what is Jazz rock fusion?
Jazz + rock + ethnic source
– non western addition to music
what elements does jazz rock fusion allow for players?
– freer for the bassist then any other sort of jazz prior.
– different qualities and textures to the sound, which are not totally controlled, like real life.
– unpredictable sounds but precise rythms
what are three notable rock fusion bands?
– weather report
– Mahavishnu orchestrea
– return to forever
New Age music
Pretty much was terrible, and simple.
– soft dreamlike, impressionable, meditative.
– progressive style that comined lots of different thingss, lots of solos.
Chopan Robell
– very reflective
-“pleasant” for yuppies
New Age
during 80s added an electronnic component which was the beginnings of techno movement and had a semi classical feel
– comprised picked acoustic guitar and light jazz element.
– paralles fusion music that later becomes smooth jazz.
Smooth jazz
– light classical, light foilk guitar, light fusionistic jazz, light electronica made new age jazz.
– encouraged self-expression for players
What is smooth Jazz?
– has a flavor with light, gospel rythm witha saxaphone out front.
– tries to capture the emotional intensity of an entire lifetime in a song.
what styles influence smooth jazz
– R and B, funk, and pop
– it was an evolution into jazz with a modern, electronic sensibility
– generally has a down tempo, layering a lead melody instrument (saxaphone, guitar close second) over a backdrop that typically consists of programmed rythms and various pads, and/or samples.
– considered backround music
Notable Smooth jazz artists and instruments they played
– Kenny G: saxaphone
– Lee Ritenour: guitar
Who is Miles Davis?
– Trumpet, and piano player
– learned a lot from james brown, jimmy hendrix, but always changed it around and made his music unique for people to listen.
– big in civil rightss movement
– likes a lot of broken rythms
what are 3 important albums by Miles Davis?
– In a silent way: meditative, beautiful, not over the top in terms of electric quality
– A tribute to Jack Johnson: rockin album
– Bitches Brew: jazz rock fusion
Who is Betty Davis?
– funk singer in the 80’s
– miles davis’s GF who influenceds his outlandish fashion statements.
Who is Jack Johnson
– Heavyweight world champion boxer
– miles davis felt a connection with jack through pride and cultural iconism they shared.
What is Mahavishnu Orchestra
– it is a jazz rock fusion band that used ethnic sounds of india incorporated in their music, also follow bebop in their approach by listening closely to one another, very clasically influenced very presise and complex and highly experimental
Who comprised Mahavishnu Orchestra
– John Mclaughlin: guitar and band leader
– Jan Hammer: keyboardist
– rick Laired: keyboardist
– Billy Cobham: drums
– Jerry Goodman: violin sounding like guitar
who is John Mclaughlin
Guitar player and bandleader for Mahavishnu Orchestra (MO)
– loved meditative aspects of Indian classical music, would get lost in the loops of music and zone out
who is John Mclaughlin
Guitar player and bandleader for Mahavishnu Orchestra (MO)
– loved meditative aspects of Indian classical music, would get lost in the loops of music and zone out
What is Weather Report
Jazz rock fusion band that compbined latin jazz with ethnic music R and B, and funk with some rock elements.
who made up weather report
– Joe Zawinul: keyboardist
– Wayne Shorter: saxaphonist
– Jaco Pastorius: bassist
who is Joe Zawinul
keyboardist for jazz rock fusion band, weather report, and famous for playing several instruments at once
who is Wayne Shorter?
– saxaphonist in the jazz rock fusion band weather report
– household name amongst jazz fans, he is considered jazzs greatest living composer
who is Jaco Pasorius?
Incredible bassist for weather report
– apparently very conceited, suffered from mental illness and substance abuse, and was diagnosed to be bipolar. Regarded to be one of the most influential bassists of all time
who is Chick COrea?
pianist / multi keyboardists and band leader
– leader of Return to forever
– wanted everyting to run exactly as composed, not enough heart
– participated with miles in the fusion movement of the 60s and formed RtF in the 70s, and a scientoligist
Who is stanley Clarke
– famous for his bass techniques and played in RtF with Chick Corea
– famous also for his notable television and film scores, and palying his bass and double bass
who is Al Dimeola
– guitar player in RtF
– most noted for his latin-influenced works
who is Lenny White
-Drummer in RtF
– self-taught left handed dummer on a right sided kit, first appeared on Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew
Who comprised Return to Forever
– Chic Corea: Keyboardists
– Stanley Clarke: Bassist
– Al DiMeoloa: Guitar
– Lenny White: Drums
How is Return to Forever Described?
Powerful music forced that expressed themselves soloistically very little, but awesome when they do.
– very traditiaonl changes in sound and comprised mainly of Chic Corea and Stanley clarke
Who is Grover Washington?
Saxaphone player who played Hard Bop
– desired a larger audience than what jazz currently offered, so he took popular toons in other genras and made into light smooth classical jazz for radio play.
WHo is John Coltrane
– Tenor saxaphonist
– played modal, hard bob, avant garde, and free jazz
– “Giant Steps” in 1960 marked the first time that all of the pieces on a recording was done by Coltrane
Who is Kenny G
saxaphonist for smooth jazz.
– played a very vanilla type music for audience to like, but he is still gay.
– more concerned about public perssona but can do circular breathing.
– created a christmas album which means he sold out, his corporate sound does deviate, and he is really really lame.
– Huge Douche, and criticized by pat metheny for overdubbing armstrongs what a wonderful world
Who is Dave Grusen
– Composer and piano player
– created GRP records
– made it his life work to get jazz back on the radio,
– collected artists that played slightly latin and funk music
WHo is Lee Ritenour
– Smooth Jazz guitar player known as captain fingers
– playd his first session wtih teh mamas and the papas when he was 16
– pioneer in smooth jazz and jazz funk
who is Wynton Marsalis
– trumpet player for Nola
– has one 9 grammys and a pulitzer prize for music.(first time ever for jazz)
– played with Art Blakey eary in his career
– felt pop music killed jazz and went about restoring jazz and fondly referred to as the Spokesperson of Jazz”
– plays his ass off
Who is Dexter Gordon?
– Saxaphone player who played bebop and hard Bop
– emerged out of bebop and became known for hard Bop
Who is Ken Burns?
Director / producer of “jazz” documentary
– made a good point in show that jazz continues and doesnt stop until people stop sharing their emotions, and day to day experiences
who is John Cage?
an artist / composer famous for must mixing noises.
– most famous piece called “4:33” is of silence. He een wrote the music for it:
who is Bobby McFerrin?
– amazing vocalist trainned, and very lievely, imporv, and spontaneous performer.
– uses body to perform beat, harmony, and melody
who is Jean-Luc Ponty?
Classically trained violinist and piano player from paris
– developed an interest in jazz, and made solo albums.
– createss a band with great players with unique influencess
– made short artitic film called individual choice
who is Marcus Miller?
– saxaphonist who did a lot of engineering and writing for miles
– “tutu” is a tone he wrote for miles
Who is Pat Metheny
– guitar player who shows real passion for all kinds of music
– brings together rock, jazz, and art, and likely to play free jazz
who is cassandra Wilson?
– vocalist who ived in duke ellingtons old apartment
who is james carter
– played clarinet, saxaphone and flute
who is regina carter
violinist
who is james brown
Godfather of soul, was a vocalist, dancer, guitar, harminica, bass, keyboardist, and drummer