Module 7 People: Fusion of Jazz since 1970

Al Di Meola

Fusion guitarist who wanted to be fastest in the world.

Pat Metheny

Guitarist who was one of the most original & popular fusion artists of mid-70s. Most of his work avoided cutting, hard-rock sound, preferred bright, lyrical, gentle timbres. Used chorus reverb, digital delay, phase shifters to give his instrument a fatter, richer sound. Not drawn to the athletic approach to music - saw lyricism as part of midwestern melodic tradition of Lester Young & Kansas City. Also performed in acoustic jazz settings. Recorded with Ornette Coleman on Song X. Later merged neo-romantic streak with Brazilian elements. Grammy award for 1987 album Still Life Talking. Continues to work in trio formats. Often heard on smooth-jazz stations - but recordings still offer lyrical improv & sophisticated compositional structures. 2012 Grammy for best New Age Album for What's It All About.

Larry Coryell

Jazz guitarist who was one of the earliest musicians to incorporate rock, blues, country elements into his jazz. Wildly eclectic approach. Part of group Free Spirits, then Gary Burton Quartet. Blues-based licks, played with sustain & distortion that sometimes approached feedback.

Jane Ira Bloom

One of first women to make name in jazz on non-piano instrument. Soprano sax, worked in numerous venues, most recently quartet. Composer, worked on projects with NASA & dance company Pilobolus, on faculty at New School in NYC.

Lifetime

One of most important early fusion bands - trio formed by drummer Tony Williams, English guitarist John McLaughlin, organist Larry Young. Drew inspiration from jam-oriented rock bands, blended jazz & rock rhythms & held together by Williams' high-energy style of drumming. Never achieved wide popularity, too extreme for mainstream jazz fans but dissonant/extended improvs too esoteric for mainstream rock fans.

Renee Rosnes

Esp prominent woman among jazz pianists. Worked with Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, James Moody, Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.

Mahavishnu Orchestra

One of the first and most significant popular jazz-rock groups in early seventies, formed by John McLaughlin, named by his guru. Drummer Billy Cobham, Czech keyboardist Jan Hammer, Irish bassist Rick Laird, violinist Jerry Goodman. Phenomenally successful, played on rock music circuit. Tightly rehearsed, High-octane precision, dazzling unison figures, complex meters, ostinato figures, sometimes influenced by India, rock rhythms by drummer. Dramatic juxtaposition of acoustic works with high-energy electric. Disbanded 1973, 2nd version formed 1974, but short-lived. After 2nd breakup, McLaughlin veered away from fusion - acoustic guitar, Indian-based group Shakti, then acoustic guitar trio.

Weather Report

One of the longest-lasting, best-known fusion groups. 15 albums in 15 years. Founding member Josef Zawinul, sax Wayne Shorter, only two to remain throughout tenure. Began acoustic, collective improv sometimes metrically free. Later more strongly defined compositional structures, more danceable rock- & funk-based rhythm & grooves. Apex of popularity with composition Birdland from Heavy Weather. Jaco Pastorious funk electric bass brought more fans after Black Market. Later group turned to formulaic disco rhythms but stayed very popular. Broke up in 1986, but remarkable abundance of compositional styles & approaches over 15 years.

Toshiko Akiyoshi

One of the most successful big-band composers in jazz. Chinese (1929) began studying jazz in Japan 1947. Worked briefly with bassist Charles Mingus. Started a big band in LA in 1973. Writing style incorporates considerable modernism, occasional influences of Japanese music. Retired big band 2003 with performance of work "Hiroshima: Rising from the Abyss"

Maria Schneider

One of the most visible of current big band leaders - composer-arranger born 1960. Gil Evans's assistant 1985, started first band in 1988. First album Evanescence 1994. Reputation innovative yet steeped in tradition of Gil Evans. Sophisticated compositional palette derived from jazz & Western concert music - excellent balance between composition & improvisation.

John Zorn

Personifies postmodernism in his approach to crossover jazz. One of the most intriguing figures of downtown NY scene, probably more important as composer & conceptual artist than as altoist. Quartet Masada blends Ornette Coleman & klezmer. Has also done commissions for NY Philharmonic. Important quality of style is postmodern sensibility of stylistic juxtaposition. Gregorian chant -> heavy-metal -> more conventional jazz-like swing. Virtually defines postmodernism in jazz.

