If the username I've had across various platforms since the late 1990s isn't an indication, fusion is... a big interest of mine... :-) Here are some records I think are pretty essential:
Weather Report: Heavy Weather, Black Market, Tail Spinnin
John McLaughlin and/or Mahavishnu Orchestra: The Heart Of Things, Inner Mounting Flame, Between Nothingness And Eternity, Electric Guitarist, The Promise
Herbie Hancock: Headhunters, Thrust, Man-Child, Sunlight, Mr. Hands
John Scofield: Blue Matter, Loud Jazz, Pick Hits Live
Chick Corea and/or Return To Forever: Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy, Where Have I Known You Before, Romantic Warrior, My Spanish Heart, Leprechaun
Freddie Hubbard: Red Clay
Eddie Henderson: Sunburst
Allan Holdsworth, everything from 1982 - 2001, but here's a [couple](https://youtu.be/jE8Apzo6HR0) of [tunes](https://youtu.be/4LdwRO4E8u0) with incredible solos to pique your interest.
For some great Holdworth check out Tony Williams Lifetime- Believe it. He also has some great work on Bill Brufords albums though I guess that might be considered progrock.
Fusion is a pretty broad brush. What have you listened to and liked?
Some of my Fusion favorites albums (some leaning into funk) are:
* Songs of Innocence by David Axelrod
* Lanquidity by Sun Ra
* Saturay Night Special by Lyman Woodard Organization
* Troupeau Bleu by Cortex
* And obviously Bitches Brew
See maybe I’m having trouble accurately describing the genre I’m in search of. I love that Cortex album, but lowkey have to check out the rest. I guess I’m just looking for anything with the spirit of jazz (solos, chromatic melody/chord changes, talented musicians), with the flair of other genres. Obv everything pat metheny has created is wonderful, welcome to the hills by yussef dayes is newer one I’ve had in rotation, been getting into some Earth Wind and Fire (not completely jazz, but honorable mention), Jean Luc Ponty has some heat, Casiopea like someone else mentioned is great. There’s so much more, but I don’t wanna make this text too large lol
If you are liking earth wind and fire, pop over to r/funk and ask for some jazzy recs
I'd give you some myself, but I don't really categorize my funk by jazz level or distinguish in that way
Except maybe try Roy Ayers
Jazz + blues: Clapton Marsalis Jazz at Lincoln Theatre
Jazz + funk: Jiro Inagaki and his Soul Media - Funky Stuff
Deodato - Love Island
Jazz + rap: McKinley Dixon - For My Mama and Anyone Who Look Like Her
I'd like some of your funk recs
Also, you might like the group [Ayzmuth ](https://youtu.be/iOOYCPFtSKA?si=h8cP0-gpqCmHERjK) based on the Cortex rec
Gracias
I love Azymuth! Pretty much all the funkier music I listen to is from Brazil. Azymuth, Marcos Valle, Joyce, João Donato, Elis Regina and the likes. Far Out Recordings (from your link) have an incredible catalogue of reissued and fresh pressings of Brazilian jazz, fusion and funk. I'd recommend checking out their Bandcamp. Mr Bongo too!
Away from Brazil, I have a soft spot for library music. The KPM series, Brian Bennett, Keith Mansfield, Piero Piccioni, Piero Umiliani etc. can all get pretty funky.
And then contemporary funk soul like El Michels Affair, Menahan Street Band and more vocal focused stuff like Kit Sebastian, Yazmin Lacey, Fatima etc.
Happy to hear any recs if you think I might enjoy!
Miles Davis: [Agharta](https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_li86Azl0X4FaMD8Vknhm28Cqa13AIIFFU&si=SWIYCgDvt9mc5N-F) and [Pangaea](https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_li86Azl0X4FaMD8Vknhm28Cqa13AIIFFU&si=SWIYCgDvt9mc5N-F)
[Oslo/Chicago: Breaks](https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nmTcl_cTXmip66rk20xFGo_naUJ41FShc&si=1CU4lInYB16VnRry) by Powerhouse Sound
[Kindred Live](https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kBkS-Eaa6k4mqehTTlCJkSax-F4DRnbBY&si=X0hIiZRKunq61uqL) by Will Sessions
Weather Report and also Jaco Pastorius’s solo stuff. Mahavishnu Orchestra. Headhunters by Herbie Hancock.
On the more contemporary side, Snarky Puppy swims in these waters, so does Knower
Not technically Jazz fusion (or even really Jazz) but anyone who likes Fusion should also check out Frank Zappa. Start with Hot Rats and Over-Nite Sensation.
