You may have heard Jazz before, but this ain’t the usual stuff
By Matthew Fraser, Editor in Chief
Every genre goes through fazes as it moves through time. Though certain songs, albums and techniques remain as classics, they are replaced by new ideas as the music adapts to the years. In the case of Jazz, there have been multiple changes over the decades; however, the version that has most captured my attention is fusion-jazz. Though I dearly love modal jazz as well, the modern jazz experience has mostly revolved around fusion Jazz and the various directions it has been taken.
Of note regarding fusion Jazz is that no two artists sound alike and that within the genre of fusion Jazz, sounds, styles, influences and techniques can all yield massively different artists though they all still qualify as fusion Jazz. That’s how Mulatu Astatke and Herbie Hancock can be in the same category as BADBADNOTGOOD and it all still makes sense.
Here is a shortlist of fusion Jazz songs old and new for you to experiment with.
Herbie Hancock-Cantaloupe Island
Miles Davies-Miles Runs the Voodoo Down
John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra-Dawn
George Benson-Affirmation
Stanley Clark-Vulcan Princess
Santana-Look Up (To See What’s Coming Down)
Hiromi-Desire
Mulatu Astatke and the Black Jesus Experience-To Know Without Knowing
Thundercat-Innerstellar Love
The Breathing Effect-Cold Meteor Showers
Kamasi Washington-Street Fighter Mas
Christian Scott aTundeh Adjuah-Rtuler Rebel – X. aTundeh Adjuah Remix
BADBADNOTGOOD-Triangle
Gogo Penguin-Totem
Mammal Hands-Three Good Things
