Fusion

Jazz music community with discographies, reviews and forums

Rock and RnB came from jazz in the 1940s via the jump blues genre. Needless to say, over the years jazz, rock and RnB have enjoyed a close relationship and have cross-influenced each other from the beginning. In the mid to late 60s, rock and RnB under went major changes with rock becoming much louder and more experimental under the influence of artists such as Jimi Hendrix and Cream, while RnB became more syncopated and abstract with the new funk sound created by James Brown, Bootsy Collins, Sly Stone and Larry Graham. Meanwhile, Latin jazz was undergoing similar experimental changes under the guidance of artists such as Hermato Pascoal and Flora Purim.

At this point in the mid to late 60s, any intersection between jazz, rock, funk and Latin became a radically different form of music that eventually came to be called fusion. Pioneers in the world of fusion include Larry Coryell, Jermy Steig, Gary Burton, Don Ellis, Chico Hamilton, Charles Lloyd, Jack DeJohnette, John McLaughlin, Tony Williams, Soft Machine, Brian Auger, Miles Davis, Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea and Dreams (Billy Cobham and the Brecker Brothers)

fusion top albums

Showing only albums and live's | Based on members ratings & JMA custom algorithm | 24 hours caching

In a Silent Way
MILES DAVIS
4.64 | 117 ratings

MILES DAVIS Live at the Fillmore East (March 7, 1970): It's About That Time Album Cover

Live at the Fillmore East (March 7, 1970): It's About That Time
MILES DAVIS
4.80 | 13 ratings

Crossings
HERBIE HANCOCK
4.59 | 64 ratings

MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA The Inner Mounting Flame Album Cover

The Inner Mounting Flame
MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA
4.57 | 83 ratings

Bitches Brew
MILES DAVIS
4.56 | 107 ratings

MILES DAVIS Dark Magus: Live at Carnegie Hall Album Cover

Dark Magus: Live at Carnegie Hall
MILES DAVIS
4.60 | 32 ratings

MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA Birds of Fire Album Cover

Birds of Fire
MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA
4.52 | 84 ratings

Realization
EDDIE HENDERSON
4.56 | 18 ratings

Fusion III
MICHAL URBANIAK
4.95 | 4 ratings

Circuits
CHRIS POTTER
4.92 | 4 ratings

PAT METHENY Pat Metheny Group : The Way Up Album Cover

Pat Metheny Group : The Way Up
PAT METHENY
4.47 | 31 ratings

Get Up With It
MILES DAVIS
4.45 | 40 ratings

This list is in progress since the site is new. We invite all logged in members to use the "quick rating" widget (stars bellow album covers) or post full reviews to increase the weight of your rating in the global average value (see FAQ for more details). Enjoy JMA!

fusion online videos

Liberation
MARKO RAMLJAK
snobb

Idenitity Crisis
AFFIRMATION
js

Solidarity
ZACH RICH
js

See all fusion videos

fusion New Releases

Reach
EP
KNEEBODY

SEMA4
Live album
ALISON RAYNER

East by Midwest
Album
CHARLIE BALLANTINE

Hiromi's Sonicwonder : Out There
Album
HIROMI

The Eternal
Album
BILLY MOHLER

Lettuce with the Colorado Symphony
Live album
LETTUCE

Fasten Up
Album
YELLOWJACKETS

DJabe and Steve Hackett : Freya - Arctic Jam
Album
DJABE

fusion Music Reviews

KLAUS DOLDINGER/PASSPORT Cross-Collateral

Album · 1975 · Fusion

FunkFreak75

1. "Homunculus" (6:09) despite the solid bass play holding this one all together, there is a loose, free-jazz feel to the rest of the performances--and some weird effects being imposed upon the overall sound. Still, the skill levels of all of the individuals are fully on display and still impressive. (8.875/10)

2. "Cross-collateral" (13:38) now three songs in--and this one a long one (of epic length) I can only deduce that band leader Klaus Doldinger (and/or his collaborators) was either spread too thin (very busy) or out of fresh ideas because the music on this album so far has been quite lackluster: lacking both the creativity and complexity that the previous album had overflowing to the brim. The lack of inspired or fully-formed compositional ideas are effecting the energy and interest levels of the rest of the band, resulting in lackadaisical performances--which is sad cuz we know these guys can play! There is absolutely nothing in this song, anywhere, that would ever lead me to want to return to it for repeated listens! It's just a first-take free-for-all from the band's first practice session. Plus, where is Klaus? Where are the saxes? (25/30)

3. "Jadoo" (3:03) something with a more structure but no really interesting quirky ideas or great melodies. (At least the saxes are back--though some are a little-too-heavily-processed.) The drumming is the best element of this one. (8.75/10)