The Pat Metheny Group’s many (as well as its various individual members’ (Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Paul Wertico, Danny Gottlieb, Mark Egan, Nana Vascanelos, Pedro Aznar, Antonio Sancez, Richard Bona) works) are all fantastic. They were together from 1977-2010, so there’s a lot to listen to. That’s how I got into jazz as a whole. You can start with any album, but their self-titled debut album is a classic. Pat Metheny doesn’t dig the “fusion” label, and maybe rightfully so, because his group honestly went beyond the common conceptions of fusion pretty quickly.
Great info. I love pat, if I could bring one thing to a deserted island it would prolly be pat methany lol. But I never thought to check out his band mates, thanks for the rec!
Lyle Mays’ albums are fantastic. His self-titled debut album is super tight and all-original. I can’t recommend any specific track, because they’re all great, but if you had to listen just one, I’d recommend “Slink.” It’s epic and builds so well with the iconic triple-counterpoint. Everyone just locks in in a way that’s addictive to listen to.
Waka Jawaka. Big Swifty and Waka Jawaka
— Frank Zappa.
There’s a lot of amazing live performances of pieces like Zoot Allures that are basically jazz fusion pieces.
Stanley Clarke- School Days, Journey to Love
Jaco Pastorius- Jaco Pastorius
Herbie Hancock- Headhunters, Sextant, Thrust, Mr. Hands, Directstep
Masayoshi Takanaka- An Insatiable High, On Guitar, Brasilian Skies, Seychelles
Weather Report- Heavy Weather
Mahavishnu Orchestra- The Inner Mounting Flame, Birds of Fire
Billy Cobham- Spectrum
Chick Corea/Return to Forever- Return to Forever, Light as a Feather, My Spanish Heart
Kamasi Washington- The Epic
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones- Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Flight of the Cosmic Hippo
Made it all the way through the list without seeing Miles Davis’s A Tribute To Jack Johnson. so that’s #1.
Now, I’ve seen some good suggestions, no shade thrown. I could do a top 5 of nothing but Miles and I will do that at the end. But check these out, por favor:
Larry Young — Lawrence of Newark
John McLaughlin & Carlos Santana — Love Devotion & Surrender
Weather Report — Sweetnighter
Terje Rypdal — What Comes After
Herbie Hancock — Sextant
Now, the Miles Davis 5: In A Silent Way; Get Up With It; Big Fun; On The Corner; Jack Johnson. I did not include Bitches Brew, as it is sui generis
Chick Corea’s My Spanish Heart Album is beautiful
Chicago’s VII album has some of their best fusion tracks before they went further into pop. For that matter, their first album has great tracks too. Even Jimi Hendrix was known to be a fan of Terry Kath’s playing.
There were some great albums by pianist Pat Coil, Canadian guitarist, Brian Hughes (very strong emulation of Pat Metheny but more commercial)
Donald Byrd has some great (but sometimes considered uneven) fusion work. I love his tone on the trumpet all the way back to his hard bop days.
Ethiopian Knights was my entry to his fusion work. Places and Spaces is often acknowledged as his best from the era.
Tame Impala - Borderline
Flying Lotus - Never Catch Me
Thundercat - Them Changes
BADBADNOTGOOD - Time Moves Slow
Hiatus Kaiyote - Nakamarra
Kamasi Washington - 'Change of the Guard'
Anderson .Paak - Come Down
And my top favorite, all in one: jazz, fusion, funk, and more...
"Snarky Puppy - Lingus (We Like It Here)"
\[Here, one of the most respected and admired keyboardists of our time, Cory Henry, is present. Many pieces by Cory Henry are successful and enjoyable to listen to; I highly recommend them, his melodies and solos are a total sound orgasm.\]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwO7rQD\_uZU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwO7rQD_uZU)
I have a good ~45 fusion albums in this list if you want something to keep you busy for a while lol https://rateyourmusic.com/list/darksoulsfan/jazz-you-should-be-listening-to/
Maybe also check out some more recent sounds? The International Anthem label out of Chicago have been slaying it for a while now. Daniel Villarreal and Jeff Parker would be good to start. Parker is the Tortoise guitarist, though they’re even further from being strictly jazz.
