Jazz Exam 5

Weather Report

First formed in 1970, band was one of the longest and best known fusion groups. Pianist - Josef Zawinul (former, consistent throughout run, played with Miles Davis) Saxophone- Wayne Shorter (former, consistent throughout run, played with Miles Davis) Bassist- Miroslav Vitous, then Jaco Pastorious (born in PA, raised in Ft. Lauderdale, recorded "Birdland" with the group) Drummer-- Alhphonse Mouzon and Airto Moreira, then Peter Erskine Began as an acoustic, free to improv group, but as the seventies moved on, more compositional structures and rock/funk based grooves were used. Wah wah pedal was eventually added in, and Pastorious redefined electric bass with staccato funk beats, clean solos, and a liquid sound of vibrato at the end of phrases. Originally considered esoteric jazz group, but Jaco lead the band to extreme commercial success

Phenomenon: Compulsion

Guitar/Composer: John McLaughlin Drums: Billy Cobham Sounds like: Rock guitar, fast drumming, a bit like "Call Me the Breeze" or something straight out of the Impala.

Pat Metheny

Guitarist who used chorus reverberation (electronic effect used to fill out sounds) digital delay (creates an effect that makes it sound like a guitarist is playing several parts at once) and phase shifters (alters the sound to make it bubbly). Metheny preferred bright, lyrical and gentle timbres over the cutting, hard rock sound of other fusion guitarists. Fused jazz with folksy music, garage rock, Brazilian elements, among others, and released an album in 99 with his longtime hero guitarist Jim Hall.

Herbie Hancock and Headhunters

Herbie Hancock left Miles Davis' band and spent time in the R and B/funk circles. His jazz fusion album topped the charts and he was criticized for "selling out." His performance on "Chameleon" established him as one of the finest live performers on Synthesizer. "Chameleon" had a danceable bass riff and was much of the reason the album topped charts.

Mahavishnu Orchestra

Jazz fusion band: Lead by/Guitarist- Jon Mclaughlin (who would lead a second Orchestra in 1974 of 11 pieces, only to later abandon fusion in favor of acoustic guitar) Drummer- Billy Cobham (played with Horace Silver and the band Dreams) Keyboardist- Jan Hammer (member of Sarah Vauhghan's trio) Bassist- Rick Laird (Irishman) Violinist- Jerry Goodman (member of the rock group The Flock) Dazzling unison figures, tightly rehearsed, energetic.

The Brecker Brothers

Jazz fusion duo that was commercially successful and featured a multitude of musicians besides the main duo. Saxaphone, Flute and Electronic Wind Instruments- Michael Brecker Trumpet and Flugelhorn- Randy Brecker (gained fame as member of the band Blood Sweat & Tears)

Lifetime

Jazz fusion trio: Drummer- Tony Williams Guitarist- Jon McLaughlin (Yorkshire, played in rock and jazz groups in the fifties and sixties) Organist- Larry Young Inspired by bands like Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Extreme volume and dissonance made the band never popular, but their sound was significant to the fusion movement.

Larry Coryell

Jazz guitarist from Texas, one of the earliest musicians to incorporate rock, blues and even country to jazz. He used blues-based licks, and played with sustain, distortion and sometimes feedback. He was part of the Free Spirits and the Gary Burton Quartet.

Softly as in a Morning Sunrise

Leader/Guitar: George Benson Sounds Like: Straight up porn

Far West

Leader/Trumpet: Tim Hagans Composer/Fender Rhodes Piano: Kevin Hays Sounds Like: Sneaking into a building. Almost like CSI. Very technological. India-sounding vocals.

Chick Corea and Return to Forever

After leaving Miles Davis' band, Chick Corea formed his own group, which focused on Brazilian influenced music. Bassist- Stanley Clarke Saxophone-Flute-- Joe Farrell Drummer-Airto Moreira Singer-Flora Purim First album was eponymous, and the second was Light as a Feather, feelings of joy and exhilaration throughout, disbanded but reformed in '73 as an electric quartet. Corea would turn to more acoustic and electric formats in 1980.

Hang Gliding

Composer/Bandleader/Conductor: Maria Schneider Starts with: Piano, sounds like more updated versions of what we've heard so far (like from Miles Davis). Pretty and new. Not "it sounds weird" new, just updated. Moderately paced, full orchestra.

Guataca City

Composer/Leader/Alto saxophone: Paquito D'Rivera Trumpet: Claudio Roditi Guitar: Fareed Haque Sounds Like: Latin. Talented dancers can salsa to this.

Solitude

Composer: Duke Ellington Leader/Piano: Herbie Hancock Bass: Dave Holland Drums: Vinnie Calaiuta Sounds Like: Starts off with piano, and soft drums. That drumming technique you like. It sounds the most like older pieces we've studied. Slow. Just a trio of musicians.

Billy Cobham

Drummer from Panama, famous for playing with Miles Davis and then Mahavishnu Orchestra, and was a strong member of the jazz fusion movement (called by some as Fusion's Greatest Drummer).

Larry Young

Organist from New Jersey, recorded with Jimi Hendrix and the band Lifetime

It's About Time - In a Silent Way

Trumpet/Leader:Miles Davis Composer/Organ: Josef Zawinul Soprano Saxophone: Wayne Shorter Electric Piano: Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock Electric Guitar: John McLaughlin Acoustic Bass: Dave Holland Drums: Tony Williams Starts with: Soft piano, two chords, bass, accelerating drum, trumpet plays dissonant melody that sounds nice but would be better without the awkward background piano making the tones sound off

Miles Davis

Trumpeter/flugelhorn player who initially was the ultimate name in jazz but soon turned his attention to fusion. He began recording with electric keyboardists and guitar, as well as utilizing rock based rhythms and harmonic structures based on ostinatos. After experimenting with fusion in the sixties, he essentially never looked back and continued to incorporate his jazz finesse into fusions of rock and blues music.

Tony Williams

Bostonian drummer, prodigy who worked with Miles Davis, obtained legendary status among artists in the eighties and nineties, pioneer of jazz fusion

Joe Zawinul

Austrian jazz keyboardist and composer, first gained fame with Cannonball Adderley, then performed with a multitude of jazz and jazz fusion bands, such as Weather Report (which he formed), Weather Update and the Zawinul Syndicate. He frequently utilized electric keyboards and the vocoder.

Salt Peanuts

Band: Steve Coleman and Five Elements Composers: Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Clarke Leader/Alto saxophone: Steve Coleman Sounds Like: Salt Peanuts, but WAY faster. Alto saxophone starts it off with drums quickly coming in after the intro melody. Sax sounds kind of like a duck.

Birdland

Band: Weather Report Composer/Co-Leader/Keyboards: Josef Zawinul Co-Leader/Soprano and Tenor Saxophone: Wayne Shorter Bass: Jaco Pastorius Drums: Alejandro Acuna Tambourine: Manolo Badrena Sounds Like: Bass and keyboards, at first like "Take My Breath Away" and then like a rock version of a church gospel song. It's funky. You can snap your fingers to the drums.

Express Crossing

Band: Wynton Marsalis Ensemble Composer/Bandleader/Trumpet:Wynton Marsalis Sounds Like: Honking Horns, a fast subway/train, pretty dissonant, trombone slides.

Stanley Clarke

Bass player from Philadelphia, performed with Return to Forever, often fused jazz and funk and employed the slap bass style on electric bass.

Wayne Shorter

Saxophonist from Jersey, played with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Miles Davis' Second Great Quintet, formed Weather Report, 1+ 1 with Herbie Hancock