4. "Will-O'the-Wisp" (6:15) even trying to go back to some funk doesn't work: it's just too rudimentary; there's nothing new/fresh or creative here, just by-the-numbers playing. The sound palette is right, just totally uninspired performances. (8.75/10)

5. "Albatros song" (5:18) a one-minute all-keyboard intro leads into some light textural music full of synth strings and, eventually, Klaus's singular saxophone putting forth something that sounds very much like the smooth jazz coming out of the BOB JAMES production labs. (8.6667/10)

6. "Damals" (4:38) acoustic guitar and sparse (keyboard) bass and drum play supporting a plaintive (single) sax solo by Klaus. Nice but clearly representing the new Smooth Jazz form of expression. (8.75/10)

Total Time: 39:01

C+/three stars; a fair representation of the direction Jazz-Rock Fusion was moving by the end of 1975.

4 days ago
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Report #574179

KLAUS DOLDINGER/PASSPORT Hand Made

Album · 1973 · Fusion

FunkFreak75

The core is finally solidified with drummer extraordinaire Curt Cress joining Klaus and uber-talented bass (and guitar!) player Wolfgang Schmid--a partnership that would result in five outstanding albums before Wolfgang would decide to move on. Here British keyboard player Frank Roberts serves as Klaus' ivory tickler. (Frank would provide some awesome skilled jazz-rock piano to such bands as Isotope, Joy, Real Thing, Jabula, Hugh Hopper, Atté, Gary Wingo, and Robert Wyatt over the course of the next 25 years.)

1. "Abracadabra" (7:20) dynamic, fast & furious music with so much going on from each of the wonderful musicians--and such amazing (as usual) sound engineering! Seriously: How is it that Klaus was so far ahead of the rest of the world in terms of sound engineering??? (14/15) 2. "The connexion" (5:33) slow, spacious, rather awkward plodding for the first two minutes. I get it: this is an approach that many of the early pioneers of J-R Fuse used in their early explorations of the landscape (Miles, Herbie, Wayne & Joe, in particular)--and Klaus and company do it well--with noteworthy skill and competence (especially Kurt), but it feels more like music made more to impress and test, not so much for listening enjoyment. (8.875/10)

3. "Yellow dream" (4:20) a song that shows the band trying to crosses over more into the realms of proggy and even heavy rock music. Interesting but feels a bit forced--especially the heavy rock "choruses." (8.75/10)

4. "Proclamation" (2:39) another tune that feels more like the band's attempt to join the NEKTAR/SYNERGY/FOCUS side of progressive rock music. (8.875/10) 5. "Hand made" (9:26) is that the noise of a real live crowd? Does that mean the song was taken from a recording of one of the band's live performances? Regardless, this starts out with a very first incarnation Mahavishnu Orchestra palette and style but then smooths out into something more akin to Todd Rundgren 's Utopia or Grand Funk Railroad (the good stuff of both). It's a jam song in which organ, multiple (or chorused) tracks of saxes, and electric guitar play over the baseline electric bass and Fender Rhodes and synths. I know I've made songs over which "live" crowd noises have been tracked in--which then allowed for multi-tracking each musician's layers of contributions. Is this what's going on here? The music is solid but nothing very innovative or memorable. (17.5/20) 6. "Puzzle" (4:07) Euro-funk with clavinet, funky bass, syncopated drums, high-chord rhythm guitar accents, and screaming sax accent hits provide the foundation of this awkward attempt at funk-jazz. Nobody on board here really excels to achieve top tier funk, but it is a valiant attempt (and not totally unsuccessful) attempt across the board. (8.875/10)

7. "The quiet man" (4:43) nicely done explorations of soothing, dream-like soundscapes from bass, delicate cymbal play, gentle electric piano, and smooth saxes--but it's not smooth jazz! It's more like dreamy prog-jazz. I like it! (8.875/10)

Total Time: 38:08

B+/four stars; an excellent expression of prog- and rock-infused Jazz-Rock Fusion.

4 days ago
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Report #574178

PAT METHENY 80/81

Album · 1980 · Fusion

Maxsmusic

This album is quite a departure from his earlier work for ECM. He is collaborating with stellar musicians listed on the cover. It is a laid back session, double album, with most of the material being pleasant saxophone motifs with acoustic guitar and electric guitar leads. It's on the folk side with Pat's clever sense of melody and beautiful harmony. On side three they break out to more open ideas, which is the name of the track, and then pretty scattered. Side four goes back to a mid western folk jazz feel. The whole concept is acoustic guitar with the sax as the leader and the bass and drums playing great support. Four stars.