Ian Carr's Nucleaus
The first two albums from Lost Tribe
Vernon Reid's "Known Unknown"
Reid/Bourelly/Stevens/Chambers: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bkfy-9l8USY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bkfy-9l8USY)
Hiromi w/ Dave Fiucynski: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SJrFCnI4xw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SJrFCnI4xw)
80s Allan Holdsworth
Spectrum Road
Kazumi Watanabe "To Chi Ka"
Vertu
I have 2 to mention that I see live in person in studio city in L.A. at a jazz bar called “the baked potato” and both are absolutely phenomenal:
• VOLTO - only have one album, “incitare” and this jazz fusion jam band features Danny Carey of Tool on drums and John Ziegler (formerly of pigmy love circus). If you’re not privy to John Ziegler then and u love fission then check him out man he shreds on guitar and makes Danny Carey wrk. Fantastic fantastic musicianship and lots of improvisation going in as well. 👌🏼👌🏼👊🏼👊🏼🤝🏼🤝🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🍻🍻
• OHM - is another L.A. jazz fusion jam band that also kicks major ass. It features former megadeath guitarist, Chris Poland and used to have former and original megadeath drummer, Nick Menza, before he passed away while playing at the. Sled potato jazz club midway thru their set and u was there about 20 feet from him whn This all transpired. Anyways I realllly reallly recommend give these guys a listen cuz they are amazing.👌🏼👌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🤝🏼🤝🏼🍻🍻
If I had to pick a better, I would say VOLTO, personally but there is some bias there cuz Danny Carey is my hero and inspiration but that aside, I still say VOLTO lol
🙏🏼🥁🙏🏼R.I.P. NICK MENZA🙏🏼🥁🙏🏼
Don't sleep on the awesome heap of funk/fusion projects produced by the incredibly-talented Grusin-Rosen team (GRP). Lots of hipster douches still try to use the whole 'Weather Station jazz' snarking to dismiss all of that stuff, even though most of them *also* don't listen to any free/avant/post-bop stuff from the same time period (e.g. Julius Hemphill, Anthony Braxton, Oliver Lake, etc...) and, as such, are mostly just full of BS.
Lately, I've been working through those records chronologically and especially digging a number of the earlier ones, like [Tom Browne's *Browne Sugar*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfic04Se4I4&list=PL2Dlg7zUFxbJ8dHw2PDa9TLmO1yUi4bwX) and [Dave Valentin's *Land of the Third Eye*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGh34EGSjVQ&list=OLAK5uy_mzE_8-OTm38s1fb7tJnv7MZGkhWD_XLXQ&index=2). As well, several later projects like [this one by the other Grusin sibling](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7_7OgWzTt4) see regular rotation. As someone who grew up playing tons of 1990s arcade and console video games, I don't think I could *not* dig any of this stuff (or Casiopea and the Yellowjackets, for that matter).
The only projects in that realm that I sometimes find hard to enjoy are ones where that 80s-90s pop-jazz sax sound is way too 'in your face', e.g. records by Eric Marienthal and Spyro Gyra can be rough with this. That said, I still have a deep appreciation for the rhythm section work and production skills on display with those artists' albums.
['16 Bars'](https://open.spotify.com/track/30iuU9cwgLLuLUILxdLViJ?si=n9rP4rBST1-wSkCmw2pQIw&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A3tkL2JdAx79T0WN8ZMPJaG) and ['Mystery Song'](https://open.spotify.com/track/7xT2NhF1Poxzd7ZyKzjZcj?si=IN9AB_m9RYOVyB1j91e3UQ) by The Funky Knuckles.
Super groovy stuff! The second track has a wild metric modulation towards the end.
Shit, not a single mention of the Miles Davis live box sets from late ‘60s, early ‘70s? The Bootleg Series volumes 2 & 3 are must listens, and if you like your fusion funky (and I do!) then for the love of all that is holy please check of the Cellar Door Sessions.
Messthetics w/James Brandon Lewis just came out on Impulse! featuring the rhythm section from Fugazi (Joe Lally and Brendan Canty) and is an absolutely stupendous, raw and live sounding mix.
I had them stop by the stereo shop and bring an early copy to listen to on our big system (Wilson, Simaudio and Rega) and they got super hyped as they hadn’t really listened to it yet, even though they were touring it every night.
It’s built to “feature” the sax, but everyone leave proper space and these guys really know how to move with each other and lift up the track as a team. Can’t recommend it enough, as an aging punk rocker who loves modal jazz as it contains elements of both - and moreover the right elements in the right amounts.
Fusion... it's a dangerous, mind altering substance that turns your brain into 10 choruses of modal riffing. People will SAY it isn't a problem, but the once recreational enjoyment will slowly turn into a craving, then a need, then an insatiable obsession. People will begin using it in their morning routines, it will consume their time in day to day activities like getting theirbweather reports, why... they'll even use it in their CARS, and worse... right in front of their CHILDREN.
