Chapter 13

Jazz/Rock

Fusion

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Early Jazz Rock

• The term fusion became associated with the jazz/rock crossover in the 1960s

• Miles Davis proved to be the central figure in the movement– Who’s who of fusion players were part of

Miles’s groups from this period

• Use of electronic instruments and intense rhythmic drive was typical

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Rhythm section developments

• Straight eighth note feel is often used• Electric bass guitar replaces acoustic bass

– Could play faster and use effects

• Time keeping responsibilities move from cymbals to bass and snare drum

• Guitar comps as piano• Multiple electronic keyboards provide new and

interesting textures

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Miles Davis: Bitches Brew

• Rhythm section is central as in rock– 3 drummers, 3 keyboard players, 2 bassists, and

one guitar

• Horn players sometimes used in support role

• Slow, modal harmonies• Collectively improvised

Listen to “Bitches Brew” CD 2, track 9

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1970s Fusion

• New groups spawned from Davis’s groups– Weather Report, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return

to Forever

• Some preferred tighter compositional approach

• Melodic angularity• Highlighted individual virtuosity

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John McLaughlin(b. 1942)

• Began as British rock guitarist• Joined bands with Tony Williams and Miles

in 1969• Founded Mahavishnu Orchestra and

recorded several high energy albums• Also a master of acoustic guitar• Contributed the sound of rock to the jazz

idiom

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Chick Corea(b. 1941)

• Return to Forever most prominent and popular fusion band of the 1970s and 80s

• Virtuoso pianist and keyboard player

• Blends many styles– Latin, mainstream, rock, classical, even free

• Multi-Grammy winner

• Angular but accessible melodies

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Chick Corea-continued-

• Forays into more commercial music

• Music attempts to capture a live spontaneous sound

Listen to “Stretch It, Part 1” CD 2, track 10

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Weather Report• Founded by ex-Davis sidemen

– Joe Zawinul (1932-2007), keyboards

– Wayne Shorter – (b. 1933), saxophones

• Thematically complex rhythmic style

• The album “Heavy Weather” was a beacon of 1970s fusion

Listen to “Birdland” CD 2, track 11

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Others

• Michael Brecker (1945-2007) saxophone and wind synthesist– Diverse career from r&b and jazz rock, to mainstream

and free– Epitomized the Coltrane technical legacy

• David Sanborn (b. 1945)– Strong r&b influence– Widely imitated pop alto sax sound

Listen to Brecker on “Itsbynne Reel” CD 2, track 13

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Others-continued-

• Pat Metheny (b. 1954)– Eclectic jazz guitar– Collaborated with players

from many genres

• Spyro-Gyra, Yellowjackets– Popular jazz/rock Latin fusion Metheny

– Less complex than groups like Weather Reoprt

Listen to “Out of Town” CD 3, track 5

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Quincy Jones(b. 1933)

• At the forefront of jazz/pop, fusion

• Also performed and wrote for Basie, Ray Charles, Frank Sanatra,

• Multi Grammy winning producer

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Herbie Hancock(b. 1940)

• Diverse career from hard bop with Miles in the early 1960s, to breaker music in the mid-80s and beyond

• Multi-Grammy winner• Outstanding keyboard/pianist

and composer• 1970s group Headhunters

and the tune “Chameleon” were well known

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Jazz/Pop

• Some musicians have sought to blur the lines in order to garner commercial acceptance

• Popular crossover artists have included guitarist George Benson, trumpeter Chuck Mangione, Herbie Hancock, and Joe Zawinul

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Latin Jazz Fusion

• Latin percussionists have been featured in some mainstream groups since the 1940s

• Role became more prominent since the 70s fusion movement

• Irakere, Eddie Palmieri and others have fostered a return to a more authentic Afro-Cuban style - salsa

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Jazz in Rock

• Early rock shared some basic tendencies with jazz i.e. blues forms

• 1960s horn bands (Blood, Sweat and Tears, Chicago) began to consciously include jazz and classical idioms

• Other artists e.g. Sting, also began to import top jazz players into the rock medium

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Jam Bands

• Other groups attempted to borrow the concept of extended improvisation over rhythmic patterns– Jimi Hendrix, Grateful Dead, Cream etc.

• The similarity to jazz may end there• Though not from the jazz tradition, such

bands have obvious respect for the jazz tradition