4 days ago
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Report #574177

BRIAN AUGER Second Wind (as Brian Auger's Oblivion Express)

Album · 1972 · Fusion

FunkFreak75

Continuing to reinforce new patterns, Brian and the Express use only Oblivion Express original compositions to populate this entire album. (Many thanks to newcomer Alex Ligertwood, formerly of the Jeff Beck Group.)

A1. "Truth (7:46) an Alex Ligertwood original, there is a pretty awesome organ, guitar, and bass sequence that hooks the listener in for the verses. Nice work with the b vox as the song develops and deepens. (8.875/10)

A2. "Don't Look Away (6:01) a Ligertwood, Mullen, and Dean composition that starts out sounding very much like something from the 60s jazz pop--exploring some "hooks" that might make listeners get locked in. Unfortunately, the rather loose and blues-Southern-rocky vocal detracts and sidetracks from the goal or objective. (8.75/10)

A3. "Somebody Help Us (6:29) an uptempo cruise-mobile with some awesome rhythm guitar play. Sounds like all that will come out on STEVE MILLER BAND's great 1976 album, Fly Like an Eagle. Nice song with nice performances that all work well together despite sounding like the sound engineers are stuck in the 1960s. (9/10)

B1. "Freedom Jazz Dance (5:25) written by Brian, Alex, and Eddie Harris slows it down, even roots it in some soulful funk-R&B (Jim Mullen's guitar play sounding like B.B. King!) I like the shifts and twists and turns it takes--even stylistically--though the vocal sounds so much like Jeff Beck Group's Bobby Tench (Alex's successor in that band). Great bass play from Barry Dean. Fun Keith Emerson-like organ play from Brian. (9/10)

B2. "Just You, Just Me (6:15) a favorite of mine, this is all Brian. I like Alex's less aggressive vocal approach and the band's concentration on the Jazz-Rock Fusion side of their musical expression. Great bass play, awesome electric piano, and solid time-keeping from Robbie MacIntosh. (9.25/10)

B3. "Second Wind (6:39) another Brian Auger exclusive, it opens with awesome interplay between Jim's guitar and Barry's bass over some straight time-keeping from Robbie and some supportive organ chord play from Brian. (It sounds a lot, to my ears, like the concurrent work of The Soft Machine.) (8.875/10)

Total Time 32:06

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of bluesy rock that has enough J-R F elements to be included therein.

5 days ago
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Report #574176

BOB JAMES One

Album · 1974 · Fusion

FunkFreak75

After "apprentice" work under Quincy Jones and as an arranger for Creed Taylor and his record label's stable of studio musicians, Creed backed Bob to start up his solo career.

A1. "Valley Of The Shadows" (9:42) great sound, great musicians over a not-so great composition (where are the earworm melodies?) Trying too hard to sound like DEODATO's "Also Sprach Zarathustra: 2001" (17.5/20)

A2. "In The Garden" (3:06) again, like Deodato's prelude here is a smooth-jazzified version of Pachelbel's famous Canon (in D Maj, P 37). It's rather sad in this countrified form. (8.6667/10)

A3. "Soulero" (3:22) a song that is credited as composition by Bob and Richard Evans though it existed since 1965 when Eddie Higgins recorded it (with Richard) as the B-side of his single "Beautiful Dreamer" that sounds a lot like the Ravel "Bolero"-inspired Sketches in Spain. Nicely sophisticated. (8.75/10)

B1. "Night On Bald Mountain" (5:51) the music everyone knows from the Disney use in the uber-popular Fantasia animated film. At least Bob and his gents make it jazzy. (8.875/10)

B2. "Feel Like Making Love" (6:40) Bob & Company's smooth jazz rendition of the Roberta Flack hit. Definitely sounds like a song rendered--and destined--for the Adult Contemporary/Easy Listening/Elevator Music audiences. Pretty, but so was the original. (8.75/10)

B3. "Nautilus" (5:08) Bob's second and only other original composition--and the one that really launched his career as a solo artist. Spacious and slow paced in a way that predicts and feeds into all of the jazz-tinged music that would hit the radio waves in 1975 & 6. There is some great orchestration integrated into this one as well as some awesome bass play (courtesy of Gary King). (9/10)

Total Time: 34:02

B-/3.5 stars; a nice presentation of well-performed and -arranged Smooth Jazz--one that relies too heavily on known songs and too little on interesting and engaging melodies.