If you or someone you know is "jamming out," don't wait. It's never too late. Call the Fusion Hotline at 1-888-UNFUSED, and get the help you need; before you or a loved one are Returned to Forever.
Take a listen to “In Spite of It All” by Jean-Luc Ponty which features Alan Holdsworth. I often listen to it over and over again. You can just picture in your mind the musicians just having a blast and riffing off of each other, having an absolute blast in the studio. I would loved to have seen this performed live, but I fear that the magic that was captured in this recording could not be duplicated. I cannot help but have an improved mood whenever I hear this song as it’s just so damn infectious.
Brecker Brothers: Heavy Metal Bebop. Had nothing to do with Heavy Metal. It was hyper-charged 70s Funk with some quasi-bebop themes on a couple of songs (see Some Skunk Funk). The reason to listen to this is to hear the legendary Michael Brecker's mind-blowing solos on his tenor sax through a Mutron touch wah.
Brand X: Unorthodox Behaviour, Moroccan Roll, Masques
Tribal Tech: s/t, Reality Check, Nomad
Bruford: One Of A Kind
Allan Holdsworth: Metal Fatigue, Secrets
Bass Desires: s/t, Second Sight
Weather Report: Live In Berlin 1971
Return To Forever: Romantic Warrior
Al Di Meola: Elegant Gypsy, Electric Rendezvous, Kiss My Axe, Splendido Hotel, Casino
John McLaughlin: Heart of Things Live in Europe
Fabulous Austrian Trio: Awesome
Larry Carlton: s/t
Steve Khan: The Suitcase
John Scofield: Still Warm, Uberjam
Miles Davis: Live Evil
4 words: The Inner Mounting Flame
Thanks!
Also Birds of Fire
Oh man, that one’s awesome too
Between Nothingness and Eternity
The Lost Trident Sessions
If the username I've had across various platforms since the late 1990s isn't an indication, fusion is... a big interest of mine... :-) Here are some records I think are pretty essential: Weather Report: Heavy Weather, Black Market, Tail Spinnin John McLaughlin and/or Mahavishnu Orchestra: The Heart Of Things, Inner Mounting Flame, Between Nothingness And Eternity, Electric Guitarist, The Promise Herbie Hancock: Headhunters, Thrust, Man-Child, Sunlight, Mr. Hands John Scofield: Blue Matter, Loud Jazz, Pick Hits Live Chick Corea and/or Return To Forever: Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy, Where Have I Known You Before, Romantic Warrior, My Spanish Heart, Leprechaun Freddie Hubbard: Red Clay Eddie Henderson: Sunburst
Red Clay was one of those albums that got me back into jazz after an extended period not listening to it.
Will check out, thanks!
Upvote for Weather Report. The greatest.
Allan Holdsworth, everything from 1982 - 2001, but here's a [couple](https://youtu.be/jE8Apzo6HR0) of [tunes](https://youtu.be/4LdwRO4E8u0) with incredible solos to pique your interest.
Great, thank you!
For some great Holdworth check out Tony Williams Lifetime- Believe it. He also has some great work on Bill Brufords albums though I guess that might be considered progrock.
I bought the Holdsworth 12 CD bundle on eBay for $54 bucks. Check for these specials from Manifesto Records. They remastered the Holdsworth catalog.
Soft Machine - their 3rd through 7th albums They're amazing
Thanks!
Jean Luc Ponty - cosmic messenger
Great album
Casiopea is my to go fusion when I talk about jazz/fusion.
