Jazz Styles Late 1960’s
Jazz in the late 1960’s was not America’s popular music anymore.
Beatles coming to America
Louis Armstrong’s “Hello Dolly”- Number 1 song in America (Billboard chart)
Jazz musicians began mixing the forms and improvisational techniques of jazz with
the electric instruments of rock and the rhythms of soul and rhythm and blues.
Fusion music generally receives little radio broadcast airplay in the United States
1st group of jazz styles to attain wide spread popularity after the Swing era
Forerunners of Jazz-Rock
Some rock artists began adding jazz elements to their music.
Blood, Sweat and Tears - 8 piece band with vocals in a James Brown style and Ray
Charles with horns
Fused rock, blues, pop music, horn arrangements and jazz improvisation
Merged the styling of rock, pop and R&B/soul music with big band, while also
adding elements of small combo jazz traditions.
Chicago - 7 piece band, trumpet, trombone, sax in a style of late ‘60 Motown
Their horn parts were modeled after the James Brown and Motown brass
style rather than jazz
Jazz-Rock Fusion
Rock music had the attention of America’s listeners by the late 1960’s
Jazz found another opportunity for new musical idioms, sounds and concepts to
merge with Rock - “Jazz/Rock Fusion”
Characteristics of Jazz Fusion music:
Mix of jazz improvisation with R & B and Rock rhythmic conception
Jazz used newer electronic instruments and great amplification
Electric piano replacing piano
Jazz/rock bass players now used an electric bass or bass guitar
instead of the stand-up string bass
Repeated guitar or piano accompanying riffs
Drums - full, active
Volume level increased
Angular melody
Extended track lengths, featuring lengthy improvisations.
Rhythmic complexity
Typically instrumental
Miles Davis & Jazz Fusion
Trumpeter and composer Miles Davis had the greatest influence on the
development of jazz fusion by a single individual.
Miles Davis – “The Grandfather of Fusion”
John McLaughlin
John McLaughlin & “The Mahavishnu Orchestra”
Alumni from Miles Davis’ band
Unprecedented blending of genres:
High-volume electrified rock sound
Complex rhythms in unusual time signatures
Funk, R&B or even gospel/hymn styled vocals.
Harmonic influence from European classical music
Herbie Hancock
Alumni of Miles Davis’s band
Elements of rock and soul while adopting freer stylistic elements from jazz.
Often melodic and accessible - achieved success among pop audiences.
One of the first jazz musicians to embrace synthesizers and funk.
Multiple Grammy Award winning
"River: The Joni Letters" won the 2008 Grammy Award for Album of the Year,
only the second jazz album to win the award.
Chick Corea
Pianist, composer, alumni of Davis’ Band
One of the most influencing jazz musicians in recent years
He is also known for promoting Scientology.
In the early 1970s, - profound stylistic turn from Avant Garde to a crossover jazz
fusion style that incorporated Latin jazz elements.
In 1971 - Return to Forever - fusion sound and Brazilian and Spanish-American
musical styles
“Spain” - his most popular piece - Spanish flamenco elements and jazz
Chick Corea Elektric Band - greatly different in style in comparison with Return to
Forever - move away from rock-oriented fusion into a more Post-bop style
Weather Report
Founders - pianist Joe Zawinul and saxophonist Wayne Shorter
Miles Davis band alumni
Influential jazz fusion band of the 1970s and early 1980s –
Jazz and Latin jazz with art music, ethnic music, R&B, funk, and rock
elements
Demonstrating high levels of compositional and improvisational skills.
The group won the 1979 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Fusion Performance
Jaco Pastorius – “The Greatest Bass Player Who Has Ever Lived”
Bass player, composer and songwriter widely acknowledged for his virtuosity on
the bass guitar
Michael Brecker
Michael Brecker & Brecker Brothers
Tenor sax, soprano sax, EWI-electronic wind instrument, composer
The most influential tenor saxophonist since John Coltrane
Won 15 Grammys as both performer and composer.
