> I would add to this that, depending on the progress of your "illness"
> (hardening of the categories), there are some people who get classified
> as fusion but who have work at the crossroads. Off the top, I would name
> Tom Scott (e.g., "Night Creatures," I believe--not being next to my
> collection) or Candy Dulfer's recent stuff. Many others seem to have a
> track or two with a hip-hop-type rhythm section, that kind of thing
> (Spyro Gyra and those types). Even Stanley Clarke who has taken some
> flack here recently (although "the Kenny G of the guitar" seems a bit
> harsh to me) seems to be there. Listen to his cover of Ravel's Bolero
> (again, I'm sorry I can't recall the recording title, but email and I'll
> get it for you if you're interested). Nuff said.
Ahh, the ever difficult attempt to draw lines between musical
genre's/classifications. Acid Jazz and Fusion....I think alot of
different people look at fusion differently. Someone stated that Fusion
was a cross between Rock and Jazz, and though a valid statement,
obviously, I think another way would to be to simply say a cross between
Jazz and "something" There are alot of different musical influences out
there, and I think depending on ones background, you hear those
influences differently.
Being a big blues/rhythm and blues fan, I've really gotten into the
rhythm and blues/jazz style. To me, Fusion is more like rhythm and blues
with Jazz or vice versa:) I feel alot of blues influences (more than
rock) in the fusion that I've heard. Brian Auger's stuff falls in
there..Jazz fusion with a dose of groove. Another is an album by John
Mayall simply intitled Fusion. John is, of course, a well known blues
artist, but has crossed a few boundries over the years. Personally, I
think the Fusion album, which for it's time, has to be a forerunner in
Jazz Fusion is fantastic (anyone else agree here, or am I way off?).
Another one is an album by a Minneapolis band called the Lamont
Cranston Band. Though tending to be more blues influenced, they often
had a brass section which added a nice jazz feel to it. It was more like
rhythm and blues with lots o' boogie, but really not to far off from some
of the other cool fusion bands like the Brian Auger Band. The album is
called Special's Lit, and is the only one I am really familiar with. I've
heard a couple of the others, but they seemed to be more blues
oriented...i could be wrong.
Soooo...after all that rambling :) ..... My musical tastes are a touch
more traditional than some of the acid jazz that I've heard lately.
Especially the stuff that, to me, seems to have a lot of Hip Hop
influence. That doesn't bother me, and I actually do like it, but it
just doesn't grab me the same way the REAL GOOD jazz fusion/acid
jazz/groove music does like the Greyboy Allstars...Not without it's hip
hop influences....
Tim (tca@cerfnet.com)