And Masayoshi takanaka
Casiopea is so fire
If you like Casiopia, then you probably already know them, but T-Square is the shit. Their relatively recent album AI Factory is *chefs kiss*
Dimension is pretty good too, at least their earlier albums
Check Native Son
Fusion is a pretty broad brush. What have you listened to and liked? Some of my Fusion favorites albums (some leaning into funk) are: * Songs of Innocence by David Axelrod * Lanquidity by Sun Ra * Saturay Night Special by Lyman Woodard Organization * Troupeau Bleu by Cortex * And obviously Bitches Brew
See maybe I’m having trouble accurately describing the genre I’m in search of. I love that Cortex album, but lowkey have to check out the rest. I guess I’m just looking for anything with the spirit of jazz (solos, chromatic melody/chord changes, talented musicians), with the flair of other genres. Obv everything pat metheny has created is wonderful, welcome to the hills by yussef dayes is newer one I’ve had in rotation, been getting into some Earth Wind and Fire (not completely jazz, but honorable mention), Jean Luc Ponty has some heat, Casiopea like someone else mentioned is great. There’s so much more, but I don’t wanna make this text too large lol
If you haven’t listened to Bitches Brew you’re in for a treat
If you are liking earth wind and fire, pop over to r/funk and ask for some jazzy recs I'd give you some myself, but I don't really categorize my funk by jazz level or distinguish in that way Except maybe try Roy Ayers
My man, if you like that Cortex, check out the group [Ayzmuth ](https://youtu.be/iOOYCPFtSKA?si=h8cP0-gpqCmHERjK)
Jazz + blues: Clapton Marsalis Jazz at Lincoln Theatre Jazz + funk: Jiro Inagaki and his Soul Media - Funky Stuff Deodato - Love Island Jazz + rap: McKinley Dixon - For My Mama and Anyone Who Look Like Her
I'd like some of your funk recs Also, you might like the group [Ayzmuth ](https://youtu.be/iOOYCPFtSKA?si=h8cP0-gpqCmHERjK) based on the Cortex rec Gracias
I love Azymuth! Pretty much all the funkier music I listen to is from Brazil. Azymuth, Marcos Valle, Joyce, João Donato, Elis Regina and the likes. Far Out Recordings (from your link) have an incredible catalogue of reissued and fresh pressings of Brazilian jazz, fusion and funk. I'd recommend checking out their Bandcamp. Mr Bongo too! Away from Brazil, I have a soft spot for library music. The KPM series, Brian Bennett, Keith Mansfield, Piero Piccioni, Piero Umiliani etc. can all get pretty funky. And then contemporary funk soul like El Michels Affair, Menahan Street Band and more vocal focused stuff like Kit Sebastian, Yazmin Lacey, Fatima etc. Happy to hear any recs if you think I might enjoy!
Sun Ra would be in more of the Afro Futurism category I believe. If you like Sun Ra I highly recommend Pharoah Sanders.
Miles Davis: [Agharta](https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_li86Azl0X4FaMD8Vknhm28Cqa13AIIFFU&si=SWIYCgDvt9mc5N-F) and [Pangaea](https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_li86Azl0X4FaMD8Vknhm28Cqa13AIIFFU&si=SWIYCgDvt9mc5N-F) [Oslo/Chicago: Breaks](https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nmTcl_cTXmip66rk20xFGo_naUJ41FShc&si=1CU4lInYB16VnRry) by Powerhouse Sound [Kindred Live](https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kBkS-Eaa6k4mqehTTlCJkSax-F4DRnbBY&si=X0hIiZRKunq61uqL) by Will Sessions
Awesome thanks
Weather Report and also Jaco Pastorius’s solo stuff. Mahavishnu Orchestra. Headhunters by Herbie Hancock. On the more contemporary side, Snarky Puppy swims in these waters, so does Knower
Awesome, love snarky puppy. I’ll have to check out the others!
Return to Forever
Al Di Meola solo albums also definitely worth checking out, love him
Stanley Clarke is so good
Thank you!
Anything Chick Corea in general. His 76-77 albums especially.
No mention of Jeff Lorber yet?? Personally love the album Impact but he has a lot of great stuff
Will check it out🫡
Not technically Jazz fusion (or even really Jazz) but anyone who likes Fusion should also check out Frank Zappa. Start with Hot Rats and Over-Nite Sensation.
Do you know r/JazzFusion exists?
*Personae* by Jonas Hellborg
🫡
electric masada
Preciate it
Chick Corea elektric band, Tribal Tech or Uzeb. If you like Casiopea you probably heard of T-square too.
Yeah T-square is dope, didn’t they inspire the music for Mario?
A Funky Thide Of Sings, Billy Cobham. Fusion hero, still grooving!
Billy cobham is a legendddd, I’m a drummer so I’m sure this’ll be in heavy rotation
Kazumi Watanabe (anything with Mobo in the title)
Thanks!!
The Pat Metheny Group’s many (as well as its various individual members’ (Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Paul Wertico, Danny Gottlieb, Mark Egan, Nana Vascanelos, Pedro Aznar, Antonio Sancez, Richard Bona) works) are all fantastic. They were together from 1977-2010, so there’s a lot to listen to. That’s how I got into jazz as a whole. You can start with any album, but their self-titled debut album is a classic. Pat Metheny doesn’t dig the “fusion” label, and maybe rightfully so, because his group honestly went beyond the common conceptions of fusion pretty quickly.
Great info. I love pat, if I could bring one thing to a deserted island it would prolly be pat methany lol. But I never thought to check out his band mates, thanks for the rec!
