the band The quintet was a hit and began packing the club each week As a result, the LA Express ended up touring with Joni Mitchell and George Harrison Nunya Released in 1974 Tom Scott (tenor saxophone) Joe Sample (keyboards) Larry Carlton (guitar) Max Bennett (bass) John Guerin (drums & percussion)
Sources History and Tradition of Jazz by Thomas E. Larson Jazz for Dummies by Dirk Sutro Jazz a film by Ken Burns http://en.wikipedia.org Discography 1. King Cobra by Tom Scott & the LA Express from the album Tom Scott & the LA Express Ode Records EK 64959 2. Red Alert by Tony Williams Lifetime from the album Lifetime: The Collection Sony Music Entertainment 3. Awakening by the Mahavishnu Orchestra from the album Inner Mounting Flame Columbia Records CK65523 4. Spain by Chick Corea & Return to Forever from the album Light as a Feather Polygram Records 827 148-2 YH 5. Birdland by Weather Report from the album Heavy Weather Sony Music Entertainment 6. Chameleon by Herbie Hancock from the album Head Hunters Columbia Records CK 65123 7. Some Skunk Funk by the Brecker Brothers from the album The Brecker Brothers Arista Records OW 31449 8. Nunya by Tom Scott & the LA Express from the album Tom Scott & the LA Express Ode Records EK 64959 9. Both Sides of the Coin by Steps Ahead from the album Steps Ahead Elektra Musician 9 60168-2 10. Put It Where You Want It by the Crusaders from the album Crusaders I Blue Thumb