Brecker Brothers and Steps Ahead – some of the most influential Jazz Fusion
groups
Michael Brecker’s use of EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument)
This is an Electronic sax-like instrument
Pat Metheny
One of the most successful and critically acclaimed jazz musicians in the 1970s and
'80s
Leader of the Pat Metheny Group, duets, solo works, and other side projects.
Incorporates elements of progressive and contemporary jazz, post-Bop, jazz-rock
fusion, and folk-jazz.
17 Grammy Awards; as part of The Pat Metheny Group, ten consecutive Grammys.
Heavy use of the Guitar Synthesizer;
Custom-made acoustic guitars: mini guitar, acoustic sitar guitar, baritone guitar,
Pikasso I (42-string guitar, built Pat Metheny).
Pat uses PIKASSO guitar (42 string guitar…5 in 1 instrument)
New Directions in Jazz
Jazz Pop (Pop Jazz)
Tradition since the big-band era - music that retains the melodic and rhythmically
swinging qualities of jazz but (like pop) concentrates first and foremost on
memorable melodies, usually with little to no improvisation.
Various styles of Pop-Jazz with brushed clean edges
Soft sound, smooth and radio-ready
Popular sounds with jazz styling and instrumentation
Many styles of Pop-Jazz approach popular music from a jazz direction
Quincy Jones “Q”
Music impresario, conductor, record producer, musical arranger, Academy Awardwinning film composer and trumpeter.
One of the greatest leaving legends in music Worked in all styles from pop, soul, hiphop, jazz, classical, African and Brazilian music, with everybody from Louis
Armstrong, Dizzy and Ray Charles to Michael Jackson, Steve Wonder and Ice T.
List of Quincy Jones’ achievements
George Benson
A true jazz player finding popularity in pop without “selling out.”
Known for his silky clear guitar leads and solid R&B vocalists. Unique to Benson's
sound is the "scat-lead.”
Jazz Pop
Sting
Academy Award-nominated sixteen time Grammy-winning English musician,
principal songwriter, lead singer and bass guitar player of the rock band The Police.
As a solo musician and member of The Police, Sting has sold over 45 million records.
In 1987 with noted jazz arranger Gil Evans who placed Sting in a big band setting for
a live album of Sting's songs
“The Dream of the Blue Turtle”
(His first solo album) showcases Sting's abilities as a musician in the jazz and
classical genres
Jazz swing feel with Jazz improvisations by the major jazz artists in NY at the
time
Sade
Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, composer, and record producer, noted
for her soulful, smoky contralto voice
Labeled as “The Queen of Smooth Jazz”,
Since at the time her style couldn’t fit in neither R&B nor Jazz, Sade’s music was
labeled “Pop jazz”, “Smooth jazz”. The laid back beats, and of course the sound of the
sax improvisations contributed great deal to that.
"Smooth Operator”
Possibly her most popular song
Crossover Jazz
In the early 70s “Fusion” more predictable - less input and inspiration from the rock
world.
Producers and musicians searched for other combinations of styles to have
big sellers.
Promoters and publicists enjoy using the term “Contemporary Jazz” to
describe these "fusions" of jazz with elements of pop music, R&B, and world
music “Crossover” - more accurate.
“Crossover” and “Fusion” increased the jazz audience
Crossover Jazz
Chuck Mangione – flugelhorn, composer, more than 30 albums since 1960
“Feel So Good”- smooth jazz stations throughout the US - " as their all-time
number one song.
Bob James - two-time Grammy Award-winning, keyboardist, arranger and producer.
“Nautilus”- among the most sampled in hip hop history
Al Jerreau - seven-time Grammy Award winner, the only vocalist in history to win in
three separate categories: jazz, pop, and R&B
“We're In This Love Together” - his most commercially and artistically
successful tune
Rippingtons & Spyro Gyra - pop-flavored instrumentals Latin rhythms and el.
Keyboards
“Morning Dance” – Spyro Gyra’s most successful hit single
Jazz Instrumental Pop
Encompasses a range of breezy, radio-friendly styles that emphasize smoothly
contoured melodies, unobtrusive dynamics and gentle rock- and Funk-derived
rhythms.