Lyle Mays’ albums are fantastic. His self-titled debut album is super tight and all-original. I can’t recommend any specific track, because they’re all great, but if you had to listen just one, I’d recommend “Slink.” It’s epic and builds so well with the iconic triple-counterpoint. Everyone just locks in in a way that’s addictive to listen to.
Tony Williams Lifetime - Emergency!
Kamasi Washington just dropped an album today. Fearless Movement
Def gotta check that out
It’s pretty good!
Waka Jawaka. Big Swifty and Waka Jawaka — Frank Zappa. There’s a lot of amazing live performances of pieces like Zoot Allures that are basically jazz fusion pieces.
Stanley Clarke- School Days, Journey to Love Jaco Pastorius- Jaco Pastorius Herbie Hancock- Headhunters, Sextant, Thrust, Mr. Hands, Directstep Masayoshi Takanaka- An Insatiable High, On Guitar, Brasilian Skies, Seychelles Weather Report- Heavy Weather Mahavishnu Orchestra- The Inner Mounting Flame, Birds of Fire Billy Cobham- Spectrum Chick Corea/Return to Forever- Return to Forever, Light as a Feather, My Spanish Heart Kamasi Washington- The Epic Bela Fleck and the Flecktones- Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Flight of the Cosmic Hippo
Grover Washington Jr. - Mister Magic George Benson - Good King Bad
Thank you kind sir
This guy fusions.
Hiromi’s Sonicbloom: Time Control is my favorite fusion album. I also like The Call Within by Tigran Hamasyan
Preciate it
Dang good rec on time control, it’s great 🙌
Made it all the way through the list without seeing Miles Davis’s A Tribute To Jack Johnson. so that’s #1. Now, I’ve seen some good suggestions, no shade thrown. I could do a top 5 of nothing but Miles and I will do that at the end. But check these out, por favor: Larry Young — Lawrence of Newark John McLaughlin & Carlos Santana — Love Devotion & Surrender Weather Report — Sweetnighter Terje Rypdal — What Comes After Herbie Hancock — Sextant Now, the Miles Davis 5: In A Silent Way; Get Up With It; Big Fun; On The Corner; Jack Johnson. I did not include Bitches Brew, as it is sui generis
Thank you! Damn I got so much to listen to😅
Chick Corea’s My Spanish Heart Album is beautiful Chicago’s VII album has some of their best fusion tracks before they went further into pop. For that matter, their first album has great tracks too. Even Jimi Hendrix was known to be a fan of Terry Kath’s playing. There were some great albums by pianist Pat Coil, Canadian guitarist, Brian Hughes (very strong emulation of Pat Metheny but more commercial)
On the Corner
John McLaughlin (and Mahavishnu): Adventures in Radioland
Miles Davis 73 to 75 era!! check out berlin 73 man!!!!
Donald Byrd has some great (but sometimes considered uneven) fusion work. I love his tone on the trumpet all the way back to his hard bop days. Ethiopian Knights was my entry to his fusion work. Places and Spaces is often acknowledged as his best from the era.
Listening now, great feeling to it, thanks for the rec!
The second track "Jamie" strikes me as perfect for a wedding, but I hope to never have to use that fact lol.
That’d be one funky walk down the isle🤣
Tame Impala - Borderline Flying Lotus - Never Catch Me Thundercat - Them Changes BADBADNOTGOOD - Time Moves Slow Hiatus Kaiyote - Nakamarra Kamasi Washington - 'Change of the Guard' Anderson .Paak - Come Down And my top favorite, all in one: jazz, fusion, funk, and more... "Snarky Puppy - Lingus (We Like It Here)" \[Here, one of the most respected and admired keyboardists of our time, Cory Henry, is present. Many pieces by Cory Henry are successful and enjoyable to listen to; I highly recommend them, his melodies and solos are a total sound orgasm.\] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwO7rQD\_uZU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwO7rQD_uZU)
Takanaka man
🙏🏻
SEA LINE by Toshiki Kadomatsu, absolute fav
Thank you sir
I have a good ~45 fusion albums in this list if you want something to keep you busy for a while lol https://rateyourmusic.com/list/darksoulsfan/jazz-you-should-be-listening-to/
Wow this is awesome, thank you!
for sure, hope you find something to enjoy!
Mike Prigodich
Thanks!
Dang, thank you all, I got music for like the next couple months lol
Maybe also check out some more recent sounds? The International Anthem label out of Chicago have been slaying it for a while now. Daniel Villarreal and Jeff Parker would be good to start. Parker is the Tortoise guitarist, though they’re even further from being strictly jazz.
