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> The Fusion Thread, This will wake you up
Fossil
post Sep 13 2009, 12:08 AM
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This forum has been way dead. Let's see if there is still a pulse.
One music genre I like (there are many others) is loosely called "Fusion." This term has been abused and misused, but originally referred to Jazz/Rock, sometimes with other musical elements thrown in. Here are samples that will give you a feel for it, and perhaps encourage you to explore it further. If you want to add links to the thread, or start threads for other types of music, go for it!

Fair warning: You could easily kill a whole evening with this. If you've never listened to jazz/fusion, this might be tough sledding. Give it a chance - your ear will likely become accustomed to the style, and you might start to enjoy it.

In the beginning...

Miles Davis/John Coltrane - So What?. The 1959 album "Kind of Blue" was pure jazz, but in the pieces below you can hear some echoes of early Davis and Coltrane.
Sanctuary - 1969. This piece is rather a stepchild - it's neither rock nor jazz in any traditional sense. It evokes your last vacation to the outer rings of Saturn. You have been warned.
Miles Electric 1973. By the end of the '60's, Davis had gone electric. In this 1973 performance, the rhythm section was leaning in an Afro-rock direction, and the solos were jazz/avant-garde "space music." Space(y) music is a recurring theme in the genre.

Herbie Hancock

Cantaloupe Island. If you've played Transport Tycoon, the melody may seem familiar. Herbie is a pure jazz pianist, but his work is placed in a rock-like wrapper in this set.
Chameleon - from the Headhunters album. Hancock more fully embraces rock/funk in this tune. It's almost pure funk with jazz embellishment.

Carlos Santana

I'm sure most of you know Carlos as a rocker. He's also done many sets with jazz/fusion musicians. Here are a couple of samples:

Once It's Gotcha - Santana with the Wayne Shorter Band. Patrice Rushen has a keyboard solo at 3:55 that's just crazy.
Santana - Hymns for Peace Carlos jamming with some of the form's leading artists. The links provided in this video could keep you exploring for weeks.
Chick Corea

Wikipedia on Corea

Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy - Live at Montreaux Festival 2008. If this doesn't wake you up, you're probably in a coma.
Spain - Live at Montreaux 2004. Latin Fusion. He gets the audience into it near the end, and plays them like an instrument.
Elektric City More rock than jazz on this one.
Sorceress - with Return to Forever (1976). Chick and the band look oh, 30 years younger in this old video. They cook it, though.

Weather Report

This is one of the first "post-Miles" fusion supergroups. Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul and Jaco Pastorius know how to bring it.
Palladium. This has almost a fusion anthem feel about it. The percussion just...rocks.
Black Market - A 1995 reunion of sorts. From a concert in Japan.

Well, this should be plenty to get started. Enjoy!





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Spunknit
post Sep 13 2009, 05:51 AM
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Unfortunately, my computer hates youtube. It never lets the video load all the way. Now, I have/had some Stanley Clarke solo cassettes that really rocked, can't remember the names of the albums. I just may have to check this out on the other computer if it will let me!

I love your posts, Fossil, they are always interesting and informative! Thanks for the links!


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OrlanDude
post Sep 14 2009, 12:16 PM
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I never thought I'd meet another Jazz fan here at the Mart. And when I say Jazz, I'm talkin' fusion. I can't stand that my local jazz station switched to so-called 'Smooth Jazz' a number of years ago; I can't stand Kenny G, et.al. so I stopped tuning in.

Weather Report's 1977 masterpiece "Heavy Weather" is the single greatest album of all time (my opinion) and bassist Jaco Pastorius was the greatest bassist that ever lived. Just listen to 'Teen Town' from Heavy Weather and you'll see what I mean. He also did session work with other musicians and his work on Joni Mitchell's "Hejira" is some of his best. It's a pity that he died penniless, living on the streets, outside a nightclub in Fort Lauderdale, FL in 1987.

I also like Chick Corea, Santana, Herbie Hancock & the Pat Metheny Band (which I feel fits into the fusion mold just fine).


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Fossil
post Sep 15 2009, 12:49 AM
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Wikipedia on Weather Report
Weather Report - Teen Town This is an undated video. Jaco looks emaciated, but he wails on the bass.
Weather Report - Birdland. This jazz standard became their most well known piece.

Spunky, Stanley Clarke has his own web site, www.StanleyClarke.com. If you've got Flash on your computer, just enter the site and he begins playing, and selling all at the same time, lol. I don't know how many tracks he's got on the page, but it seems like there's a bunch. Too bad you can't select them - it goes through a playlist.

The Mahavishnu Orchestra

Wikipedia on Mahavishnu

Lila's Dance This is a gentle introduction to one of the most frenetic bands of all time. This is easy listening in Mahavishnu terms, which is sort of like saying "relaxing extreme sports." The piece weaves from gentle and melodic to badazz and back again. At the end, all I could say was, "How did they do that?"
Cosmic Strut Another of their more accessible efforts. Many of their tunes are an acquired taste, but a casual listener could get into this one.
Meeting of the Spirits/Inner Mounting Flame This is a BBC video from 1972. A relatively simple musical figure is the backdrop for some soaring solos. Goodman on violin and Cobham on drums are especially noteworthy. McLaughlin is content to remain in the background on this piece.
Birds of Fire The title track of their second album - the original lineup. No more holding back. Let it rip.


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OrlanDude
post Sep 15 2009, 10:11 AM
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Thanks for the 'Teen Town' link Fossil. banana-smile.gif
The intro to the video mentions that it is from a 1977 Midnight Special broadcast. Odd thing is, I used to watch that show and I don't remember seeing Weather Report. Of course, I was just a teen myself and was not into jazz at that time.


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