Lords of jazz fusion.

BaldJean wrote: Evolver wrote: Return To Forever easily.   If Brand X was included, the choice would be more difficult.   Mahavishnu slightly behind.   Weather Report was good, but far too conventional for my tastes. I am just of the opposite opinion; Weather Report were the most unconventional of the three when it comes to jazz-rock/fusion. just think of an album like "Black Market" (my favorite one of them)

Not big jazz fusion guy at all, but listening sometimes some Mahavishnu. Birds of Fire is great!

Evolver wrote: Return To Forever easily.   If Brand X was included, the choice would be more difficult.   Mahavishnu slightly behind.   Weather Report was good, but far too conventional for my tastes.

I am just of the opposite opinion; Weather Report were the most unconventional of the three when it comes to jazz-rock/fusion. just think of an album like "Black Market" (my favorite one of them)

Can't say I've listened to any of those bands extensively, but judging by some of their more well-known albums (Birds of Fire, Romantic Warrior and Heavy Weather), Return To Forever appeals to me the most because their arrangements are a lot more exciting and interesting. I guess it's not really a fair comparison because Romantic Warrior feels like a straight up prog album with some jazz elements rather than vice versa to me. That being said, I love Light As A Feather too.

Not a huge fusion fan but I love some of Mahavishnu's "Birds of Fire" and "The Inner Mounting Flame"...but if Bruford had been a choice that would've gotten the vote...One of a Kind is perfect 

All are great but I would go:

1. Return to Forever
2. Mahavishnu Orchestra
3. Weather Report

All three bands had some amazing musicians

 Think of some of the match ups you would have here.
Joe Zawinul vs. Chick Corea - Jaco vs. Stanely Clark  - Al DiMeola vs. John Mclaughlin

 Crazy!


Edited by Argo2112 - July 11 2017 at 14:26

Hard to go wrong with any of those bands. So much talent between them. One massive supergroup of talent. McLaughlin, Jaco,Clarke,Zawinul,Cobham,Corea,DiMeola,Shorter,etc,etc,etc

This is my personal favorite Weather Report footage:

Edited by hieronymous - April 27 2017 at 20:49

micky wrote: urrrggg...... examples 1, 2, and 3 of why I think fusion sucks.. throw some notes in a blender and see how fast you can play it and call it fusion voting 'other' on this one... real jazz-rock fusion...

Yeah, this shouldn't have been called "Crystal Silence", it should have been Crystal Meth Shred Attack:



And "Crystal" off I Sing the Body Electric should have been called "Crystal Meth" too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myEyFtImuYk

That said, here's a more energetic song off I Sing the Body Electric since it's one of my favourites:



Seriously, I wouldn't say that is true of early Weather Report or Return to Forever. If you haven't listened to Weather Report's first two albums or Return to Forever's first in a while, it might be time to try them again, even if they are not quite so relaxed as various Camel and Genesis numbers.

Magnum Vaeltaja wrote: Rushman wrote: Speaking of Fusion; I tuned into my local heavy metal station the other day (WSOU, out of Seton Hall University), and I heard this fusion song coming out of my speakers, I thought they changed formats! Turns out it is a band called Nova Collective, with members of Between The Buried and Me, and Haken. It is quite good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhdRA85MPic Definitely one of the best albums I've heard this year so far. These guys are phenomenal!

Edited by Pekka - April 27 2017 at 13:40