The sound is a bit like Rock and somewhat like Jazz. That one is similar to Brazilian mixed with Jazz. This one is more like Metal with Jazz undertones and yet the next one is clearly R&B with a strong kick of Jazz elements driving it. These all describe varieties of a kind of Jazz called Fusion.

Jazz Fusion melds modern Jazz with other forms of progressively modern music. While in the 1970’s it was considered an eccentric expression, by the 1990’s it grew into quite an ecclectic, undefinable label. Jazz Fusion has always been on the edge of avant-garde, some considering it a bastardization of Jazz, while others foreseeing it as the true intention of the soul of Jazz music. Fusion is not quite a coherent musical style, but rather a musical tradition and attitude toward skills development within the context of other genres. Jazz Fusion differs from Free Jazz in that Free Jazz transcends limitations of specific styles and defines itself in opposition to those styles, while Jazz Fusion embraces various genres. Fusion broadens the limitations by creating a new form from hybridization.

Who Is Jazz Fusion?

It is impossible to give credit to all Fusion musicians and there are differing opinions as to the importance of one artist over another. What follows is an incomplete and highly subjective list. Nevertheless, it serves as a starting point for the novice listener of Fusion.

When we talk about Jazz Fusion we must mention Miles Davis, its father. He gave rise to other Jazz forms as well, such as Cool Jazz, Hard Bop and Modal Jazz. In a Silent Way (1969) was his first Fusion album. Many of the first generation of Fusion musicians worked with Davis before launching into the genre on their own. Among the most notable were Chick Corea (founder of Return to Forever), Herbie Hancock (founder of Headhunters), Tony Williams (founder of The Tony Williams Lifetime), Joe Zawinul (co-founder of Weather Report), Wayne Shorter (co-founder of Weather Report), and John McLaughlin (founder of Mahavishnu Orchestra), The key bands in Jazz Fusion include The Tony Williams Lifetime, Return to Forever, Weather Report and Mahavishnu Orchestra.

Other notable Jazz Fusion musicians include: Frank Zappa, Santana, Jean-Luc Ponty (violinist), Larry Coryell (fusion guitarist, founder of jazz-rockin 1966), Wayne Krantz (guitarist), Ryo Kawasaki (guitarist), Miroslav Vitouš (bassist), Billy Cobham (drummer), Bob James (keyboardist), Al Di Meola (one of the most significant fusion guitarists), Stanley Clarke (bassist), Michał Urbaniak (composer), and Pat Metheny (fusion guitarist).

The key albums include Miles Davis’ In a Silent Way (1969) and his rock-infused Bitches Brew from 1970; Weather Report’sself-titled disc Weather Report (1971) and 8:30 (1979), Return Forever’s Light as a Feather (1973), Jaco Pastorius’ (bassist) Jaco Pastorius (1976); Stanley Clarke’s School Days (1976),Chick Corea’s Latin-infused My Spanish Heart (1976); Chick Corea’s Chick Corea Elektric Band (1986) and Eye of the Beholder (1987), Tribal Tech’s Tribal Tech (1991) and Reality Check (1995), Alain Caron’s Rhythm ‘n Jazz (1995), Mike Stern’s Give And Take (1997).

Fusion’s Relationship to Other Genres

Free-form improv, one mark of Jazz Fusion, began its infiltration of Rock in such bands as Cream, The Jimi Hendrix Experience and the Grateful Dead. Other rockers that took directly from Jazz included Blood, Sweat and Tears and Frank Zappa’s Mother of Invention. Zappa’s Hot Rats (1969) was a prophetic album of future Jazz and Rock developments.

While Jazz Fusion did succeed in fusing shades of rock, funk, R&B, electronic music and world music, it resisted the distaste of the more popular genres such as Disco, Pop and the likes. The reason is clear. The elements it incorporated were revolutionizing elements in musical proficiency, whereas the ones it rebuffed were concesions to a de-evolution of music as seen from the perspective of Jazz.

Resources:

http://jazz-rock-fusion-guitar.blogspot.com/

http://liraproductions.com/jazzrock/htdocs/histhome.htm

http://www.furious.com/Perfect/jazzrockassassinated.html (an interested eulogy of Jazz Rock)

http://www.webring.com/hub?ring=jazfu

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/