1 of 38 Jazz Rock Fusion Surviving Four Decades and Counting… By, Rick Calic www.jazzrockworld.com March 2006 Writing an article about Jazz Rock Fusion these days might seem as pointless as debating the benefits of Hi-Fi equipment with vacuum tubes vs. transistors to someone that uses an iPod. The only people that would care are older folks who even remember tubes and dedicated enthusiasts. On the other hand, while Jazz Rock Fusion might be older or seem equally pointless to many reading this article, there remains a large but scattered segment of the world’s population that sees the genre as a vibrant and legitimate art form. Sadly though, the musical perspective regarding Jazz Rock Fusion was narrow from the beginning and will probably always be that way. Jazz Rock Fusion, in terms of the entire world of music, constitutes just a tiny fraction of interest. Yet, if we accept this as fact, which most fans, musicians and certainly “big business” does, the generation of any interest at all is meritorious. In order to discuss the music with integrity, a ground rule needs to be established. This ground rule is required due to the unsolved, long lasting, and ongoing mysteries of the music and its unique identity. Mysteries such as: What is Jazz Rock Fusion? Who started Jazz Rock Fusion? What should it be called? And finally, with no major media support why is there still a market? So, what are the answers you ask? Quite simply these mysteries will remain mysteries. Answering the questions definitively will end up as trivial as the facts regarding the creation and development of the gut bucket. Even if we could be sure what the truth might be (given its controversial 40 years of history), would it really matter? The only result would be the few people that find interest in obscure matters might actually discover little known information. However, applying significance to trivial details might serve to impede enjoyment of the music. Having said that, the first order of business is to break this silly ground rule and take a closer look at a few of the mysteries. A good a place to start is inevitably with the original pioneers. Without each one of these musicians, there could not have been such a thing as Jazz Rock Fusion. In no particular order, the (short) list would have to include Miles Davis, Tony Williams (Lifetime), John McLaughlin (The Mahavishnu Orchestra and Shakti), Joe Zawinul & Wayne Shorter (Weather Report), Herbie Hancock (Mwandishi and Headhunters), Larry Coryell (early solo work and The 11th House), and Chick Corea (Return to Forever). Although he was never considered to be a Jazz Rock Fusion artist, it should be mentioned that the work of John Coltrane and the musicians that were educated to his importance created the common ground for Jazz Rock Fusion’s Golden Age. Through the gates opened by these pioneers came the first generation of trailblazers that expanded the boundaries of musical creativity. The following is a list of a few special musicians whose work decades ago has passed the test of time and is still as vibrant today as it was during the beginning of the art form. Again, in no particular order, these masters include Dave Liebman, Billy Cobham, John Abercrombie, Terje Rypdal, Jeff Beck, Masabumi Kikuchi, George Duke, Hal Galper, John Scofield, Alphonso Johnson, Allan Holdsworth, Terumasa Hino, Jan Hammer, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, Keith Jarrett, Eddie Henderson, Richie Beirach, Jack DeJohnette, Randy Brecker, Michael Brecker, Joe Farrell, Pat Metheny, Steve Grossman, Pat Martino, Dave Holland, Mike Nock, Om (with Christy Doran and Fredy Studer), Airto, Alphonse Mouzon, and so many more. On the Rock and Blues side of things the musicians that were influencing and being influenced by the Jazz Rock Fusion pioneers included Jimi Hendrix, The Cream, Sly Stone, James Brown, John Mayall, Yes, Jethro Tull, Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Bill Champlin and The Sons of Champlin, Santana, Blood Sweat & Tears, Traffic, Tangerine Dream, Cold Blood, Paul Butterfield, and of course the early Jam Bands, Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers, Mountain, Ten Years After, Electric Flag, along with a dozen or so other “Hippie” bands that gained notoriety in San Francisco through the legendary Fillmore Auditorium and Winterland Arena (Bill Graham), and The Avalon Ballroom (Family Dog [aka] Chet Helms) during the mid to late 60’s and early 70’s. Apologies are due to many other Jazz and Rock musicians that belong on these lists, but were not mentioned. In defense, trying to list everyone would certainly be an exercise in futility as no one would be satisfied that the 2 of 38 list was complete or accurate, but we have to start somewhere. Incomplete as the lists