8 days ago
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Report #574153

fusion movie reviews

WEATHER REPORT Live in Germany 1971

Movie · 2010 · Fusion

Sean Trane

Well if the world still has to find some live recording from the very first studio all-star line-up (not likely, though), at least we've got now something very close to and we can even see the quintet at work with this just-as-famous version in the form of a German TV show called the Beat Club. With only Airto Moreira gone, replaced by Brazilian countryman Um Romao, the other four being Vitous, Shorter, Mouzon and Zawinul, Weather Report embarked on this TV show adventure not knowing that Alphonse Mouzon would leave the band in a while.

As you'd expect this broadcast consisted mainly of tracks from the debut album, but some are fairly different as WR always made improvisation their force. So you'll recognize 'Umbrellas generic structure, but drafted fairly differently, not just because of Romao's constant change of percussions instruments - he's one of the visual focus of the group, who otherwise remains fairly static and even blows a flute (and later some whistles) for a short while. One of the big difference between the studio album and this broadcast is that Miroslav has taken up the electric bass (his contrabass is still very present but mainly played with a bow), thus allowing even more energy to invade the quintet's shared space. The group's steaming-hot improvised fusion is simply awesome and flows naturally from your speakers like a river of fresh lave spewing out from your volcanic woofers.

Clearly the gravitational centre of the band is Zawinul's Rhodes, but it is clear that it is the group's tightness its main force. Morning Lake is much needed breathing space, starting out slowly with Shorter's sax signalling the dawn for Romao's birdsongs. Just past that Dom pulls an Brazilian berimbau . Drummer Alphonse sings funkilly (rather well, too) a rare sung track in the closing medley, but it's will veer into the Dr Honoris Causa - later on the Body Electric album.

A while later, Mouzon would leave the band and be replaced by drummer Erik Gravatt and this line-up would go on to record Body Electric and the Tokyo concert (released in 77, but part of it in the ISTBE album) and in the process become the definitive line-up of the Vitous- era Weather Report But for now, this German TV broadcast is an inestimable witness of the group's almost original line-up, and is just as essential as their debut album, the Tokyo concert or Body Electric.Too bad it's relatively short, though. Run for this baby...

more than 2 years ago
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Report #246018

DIXIE DREGS Live At The Montreaux Jazz Festival

Movie · 2005 · Fusion

Slartibartfast

This was the Dixie Dregs lineup that I first come to know live and otherwise. The Montreaux Jazz Festival performance was used for side two of the LP Night of the Living Dregs. I had no idea the concert was filmed. This represents the band at their prime. Keyboardist Mark Parrish, would soon be replaced by T Lavitz, who is a better keyboard player, but this as this performance testifies, he was no slouch either. Oddly enough, the back cover of this DVD shows a band picture with the original keyboardist from Freefall, Steve Davidowski (guess there was only room for one Steve in this band). Steve Morse was at his most inspired around this time, even though he has certainly grown in skill over the years.

The set list is a little disappointing as it lacks some of the prime cuts from What If (Night Meets Light, Odyssey, Travel Tunes, What If), but I'm not complaining. Now I have something more than just memories of the many Dregs shows I saw back then. It is more of a forward looking set which includes Attila The Hun, that didn't show up on an album until three years later. Also of note, but of less interest to progressive rock fans, is the bluegrass style ditty, Kathreen, never released on a regular album, but only showed up on their demo album, The Great Spectacular, from 1975. If you have a copy of that album, you have something rare, indeed.

Thrown in for bonus are two live TV appearances, one on American Can'tstand (Bandstand) and one on Don Kirschner's Rock Concert. On the former, you get to see them both try out a vocalist, in an attempt to appeal to a more mainstream audience, and with Mark O'Connor, who only played with them for one album, but a few great live shows before the band disbanded for a few years.

As great as the band studio albums were, the live shows took things to an even higher level. Now you can see what you missed, unless you didn't.

more than 2 years ago
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Report #240423

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN Abstract Logix Live! / The New Universe Music Festival 2010

Movie · 2011 · Fusion

Abstract Logix’s New Universe Festival of 2010 was probably one of the more significant fusion concerts in recent history, and it is all captured in excellent form on this concert video. Many of the top names in current fusion are here and what a great varied and colorful approach they all bring to this music that will always be associated with its 70s roots. Ranjit Barot fuses fusion with Indian flavors and orchestral music, Human Element bring back the beautiful noise and chaos that has been absent since the early days of jazz-rock, Wayne Krantz takes on the modern NYC flavor with his harsh jarring free funk, Jimmy Herring plays sentimental, sometimes delicate, progressive rock flavored fusion, and of course the great John McLaughlin rounds it all up with high speed post bop mixed with funk and contemporary fusion. Every single performance is top notch and very convincing in letting us know that there is still plenty of life left in this sometimes maligned genre.