Pioneered in the 1970s - pianist Bob James, guitarist Lee Ritenour and
trumpeter/flugelhorn player Chuck Mangione
Similar easy listening niche as Smooth Jazz; in fact, the two are often brought
together under the radio-programming banner of "contemporary jazz."
Smooth Jazz - sultry and romance-ready
Jazz Instrumental Pop - more flexible in terms of mood.
Jazz Instrumental Pop
Kenny G
25th-highest selling artist in America, 48 million albums sold in the USA,
Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition
“What a Wonderful World” - stirred controversy among the jazz community
regarding the overdubbing of Louis Armstrong's classic recording.
The Rippingtons - often considered smooth jazz, #1 on Billboard (1997)
Dave Grusin – Multiple Academy Award-winning composer, arranger and pianist.
scores for feature films and television, won numerous awards for his soundtrack
work; co-founded GRP Records
“Mountain Dance” – one of his most popular tune
Smooth Jazz
Outgrowth of fusion, one that emphasizes its polished side and perhaps the most
commercially potent subgenre to fall under the jazz banner in recent years.
Sometimes referred to as new adult contemporary music.
“Downtempo”, layering a melody (played by sax, guitars) over a backdrop
(consisted of programmed rhythms and various pads and/or samples).
Much of "smooth jazz" radio format contains vocals – not true smooth jazz.
Smooth and Contemporary jazz - slightly different.
Smooth jazz - background music
Straight-ahead jazz - demanding the listener's undivided attention.
Polished production values and easily recognizable melodies.
Rhythms - Funk, 1970s Fusion and hip-hop, but softened up quite a bit
Smooth Jazz listeners – want soothing, high-gloss background music, rather than
something of a more raw or challenging nature.
“Smooth jazz” controversy.
Urban Jazz and Chill
Urban Jazz - incorporates aspects of hip-hop. Aimed at audiences who would
normally listen to urban contemporary radio stations that play a mix of hip-hop and
R&B
Another nascent trend involves the fusion of smooth jazz and electronica, the results
of which are similar to what has, among electronica enthusiasts, come to be called
“chill.”
Ken Navarro
"Smooth Sensation"
Urban Jazz Coalition
“déjà vu”
Acid Jazz (Club Jazz)
Combines elements of soul music, funk, disco, particularly looping beats and modal
harmony.
In the UK (1980s and 1990s) - jazz-funk onto electronic dance/pop music for the
UK.
Often contains various types of electronic composition (sampling or live DJ cutting
and scratching) but could be played live by musicians, who often showcase jazz
interpretation as part of their performance.
Disc jockeys Gilles Peterson and Chris Bangs are generally credited with
coining the term acid jazz at a 1987 party.
Acid Jazz was invented by DJ’s NOT Jazz musicians
DJ’s became involved in making the music themselves, instead of only playing the
work of others
Jazz musicians got more involved in live performances along with DJs
The term eventually became applied to Hip hop music that was only slightly jazzy
and usually did not have fresh jazz improvisation
In the mid 1990s, “Acid Jazz” appeared on the labels of some recordings that
contained only rap music
St. Germaine - French electronica and nu jazz
“So Flute” - a synthesis of electronics with jazz soloing
Down to the Bone - hailed as “The Kings of UK jazz groove” - mix of funk and jazz.
“Brooklyn Heights”
John Scofield – alumni of Miles Davis’ band, combines bebop idiom with jazz fusion,
funk, blues, soul, and other forms of modern American music.
“Chank” with Medeski, Martin and Wood
John Scofield with John Mayer – “I Don't Need No Doctor”
Jamiroquai - Grammy Award-winning English acid jazz/funk/soul band.
“Virtual Insanity” - 1997 MTV Video Music Awards won four awards - Best
Video, Best Special Effects, Best Cinematography, and Breakthrough Video.
Acid Jazz and Rap
During the same time Rap groups were beginning to borrow jazz sounds.
