Jazz Fusion

There are tons of polls about symphonic and prog metal. I was just wondering what the general consensus on jazz fusion is on Prog Archives. Some of the artists are just members of some of the bands on the list, but sometimes people like the solo output better than the band. If there are any great lesser-known jazz fusion bands that you know about, I'd love to hear some suggestions as this is one of my favorite genres.

My vote goes for Miles, can't argue with Bitches Brew and Jack Johnson.

Edited by King Crimson776 - November 16 2007 at 16:43

Good list there.  Had to go with the local (to me) guys, Dixie Dregs.   I've seen them live so many times I lost count.

Edited by Slartibartfast - November 16 2007 at 16:45

Would you guys consider Soft Machine jazz fusion?

King Crimson776 wrote: Would you guys consider Soft Machine jazz fusion?

The Mahavishnu Orchestra

King Crimson776 wrote: Would you guys consider Soft Machine jazz fusion?

Of course, one of the pioneering groups

Yeah, I don't know much new jazz fusion, there is some stuff like planet x and even Cynic is on some lists but I didn't want to have any iffy ones. If there is another band that you want to pick just go other and say who it is.

Jean Luc Ponty

Dick Heath wrote: Somewhat retro-looking list, especially with 2007  turning out to be a vintage year for new jazz fusion albums: Machacek etal: Improvision Hellborg: Art Metal T Latvitz: School Of The Arts Eivind Aarset: Sonic Codex Soft Machine Legacy newie Ahmad Mansour: Free Speech Uncle Moes Space Ranch: Moe's Town Theo Travis: Double Talk Asaf Sirkis & Inner Noise: The Song Within

Didn't know T had a new one out hadn't been keeping up with him lately.  It that Soft Machine actually new material? 

Don't have much Hellborg.  Love Octave of the Holy Innocents.  He really shines on that Mahavisnu Orchestra DVD.

King Crimson776 wrote: Dick Heath wrote: Somewhat retro-looking list, especially with 2007  turning out to be a vintage year for new jazz fusion albums:Machacek etal: ImprovisionHellborg: Art MetalT Latvitz: School Of The ArtsEivind Aarset: Sonic CodexSoft Machine Legacy newieAhmad Mansour: Free SpeechUncle Moes Space Ranch: Moe's TownTheo Travis: Double TalkAsaf Sirkis & Inner Noise: The Song Within Do you think any of these guys stand a chance against the classics though? Remember, this is a "favorite all-time" list, not a "who are you into right now" one.

Absolutely, jazz (rock) fusion is one of the few old prog sub genres that has truly progressed. While classic recordings are further apart than the early 70's  they most certainly come around. Jon Newey (editor of Jazzwise magazine and compiler of the long discography at the rear of Stuart Nicholson's essential book on the subject Jazz Rock A History), compiled an essential 10 albums for Mojo Collectibles magazine. He came  up with some obvious and undeniable classics from the 60's and 70's : Emergency, Bitches Brew, Third, Inner Mounting Flame, Hymn Of The Seventh Galaxy, Mysterious Traveler, Spectrum. He thought it essential to include a couple of later classics. He asked a number of people including myself, although in the end  went for Scott Henderson and Tribal Tech. I suggested and vry much stick to:

Hellborg/Shrieve/Buckethead's Octave of The Holy Innocents (but avoid the remixed version issued a couple of years ago) and Conrad Schrenk & Extravaganza's Save The Robots  - which have remained favourites for over a decade. The latter is regularly nominated the best album of the 90's by those who have heard it - which reflects the problem of spotting "classic" albums over the last 20 years with their relatively obscurity and release through small labels and only in a few countries.

As to personal classics more than 20 years old:

Bruford's Feels Good To Me ((in my top 3 since the late 70's)
Tony Williams Lifetime: Turn It over (perhaps the first album I owned to which the term jazz rock was attached)
The New Tony Williams Lifetime: Believe It - great to see Holdsworth and Pasqua play a few of those tunes in London in May.
Allan Holdsworth's early solos: Road Games and IOU (perhaps because of the vocals, and this was the peak of Holdsworth's composing period IMHO)
Pat Metheny Group: American Garage