Let’s Explore!

The Jazz Fusion is an online magazine for fusion, progressive jazz, and electric jazz lovers with the intent to bring more awareness to the genre. Jazz-fusion was started in the late 60s with Miles Davis with his LP In a Silent Way (1969), opening the door to bands such as The Tony Williams Lifetime (1969-1974). In 1970 was the release of Miles Davis’s second fusion album Bitches Brew, a project that even non-fusion aficionados revere.

Fusion found its stride throughout the 70s with bands, including Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Return to Forever; then Head Hunters, Spyro Gyra, Frank Zappa, Stanley Clarke, Jean-Luc Ponty, Brecker Brothers, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius, Larry Coryell, Alphonse Mouzon, John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola, and others. The genre stretched to vocal-heavy bands such as Chicago, Santana, and Flora Purim . . . all in the first decade of this ever-growing musical style.

If you’re familiar with jazz-fusion, you will recognize the names Mike Stern, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Jeff Berlin, Dave Weckl, Allan Holdsworth, Brian Auger, Hiromi Uehara, Bunny Brunel & CAB, Planet X, Alain Caron, Christian McBride, Marcus Miller, and Jack DeJhonette just to touch the surface.

This style is an abyss of music, and just delving into all that exists is entering an endless black hole. And we are committing an egregious act by not mentioning other musicians who’ve paved the way for this complex, somewhat psychedelic jazz form in our “About” section.

Just to be clear, there are many other styles that fall under the “fusion” banner. Progressive Rock (Yes, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Jethro Tull, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Spocks Beard) is one of them; its classical influences mixed with rock makes this a serious mention. However, without the incorporation of jazz modal confluences, it doesn’t fall under the “jazz fusion” category . . . with the exception of prog rock whose music has a jazz improvisational footprint.

We implore you to explore, comment, and participate on our website. And we hope to learn from you as much as you might discover a thing or two from us. Let’s explore this genre together as it continues its evolution of new acts, including Esperanza Spalding, Snarky Puppy, and Kamasi Washington, just to name a few.