The music on here is great, but the video itself is even better. Its amazing how far concert videos have come over the years. This one is clear as a bell and features lots of accurate close-ups of the musicians as they display their virtuoso skills. They say that fusion is a musician’s music, if that is the case, then this video is a great learning tool for the aspiring player. Much of the footage on here goes right to the source and features the musician’s hands as they work their scales and fret boards. Any aspiring fusionist can pick up a lifetime of high speed licks and extended technique by studying this video and even stop-starting it it frame by frame. Long gone are the days of vague camera angles from way far away and pointless shots of musicians grimacing while they play, this video is all about accuracy and showing you exactly how this music goes down. This is a spirited and enthusiastic concert and highly recommended for fans of modern fusion.

more than 2 years ago
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Report #235581

MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA Live At Montreux 74/84

Movie · 2007 · Fusion

Slartibartfast

The 1984 appearance of the MO was a lineup that didn't have any of the previous MO lineup of musicians except for John. Still there was a pretty impressive roster. Jonas Hellborg, on bass, steals the show. I suspect he's been rather influenced by Jaco at this point. Also, we also have Bill Evans, fairly fresh out of his stint saxing with Miles Davis. There's also a fine drummer, Danny Gottlieb, who'd played with Pat Metheny prior. Don't know much about Mitchell Forman. With John experimenting with the Synclavier Guitar so much, the keyboards are almost redundant in this ensemble. I had a hard time sitting through this at first. It definitely has that '80's taint, if you know what I mean. But I've warmed up to it. It's a bit like an attempt to return to the magic of the original lineup that doesn't quite get there. Still, if you judge it in the context of the time, it's not too bad.

I got this for one reason and one reason only, it was the two video bits from the Apocalypse lineup of Mahavishu Orchestra. Actually calling them bits isn't quite accurate. Wings of Karma and Hymn to Him are actually decently long pieces. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they had some actual orchestra musicians with them there at Montreaux. The first inkling I got that there was some live footage from this MO lineup was a poor quality video of Smile of the Beyond on a certain video clip web site many of us know of. It's very disappointing that we only get two clips from the show with video and the rest are audio only. I'm guessing the rest of the original footage has been lost. One can only hope that it will resurface. The performance is a bit more structured than the more compact MO's could be live, but that's to be expected due to the larger number of musician's involved. Still the core band does get to work in some improvisation, McLaughlin in particular.

This release is all in all a pleasant surprise for 2007, but there's more video out there from the older Mahavishu Orchestras, and I hope to see that material surface soon. It gets a four on the round up.

more than 2 years ago
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Report #232353

JEFF BECK Performing This Week...Live At Ronnie Scott's

Movie · 2008 · Fusion

Slartibartfast

Holy crap, there's a new Jeff Beck live DVD out there!.

...I thought as I saw this at the record store. This is why it's important to keep those local independent brick and mortar record stores open: you'll never know what you'll find browsing.

As near as I've been able to find out, Jeff Beck (THE Beck, not that other guy) hadn't been touring in a long time, but rather was sticking to special performances. To make up for it, sort of, he did a week's worth of shows at London's Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in late November 2007. I've never been there, but it looks a little large as some jazz clubs go but still reasonably intimate. I'm pretty sure you don't need binoculars to observe any performances there.

Jeff has assembled an interesting set of musicians, the oldest being Jeff himself (b. 1944), Vinnie Colaiuta (1956) on drums, Jason Rebello (1969) on keys, and Tal Wilkenfeld (1986) on bass. Vinnie I know best from association with Zappa, Jason's new to me but I found out has worked with Sting, Tal (new to the music scene) hails from Australia and judging from her performance she is someone to really keep your eye on. Guests appearances by Joss Stone, Imogen Heap, and Eric Clapton, heyyy.

The set list, not really the proper term as it must have been culled from all the shows, is an impressive collection of material spanning Jeff's career so far. Original stuff includes Beck's Bolero {is this not actually a cover?}, Led Boots, Scatterbrain, Angel, Blast From The East, Rollin' And Tumblin'. Also some nice covers thrown in for good measure including Eternity's Breath!, Cause We've Ended As Lovers {never really seemed like a cover to me}, People Get Ready, A Day In The Life, You Need Love). You also get some interviews as bonus material and the DVD booklet is a nice read. 21 tracks altogether, mixed in Dolby 5.1 and DTS surround sounds with a 16:9 video format, I might add.

Wish I was there but this is the next best thing. It's one hell of a way to experience one hell of a guitarist. It's a live assortment, but due the quality and quantity I am rounding this one up.