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List of jazz fusion musicians. The following are notable jazz fusion performers or bands. For performers of smooth jazz, a more radio-friendly, pop-infused variant of fusion, see List of smooth jazz performers. Contents:
- The Mahavishnu Orchestra. 457 votes. Under the visionary guidance of guitarist John McLaughlin, The Mahavishnu Orchestra forged a new path in the world of jazz fusion by blending elements of rock, Indian classical music, and Western classical influences.
- Miles Davis. 575 votes. No discussion of jazz fusion would be complete without mentioning the trailblazing contributions of Miles Davis. By embracing electric instrumentation and rock-inspired grooves on albums such as Bitches Brew and In a Silent Way, Davis forever changed the landscape of jazz.
- Chick Corea. 398 votes. As both a founding member of Return to Forever and a prolific solo artist, Chick Corea's influence on jazz fusion is immeasurable.
- Herbie Hancock. 434 votes. An undisputed master of the keyboard, Herbie Hancock revolutionized jazz fusion by fearlessly exploring synth-driven sounds and funk grooves.
- Joe Zawinul - Dialects. November 30, 1985. Jazz Fusion. Critic Score 90 2 reviews. Amazon. Music. Spotify.
- Pat Metheny Group - Still Life (Talking) July 7, 1987. Smooth Jazz, Jazz Fusion, Latin Jazz. Critic Score 90 1 review. Amazon. Music. Spotify.
- John Abercrombie - Night. November 20, 1984. Jazz Fusion. Critic Score 90 1 review. Amazon. Music.
- Pat Metheny Group - Offramp. Jazz Fusion. Critic Score 90 1 review. Amazon. Music. Spotify.
- Larry Coryell – The Free Spirits: Out of Sight and Sound
- Miles Davis – in A Silent Way/Bitches Brew
- Donald Byrd – Black Byrd
- Herbie Hancock – Head Hunters
- Billy Cobham – Spectrum
- John Mclaughlin – Mahavishnu Orchestra: Birds of Fire
- Wayne Shorter – Native Dancer
- Joe Zawinul – Weather Report: Heavy Weather
- Chick Corea – Return to Forever: Romantic Warrior
- Pat Metheny – First Circle
Texan-born guitarist Larry Coryell is often credited as being one of the key early architects of jazz fusion music. The evolution of his playing away from more traditional straight-ahead jazz stemmed from a desire to incorporate elements of the rock bands that he loved listening to, into his own music, Coryell once stating that ‘We loved Miles, but...
Inspired in the late 1960’s by the likes of Jimi Hendrix and James Brown, and fuelled by the desire to always explore new artistic directions, Miles Davis is rightly credited as one of the most important figures in the birth of jazz fusion. Two albums in particular, In a Silent Way, and Bitches Brew, released in quick succession offer sonically dif...
Donald Byrd was primarily known in the 1950’s and 60’s as a hard bop trumpeter, recording both as a leader and sideman for Blue Note Records. By the late 1960’s he was shifting away from this style and pursuing an interest in African music, funk and R&B. Byrd’s collaboration with producers Larry and Fonce Mizell, lead to the release of the iconic B...
Like Joe Zawinul, Hancock was another graduate of Miles Davis’ band, joining what came to be known as Davis’s Second Great Quintet in 1963. Alongside masterworks such as E.S.P and Miles Smiles that Hancock recorded with Davis’s band, he also found the time to record extensively for the Blue Note record label throughout the 1960’s, and can be heard ...
Known for his work with both Miles Davis (featuring on Tribute to Jack Johnson and Bitches Brew amongst others) as well as the Mahavishnu Orchestra, many regard Billy Cobham to be the most prolific jazz fusion drummer of all time. Possessing a flawless technique, and ferocious intensity, Cobham fused the complex rhythms of jazz with the raw aggress...
English guitarist and composer John McLaughlin is a pioneering figure in the birth of jazz fusion and once again another alumnus of Miles Davis’s band. Featured heavily on some of Miles’ most important jazz fusion albums, such as In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew, McLaughlin would eventually leave the band, and in the 1970’s go on to form the hugely...
Like Herbie Hancock, saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorterwas a member of Miles Davis’s Second Great Quintet, as well as being a co-founder of the hugely successful fusion band Weather Report. During his 15 year stint in Weather Report, Shorter would record several critically acclaimed albums as a bandleader, perhaps most notably Native Dancer, re...
Austrian pianist and composer Joe Zawinul enjoyed long stints in both saxophonist Cannonball Adderley and trumpeter Miles Davis’ bands as a sideman, before co-founding the hugely successful jazz fusion group Weather Reportwith saxophonist and friend Wayne Shorter in 1970. A pioneer in the use of electronic piano and synthesizers in jazz, Zawinul wa...
Yet another member of Miles Davis’ band in the late 1960’s, and one of the most famous jazz pianists of his generation, Chick Corea is another hugely important figure in the birth of jazz fusion. After developing the use of a ring modulator in tandem with his electric piano on the road with Davis’ band, Corea eventually left, first to form a free j...
Jazz guitarist and composer Pat Metheny achieved commercial success in the 1980’s with the incredibly popular Pat Metheny Group, winning 20 Grammy Awards and selling millions of records world-wide. Often incorporating different styles into his own music, and a keen advocate of experimenting with technology, many of Metheny’s most popular recordings...
The late Don Grolnick made only one fusion record, but it was a real beaut. By Pico Ahhh, the 80s. Big hair, big synthesizer sounds and programmed beats. That didn't just happen with pop and rock, some of these trends seeped into contemporary jazz, too. This was the decade when much of what was considered fusion had morphed into “smooth jazz."
Mar 23, 2020 · We take a look at the history of the genre with 30 of the best jazz fusion albums, from Miles Davis to Flying Lotus.
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In the early 1980s, a commercial form of jazz fusion called pop fusion or "smooth jazz" became successful and garnered significant radio airplay. Smooth jazz saxophonists include Grover Washington Jr., Kenny G, Kirk Whalum, Boney James, and David Sanborn.