Herbie Hancock

Played with Miles Davis, explored electronic media on his own recordings. Opened for Pointer Sisters, impressed by direct audience appeal. Album Headhunters phenomenally successful. Hired funk musicians who could play jazz instead of v.v. Extensively used overdubs & studio technology. One of finest live performers on synthesizer. Syncopated, danceable two-measure bass riff & catchy melody on "Chameleon". Lost some compositional subtlety & extended improv later, insisted his dance music was not jazz. Frequently returned to acoustic jazz format. Grammy in 2007 for Album of the Year (River: The Joni Letters). Named Creative Chair for Jazz at LA Philharmonic.

Dave Douglas

Worked extensively with John Zorn, one of the most interesting crossover trumpet players today. Has participated in >100 albums either as leader or sideman. Experiments with electronics, Romanian folk music, other eastern European traditions, 20th c. styles of Webern & Stravinsky, & Lebanese music. Difficult to categorize, one of the most adventurous players on the scene.

Elaine Elias

Brazilian pianist

Wynton Marsalis

Arguably most prominent jazz artist today, director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, most outspoken spokesperson for traditionalist movement, one of its main catalysts. From New Orleans, dropped out of Juilliard to join Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers 1980. First album as leader 1981. First musician to win Grammys in both classical & jazz categories 1984. Appointed to Jazz at Lincoln Center 1991, helped bring about greater appreciation of the music. Focusing more on composition now, leaning towards traditional styles, longer compositions like oratorios, Duke Ellington tradition - Blood on the Fields won Pulitzer Prize in music. Also explores postmodernism. Likely to continue to be one of the most significant jazz artists in decades to come.

Joe Zawinul

Austrian pianist, played with Cannonball Adderley for 10 years, wrote Mercy, Mercy Mercy. Played electric piano with Adderley, helped (along with Ray Charles & Sun Ra) to bring its sound into jazz idiom. Wrote In A Silent Way which Davis built album around, hired him to play electric piano along with Chick Corea & Herbie Hancock. Played synthesizer on Weather Report album Sweetnighter, soon became one of premier synthesists in fusion. After Weather Report broke up in 1986, he formed shortlived Weather Update, then in 1988 Zawinul Syndicate, which explored musical styles that blend different cultures.

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra

Best-known repertory org of jazz. Directed by Wynton Marsalis, who has sought to identify and promote canon of jazz masterpieces. He is making it an expression of his musical personality & interests. Undoubtedly most visible jazz artist today, and primary spokesperson for traditionalist PoV. Astounding success. Began 1987 .

Diva

Big Band with slogan "No Man's Band" containing all women, formed 1992.

Miles Davis

Provided much of the impetus for and early development of fusion - Albums "In a Silent Way" and "Bitches Brew" in 1969 helped introduce electric keyboards & rock/r&b rhythms & harmonies to jazz audience. Bitches Brew pivotal - centered on rock-based rhythms, abandoned 4/4 swing feel. two influential for fusion because: - Use of rock-based rhythms & simpler harmonic structures based on ostinato figures - Use of electric keyboards & electric guitar - Use of musicians who were to become significant fusion artists during 1970s - Dense percussion textures & Davis's use of electric effects Funk-based rhythm section, horn section more traditional but with wah-wah pedal. moved to more studio-based recording, sampled, electronically derived soundscapes with his trumpet improvisations. Posthumous last album incorporated hip-hop grooves & rap.

Return to Forever

Recording by Chick Corea, former player with Miles Davis. One of the first wave of popular jazz-rock groups in early seventies. High-octane precision. Corea abandoned free playing, went more airy, Brazilian-influenced. Bassist Stanley Clarke, saxophonist-flutist Joe Farrell, drummer Airto Moreira, Airto's wife Singer Flora Purim. Sophisticated compositions. Lightness - relative lack of bass drum. Prominent brazilian rhythms, lively character - feeling of joy & exhilaration. Corea recreated group as electric quartet in 1973, inspired by Davis & by Mahavishnu Orch. Exciting, impressive unison lines at breathtaking speed. Corea's post-1980 work = both electric & acoustic. Grammy for Return to Forever reunion recording Forever 2012.

Steve Coleman

Saxophonist experimenting with combining jazz with rap, funk, and rock grooves. Interested in crossovers ince early 80s when organized Five Elements band. Wants to have something for everyone in his music. Closely associated with M-Base concept - not a stylistic label, way of thinking about creating music, not the music itself. Deeply influenced by non-Western music, esp African music & meter. Crossover conception largely rooted in jazz tradition, performing both original comps & jazz standards of bebop period.