Jazz fusion
From Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia written in simple English for easy reading.
Jazz fusion (or "jazz-rock fusion" or fusion) is a style of music that mixes jazz music styles with rock music styles, and also with funk, R&B, and world music. Jazz fusion began in the late 1960s, when jazz musicians began using electric instruments of rock and the rhythms of soul and rhythm and blues to jazz music. In the 1960s, some rock bands were also adding jazz music to their rock music. The 1970s was an important decade for jazz fusion.
Jazz fusion is usually performed only with instruments, without singing. Jazz fusion music often has long songs with long solos. In jazz fusion, these solos are improvised, which means that they are made up or invented during the performance. Jazz fusion music does not get played on the radio much in the US or Canada. Radio stations in Europe play more jazz fusion recordings.
[edit] History of jazz fusion music
In the 1960's Julian "Cannonball" Adderley began playing music that had jazz styles and pop music styles. In the late 1960's Miles Davis and The Tony Williams Lifetime band used rock instruments such as electric guitar, bass guitar, and electric piano. Later, jazz fusion musicians such as Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, Jan Hammer and Chick Corea began using electronic synthesizers.
Much of 1970s jazz fusion music was done by musicians who had worked with the trumpet player and jazz composer Miles Davis on the jazz fusion albums In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew. Other important figures in early fusion were Tony Williams, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea (with his band Return to Forever), John McLaughlin (with his band Mahavishnu Orchestra) and Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter with their band Weather Report. In England, the jazz fusion movement was headed by Soft Machine. Other influential musicians that emerged from the fusion movement during the 1970s include jazz fusion guitarist Larry Coryell with his band The Eleventh House, and electric guitarist Pat Metheny.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a new style of jazz fusion called pop fusion began being played. This new style was softer, more mellow, and more commercial. Pop fusion musicians include Lee Ritenour, Al Jarreau, Kenny G, Bob James and David Sanborn.