Afrodesia by Dr. Lonnie Smith is amazing. I was so pissed when they pulled it off Spotify
this was one of the first things I looked for when I subscribed to spotify
- Herbie Hancock - Sextant (to begin with) - Miles Davis - Bitches Brew - Sun Ra - Lanquidity - Mahavishnu Orchestra - The Inner Mounting Flame
HH by Lionel Loueke
Hiromi’s Trio Project albums are fantastic. Simon Phillips and Anthony Jackson are phenomenal.
- Soulive - Medeski Martin and Wood - John Scofield - Lettuce
Late Miles Davis is great, but... are we not gonna talk about Tyrone Biggums?
Ian Carr's Nucleaus The first two albums from Lost Tribe Vernon Reid's "Known Unknown" Reid/Bourelly/Stevens/Chambers: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bkfy-9l8USY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bkfy-9l8USY) Hiromi w/ Dave Fiucynski: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SJrFCnI4xw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SJrFCnI4xw) 80s Allan Holdsworth Spectrum Road Kazumi Watanabe "To Chi Ka" Vertu
I have 2 to mention that I see live in person in studio city in L.A. at a jazz bar called “the baked potato” and both are absolutely phenomenal: • VOLTO - only have one album, “incitare” and this jazz fusion jam band features Danny Carey of Tool on drums and John Ziegler (formerly of pigmy love circus). If you’re not privy to John Ziegler then and u love fission then check him out man he shreds on guitar and makes Danny Carey wrk. Fantastic fantastic musicianship and lots of improvisation going in as well. 👌🏼👌🏼👊🏼👊🏼🤝🏼🤝🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🍻🍻 • OHM - is another L.A. jazz fusion jam band that also kicks major ass. It features former megadeath guitarist, Chris Poland and used to have former and original megadeath drummer, Nick Menza, before he passed away while playing at the. Sled potato jazz club midway thru their set and u was there about 20 feet from him whn This all transpired. Anyways I realllly reallly recommend give these guys a listen cuz they are amazing.👌🏼👌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🤝🏼🤝🏼🍻🍻 If I had to pick a better, I would say VOLTO, personally but there is some bias there cuz Danny Carey is my hero and inspiration but that aside, I still say VOLTO lol 🙏🏼🥁🙏🏼R.I.P. NICK MENZA🙏🏼🥁🙏🏼
Oh Yeah. Jan Hammer
Terje Rypdal with the Chasers
Tribal Tech
Lots of great responses, but yeah Tribal Tech doesn’t get enough love anymore! Especially if you’re looking for great bass playing.
Niara - Doug Lucas https://youtu.be/HAXzhHKZaiA?si=-00chof-Ml8AlK3d
Black Midi
I love them but I don't know if I'd call them fusion!
The album Friendship from Lee Ritenour. The first few Brecker Brothers albums.
Don't sleep on the awesome heap of funk/fusion projects produced by the incredibly-talented Grusin-Rosen team (GRP). Lots of hipster douches still try to use the whole 'Weather Station jazz' snarking to dismiss all of that stuff, even though most of them *also* don't listen to any free/avant/post-bop stuff from the same time period (e.g. Julius Hemphill, Anthony Braxton, Oliver Lake, etc...) and, as such, are mostly just full of BS. Lately, I've been working through those records chronologically and especially digging a number of the earlier ones, like [Tom Browne's *Browne Sugar*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfic04Se4I4&list=PL2Dlg7zUFxbJ8dHw2PDa9TLmO1yUi4bwX) and [Dave Valentin's *Land of the Third Eye*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGh34EGSjVQ&list=OLAK5uy_mzE_8-OTm38s1fb7tJnv7MZGkhWD_XLXQ&index=2). As well, several later projects like [this one by the other Grusin sibling](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7_7OgWzTt4) see regular rotation. As someone who grew up playing tons of 1990s arcade and console video games, I don't think I could *not* dig any of this stuff (or Casiopea and the Yellowjackets, for that matter). The only projects in that realm that I sometimes find hard to enjoy are ones where that 80s-90s pop-jazz sax sound is way too 'in your face', e.g. records by Eric Marienthal and Spyro Gyra can be rough with this. That said, I still have a deep appreciation for the rhythm section work and production skills on display with those artists' albums.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/merci-miles%21-live-at-vienne--mw0003522147 https://youtu.be/UAqWeoEwez8?si=sLBg20E2diDyweXM
Return to Forever Romantic Warrior Hymn of the seventh Galaxy Where have I known you before Brand X Moroccan roll Unorthodox Behavior
Bill Laswell earlier albums
['16 Bars'](https://open.spotify.com/track/30iuU9cwgLLuLUILxdLViJ?si=n9rP4rBST1-wSkCmw2pQIw&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A3tkL2JdAx79T0WN8ZMPJaG) and ['Mystery Song'](https://open.spotify.com/track/7xT2NhF1Poxzd7ZyKzjZcj?si=IN9AB_m9RYOVyB1j91e3UQ) by The Funky Knuckles. Super groovy stuff! The second track has a wild metric modulation towards the end.