are, the influence of Jazz Rock Fusion’s pioneers stretched far and wide to include some of the greatest musicians and music that began decades ago. While these trailblazers were not household names, they had a tremendous impact on the musicians who were. Jazz Rock Fusion is certainly the leading candidate for being the last great creative movement to emerge from the Jazz, Rock, and other traditional instrumental styles. As with any creative movement that involves art, money and commercialism struggle for successful evolution and ultimately, big business determines the lifespan that defines the period. In the case of Jazz Rock Fusion, it seemed at the time it began, all the right elements were in place to make a new and creative art form that would rival other successful musical periods such as Big Band, Be Bop, Rock ‘N Roll, Heavy Metal, New Age, and others. However, Jazz Rock Fusion wasn’t that fortunate. In fact, it can be argued that the birth and the decline were virtually simultaneous. There are three significant facts that emerged from this otherwise obscure glitch in the history of modern music. 1) Due to the openness of the market to creative music in the early 70’s, Jazz Rock Fusion did in fact gain some brief measure of success before “morphing” itself into the commercial form we know today as Smooth Jazz. 2) Before the ship sailed away into commercial oblivion, many creative musicians launched lifeboats that are still afloat with some in need of repairs or an upgrade, others that are still bright and shiny, to a few that are continuing to sail uncharted waters. 3) The musicians and the music they created in the beginning are still inspiring an older group and now a new generation of musicians springing up all over the world, who are building their own lifeboats and venturing onto the ocean of the Internet to find smooth sailing or safe harbor. These unique facts are unprecedented in musical history and defy the ancient traditions of record companies ruling the musical high seas. This complex, controversial, and enormous musical legacy of Jazz Rock Fusion is the driving force behind the ongoing interest of new musicians, fans along with the muse for writing this article. There is no precedent for the emergence and dwindling, yet continued evolution, of a musical genre that is still vibrant, alive, and growing, even though throughout it’s lifespan has clung to the outermost fringe of the musical world. How this music survived without major media support for over 35 years is truly a mystery, regardless of the tiny fraction of interest the genre garners. In fact it is precisely this fractional interest that gives credence, legitimacy and significance to this blip on the screen in musical history. The handful of musicians that created the genre deserve high praise from the mainstream “powers that be” for not only the reasons cited here, but also for another incredible fact that should not be overlooked. The musicians that started, continue, and are just beginning to play Jazz Rock Fusion are some of the most creative and talented musical artists and professional musicians on the planet. Giving, or rather neglecting to give these special musicians and the music they create, due credit and their rightful genre status both in history and contemporary recognition, remains as mysterious as the genre itself. Continuing beyond the mystery of the musical history, we should examine what most consider being the recordings that best define the genre’s art form. Therefore, listing a few examples in terms of commercially released material is warranted. The brief list cited in this article constitutes a few examples and in no way attempts to archive the vast amount of material that belongs on a list of significant pioneers and contributors. Apologies up front to those who were omitted. Please bear in mind that while some of these recordings were not commercial successes and appreciated by fans, they all certainly influenced musicians that were widely influential or appreciated. Due to the length and details included in the list, and for the sake of continuity, it is shown at the end of the article. Those wishing a sneak peek can click here. (A return link to this page is at the end of the list) Almost all of the recordings are available in Cd format with a few notable exceptions along with some that sat in vaults for decades before finally being released on Cd scattered throughout the last 10 years. There is considerable significance to the fact that these old recordings have not been forgotten. In some cases a great deal of effort was made to go back and remaster the original tapes even though the music had already been converted from vinyl to Cd (A truly remarkable feat for a genre that never really gained mainstream popularity).