Needed a new way to get the accompaniment cheaply, so they were
excerpting the introductions. In the earlier years they borrowed
accompaniment riffs from the funkiest of jazz records-riffs helped provide a
continuous pattern of repeating rhythms under their rap
Some rappers believed that their performance would gain a jazz flavor could be a brief part of trumpet or sax solo, piano chords typified jazz of the
‘60s and ‘70s, a walking bass pattern or a drummer’s ride cymbal rhythm
Some rappers believed that just naming a few famous jazz musicians within
the rap would make their product more hip
Jazz and Rap
Fusion of alternative hip hop and jazz, developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Lyrically - intellectual, often socio-political or Afrocentric in content.
Musically - hip hop rhythms with repetitive phrases of jazz instrumentation
The amount of improvisation varies between artists
Louis Armstrong's 1925 recording of "Heebie Jeebies" in his timeline of hip hop.
In 1988, Gang Starr - "Words I Manifest", sampling Charlie Parker
Miles Davis' final album, Doo-Bop, based around hip hop beats
Herbie Hancock returned to hip hop in the mid-nineties - Dis Is Da Drum (1994).
Jazz musician Branford Marsalis collaborated with Gang Starr's that same year.
In 1993, Us3 released “Hand on the Torch” on Blue Note Records. The single
"Cantaloop" was Blue Note's first gold record.
Beginning in 1993, Guru's Jazzmatazz project uses live jazz musicians in the studio.
Herbie Hancock
“Rockit” - Grand Mixer DXT - an influential DJ in the early years of
turntablism - using turntables as a musical instrument.
US3 - “Hand on the Torch” had become a global phenomenon. It was the first Blue
Note album to achieve Platinum status (1,000,000 sales) in the USA.
“Cantaloop Island”- Sample of Herbie’ original “Cantaloupe Island”(1964)
Jazzmatazz - founder - GURU one of the pioneers of hip-hop/jazz crossover
Guru's Jazzmatazz ft. Common & Bob James – “State of Clarity”
A Tribe Called Quest – the innovative fusing of hip hop and jazz has had a lasting
impact on hip hop music
“Electric Relaxation”
Stetsasonic - forerunners of alternative hip hop and jazz hip-hop.
“Talkin all that jazz”
Nu Jazz
Umbrella term coined in the late 1990s - jazz elements with other musical styles
(funk, electronic dance music, and free improvisation.
nü-jazz or NuJazz, it is sometimes called electronic jazz, e-jazz, jazztronica,
jazz house, phusion, or future jazz.
Electronic instruments in jazz - as early as Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock.
The sound of Nu Jazz –
Jazz music with a slow tempo alongside an ambient beat, and usually little to
no vocals are involved.
Rhythms and melodies can often be repetitive in nature.
Nu Jazz can also be referred to as Jazz Fusion or Electro-Jazz.
Nu jazz typically ventures farther into the electronic territory than acid jazz (or
groove jazz)
Nu jazz ranges from combining live instrumentation with beats of jazz house to
more band-based improvised jazz with electronic.
Experimental Nu Jazz
American Nu Jazz
Nu Jazz is often described as “avant-garde” because it does not follow any
rules or specific qualities like consistent rhythm or scales found in more
traditional forms of jazz.
European Nu Jazz
Bugge Wesseltoft and Nils Petter Molvær. The Cinematic Orchestra incorporating a traditional jazz band while fusing electronic elements into
their music production.
Artist St. Germain, purveyor of nu jazz music, has sold 1.5 million copies of
his Tourist album, thus making it the top-selling jazz album in the United
States.
Nu Jazz
Bugge Wesseltoft - Norwegian jazz musician, pianist, composer and producer, made
a transition from Nordic jazz traditions to "future jazz" or nu jazz.
“New Conception of Jazz” – John Scofield as a special guess
Nils Petter Molvær - Norwegian jazz trumpeter, composer and producer. He is
considered a pioneer in the fusion of jazz and electronic music
“Song of Sand”
The Cinematic Orchestra - combination of live jazz improvisation with electronica,
such that it is difficult to tell where the improvisation ends and the production
begins.
“The Man With The Movie Camera”