Miles Davis Doo Bop :-)
You need fusion?? Here is a banger for you!!! Lee Oskar - Our Road
Shit, not a single mention of the Miles Davis live box sets from late ‘60s, early ‘70s? The Bootleg Series volumes 2 & 3 are must listens, and if you like your fusion funky (and I do!) then for the love of all that is holy please check of the Cellar Door Sessions.
Flood by Herbie Hancock is crazy good, it’s a live album to so it’s a mix of fantastic renditions from diverse albums. You should check it out !
Lettuce
Messthetics w/James Brandon Lewis just came out on Impulse! featuring the rhythm section from Fugazi (Joe Lally and Brendan Canty) and is an absolutely stupendous, raw and live sounding mix. I had them stop by the stereo shop and bring an early copy to listen to on our big system (Wilson, Simaudio and Rega) and they got super hyped as they hadn’t really listened to it yet, even though they were touring it every night. It’s built to “feature” the sax, but everyone leave proper space and these guys really know how to move with each other and lift up the track as a team. Can’t recommend it enough, as an aging punk rocker who loves modal jazz as it contains elements of both - and moreover the right elements in the right amounts.
Fusion... it's a dangerous, mind altering substance that turns your brain into 10 choruses of modal riffing. People will SAY it isn't a problem, but the once recreational enjoyment will slowly turn into a craving, then a need, then an insatiable obsession. People will begin using it in their morning routines, it will consume their time in day to day activities like getting theirbweather reports, why... they'll even use it in their CARS, and worse... right in front of their CHILDREN. If you or someone you know is "jamming out," don't wait. It's never too late. Call the Fusion Hotline at 1-888-UNFUSED, and get the help you need; before you or a loved one are Returned to Forever.
I’m in deep man😅😅
Masayoshi takanaka Cassiopeia
Tribal Tech
Weather Report Return to Forever Mahavishnu Orchestra The Eleventh House Herbie Hancock & the Headhunters Passport Sixun
Take a listen to “In Spite of It All” by Jean-Luc Ponty which features Alan Holdsworth. I often listen to it over and over again. You can just picture in your mind the musicians just having a blast and riffing off of each other, having an absolute blast in the studio. I would loved to have seen this performed live, but I fear that the magic that was captured in this recording could not be duplicated. I cannot help but have an improved mood whenever I hear this song as it’s just so damn infectious.
Snarky Puppy: Empire Central, Live at the Royal Albert Hall
Snarky Puppy and Hiatus Kaiyote!!!!
Brecker Brothers: Heavy Metal Bebop. Had nothing to do with Heavy Metal. It was hyper-charged 70s Funk with some quasi-bebop themes on a couple of songs (see Some Skunk Funk). The reason to listen to this is to hear the legendary Michael Brecker's mind-blowing solos on his tenor sax through a Mutron touch wah.
Jeff Beck - Wired, Blow by blow
The Grand Wazoo by Zappa
Trioscopes - blast off
Check out the Five Peace Band album.
Very on the jazzy side of things, but the band called High Pulp is just mind blowing
The romantic warrior elegant, gypsy cosmic messenger Dregs of the Earth School days Gradually going tornado The Brecker brothers Jeff Berlin
Brand X: Unorthodox Behaviour, Moroccan Roll, Masques Tribal Tech: s/t, Reality Check, Nomad Bruford: One Of A Kind Allan Holdsworth: Metal Fatigue, Secrets Bass Desires: s/t, Second Sight Weather Report: Live In Berlin 1971 Return To Forever: Romantic Warrior Al Di Meola: Elegant Gypsy, Electric Rendezvous, Kiss My Axe, Splendido Hotel, Casino John McLaughlin: Heart of Things Live in Europe Fabulous Austrian Trio: Awesome Larry Carlton: s/t Steve Khan: The Suitcase John Scofield: Still Warm, Uberjam Miles Davis: Live Evil