Lords of jazz fusion. - Progressive Rock Music Forum

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Kepler62

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Posted: April 27 2017 at 10:32

This was definitely the first fusion album.

TeleStrat

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Posted: April 27 2017 at 08:16

Probably every J/R/F fan has these three bands somewhere on their top ten list.

My list has Return To Forever closer to the top than the other two.

Rushman

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Posted: April 27 2017 at 06:16

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

Edited by Rushman - April 27 2017 at 06:44

beeebon

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Posted: April 27 2017 at 05:39

Mahavishnu Orchestra for me, although I need to hear more by the other two

Triceratopsoil View Drop Down

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Posted: April 27 2017 at 00:43

Of those, Weather Report

hieronymous View Drop Down

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Posted: April 27 2017 at 00:32

It might be interesting to see if people who play various instruments prefer this or that band - a bassist might be more likely to like WR or RTF since the MO basslines are relatively "simple" compared to the other groups. How many guitarists love Weather Report? I'm a bassist but outgrew my Jaco stage - Stan the Man will always be huge for me, I even got him to sign one of my basses! - but I also appreciate the virtuosity of the non-bass instruments in Mahavishnu Orchestra. Or I could be totally off...

omphaloskepsis View Drop Down

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Posted: April 26 2017 at 18:01

Return to Forever

Machinemessiah View Drop Down

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Posted: April 26 2017 at 13:06

It's funny I am listening to Mahavishnu right now! Smile

(Birds of Fire, track ~3)

However I would go with Return to Forever without much thinking... for me Mahavishnu, being absolutely awesome, is somewhat more mystical and darker and sometimes, on some songs, has these long insulse solo passages (perhaps I was thinking on Birds of Fire but for me Inner Mounting Flame is a masterpiece!). On the other hand, RTF's Stanley Clarke superb bass lines come to my mind on my favorite album, Hymn of the Seven Galaxy, and my nowadays favorite track, Theme to the Mothership.

When we talk of Jazz Fusion, I'm definitely more inclined to that more sober, scifi (in the case of RTF), sophisticated, jazz oriented mood and cohesion that show bands like RTF, Brand X, Bruford (One of a Kind), Allan Holdsworth (RIP) (Blues for Tony), Gong's Gazeuse!, Jean-Luc Ponty (Cosmic Messenger), some Zappa magnificent jazz fusion passages/songs/albums (Inca Roads, Waka Jawaka, Grand Wazoo)

I'm definitely going to take a look at some bands mentioned here, being this perhaps my favorite sub-genre. On my part, I would like to recommend to all a very accomplished Chilean jazz fusion band, Congreso, with a long discography and beautiful urban-folk southamerican touches.

By the way I just switched to listen to Holdsworth, Looking Glass on Blues for Tony Wink

Edited by Machinemessiah - April 26 2017 at 15:30

Upbeat Tango Monday View Drop Down

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Posted: April 21 2017 at 17:43

I voted for the guys from New York

Ok, let's get serious for a little bit. I went with Return to Forever, but I might change my mind tomorrow. The three bands are quite good.
These days I'm really into Brand X, though.

Two random guys agreed to shake hands. Just Because. They felt like it, you know. It was an agreement of sorts...a random agreement.

tdfloyd

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Posted: April 21 2017 at 14:49

(MO=WR)>RTF.

Today I voted for MO but tomorrow I might have voted for WR. RTF for me is a step below.

hieronymous View Drop Down

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Posted: April 21 2017 at 12:41

The only other groups that I can think of that reached the levels of popularity are Miles Davis's Bitches Brew & Herbie Hancock's Headhunters.

BrufordFreak View Drop Down

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Posted: April 21 2017 at 12:19

gr8dane wrote:

AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

I guess they are usually considered the big three of fusion. But what about Passport, Brand X, Dixie Dregs, Soft Machine, Herbie Hancock, Jean Luc Ponty, Bruford, Kraan, Iceberg, Area, Secret Oyster, Kenso, One Shot, Pat Metheny, Tribal Tech, Helmet of Gnats and on and on and on.

Anyway, I voted for Mahavishnu Orchestra.

All great bands you mention(or the 80% I know of those),but I picked the 3 I did,because I think they sold the most records,and sold more concert tickets than any of those you mention.I could be wrong of course,but that was why I picked them.Not because of the ones I like better.

I thought these three bands appropriate for their early contribution to pioneering the subgenre. I think Colosseum, Nucleus, Herbie Hancock/Eddie Henderson Mwandishi era, Larry Coryell, early 1970s Santana and the Softs might also be deserving of inclusion but, as you said, in terms of sales and world-wide following and impact these are probably the three. Still, a shame more people haven't heard Coryell, Eddie Henderson or Nucleus. Then we have to open a whole new thread RE Demetrios Stratos' AREA!

Drew Fisher
https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/

Norbert

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Posted: April 21 2017 at 09:09

All great bands, but I voted for Mahvishnu Orchestra.

BaldJean

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Posted: April 21 2017 at 08:15

these bands certainly were giants of fusion. I would include a fourth band, though their approach was totally different: Oregon

Edited by BaldJean - April 21 2017 at 08:16

A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta

Mormegil

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Posted: April 21 2017 at 07:06

Going with Weather Report this time.

Welcome to the middle of the film.

gr8dane

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Posted: April 21 2017 at 06:45

Anyway, I voted for Mahavishnu Orchestra.

Shake & bake.

b_olariu

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Posted: April 21 2017 at 01:41

Weather Report Big smile

AFlowerKingCrimson View Drop Down

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Posted: April 20 2017 at 21:47

I guess they are usually considered the big three of fusion. But what about Passport, Brand X, Dixie Dregs, Soft Machine, Herbie Hancock, Jean Luc Ponty, Bruford, Kraan, Iceberg, Area, Secret Oyster, Kenso, One Shot, Pat Metheny, Tribal Tech, Helmet of Gnats and on and on and on.

Anyway, I voted for Mahavishnu Orchestra.

Edited by AFlowerKingCrimson - April 20 2017 at 21:49

hieronymous View Drop Down

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Posted: April 20 2017 at 20:40

I can't choose. I won't choose! Ying Yang

Each one was my favorite band at various times in my life. As soon as I start thinking maybe Mahavishnu Orchestra - I think back to hearing Vital Transformation for the first time - what time is that?!! - but RTF's Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy was a revelation - this is jazz metal - this is music I've only dared to imagine! - various incarnations of Weather Report - Jaco Pastorius, but also Alphonso Johnson, Victor Bailey, Miroslav Vitous... OK, maybe I wouldn't put Weather Report at the top. MO blew me away, but RTF touched me more deeply so I'll choose RTF.

I honestly didn't think I would be able to choose but I did!

Barbu

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Posted: April 20 2017 at 19:36

verslibre wrote:

Too hard.

Poll Question: Who is your favourite ?
Poll Choice	Votes	Poll Statistics
Mahavishnu Orchestra	27	[36.00%]
Return To Forever	25	[33.33%]
Weather Report	23	[30.67%]
This topic is closed, no new votes accepted