Great Fusion Songs

[Maister]

I nominate 'Frankenstein' as the premier rock/jazz fusion tune.

runner up: almost the entire Pink Floyd album 'meddle' but if I had to pick one track then let it be 'Echoes' (especially that righteous groove right before the eerie moaning part in the song)

Overhead the albatross hangs motionless upon the air. And deep beneath the rolling waves in labyrinths of coral caves an echo of a distant time...

any other great fusion stuff you like?

[imaplanner]

What could be better than a fusion of Texas and Mexican food!

[JNA]

Pat Metheny's Off Ramp
Weather Report's Heavy Weather

[imaplanner]

Truthfully- what can surpass the "Walk this Way" compliation by Aerosmith and runDMC

[Tom R]

Anything by John Scofield.

[ofos]

Face First by Tribal Tech

[Maister]

Oooh, I just remembered one of the first CD's I shelled out for that I already had on vinyl - Mahavishnu Orchestra's 'Inner mounting flame'. Face facts, John McGlaughlin is a freakin' guitar genius.

[TOFB]

Originally posted by Maister

Oooh, I just remembered one of the first CD's I shelled out for that I already had on vinyl - Mahavishnu Orchestra's 'Inner mounting flame'. Face facts, John McGlaughlin is a freakin' guitar genius.

Totally agree with you there. Great stuff.

[wahday]

Originally posted by Maister

Oooh, I just remembered one of the first CD's I shelled out for that I already had on vinyl - Mahavishnu Orchestra's 'Inner mounting flame'. Face facts, John McGlaughlin is a freakin' guitar genius.

Ooh! I used to have that as well. It was on something they called a "cassette" copied from a friend. My Favorite is "My Goals Beyond" - has a few nicely arranged jazz standards on it.

I like MJM as well, but I think, like almost all fusion musicians, he says TOO much at times. I would say the same for Al DiMeola, Larry Coryell, even Jaco Pastorius (some of whose stuff is, I feel, brilliant). Knowing when to shut up is just as valuable as when to play.

[Hink_Planner]

I have been really enjoying mash-ups lately. It is somewhat like a fusion. The Gray Album (Beatles/JayZ) and the Beatles/Led Zeppelin mix as well as some of the newer stuff.

The TV show Glee has been doing these some in their recent shows as well. Pick two songs and put them together. Some songs work really well, some not so much.

Also, I love TexMex and Asian Fusion....mmmmmm.

ps. If you listen to Pink Floyd and watch the Wizard of OZ it is trippy....

[Maister]

Originally posted by Hink_Planner

ps. If you listen to Pink Floyd and watch the Wizard of OZ it is trippy....

Not just any Pink Floyd, it must be the album Dark Side of the Moon. Fans refer to the pairing as 'Dark Side of Oz' or 'Dark Side of the Rainbow'. I've even seen a 'Dark side of the Rainbow' laser light show. Pretty cool stuff.

People imagine/see all sorts of coincidences but the most memorable one is where the tornado throws the house and the moment when black and white Dorothy opens the door to the colored world of Oz, the song 'Money' kicks in!

[FueledByRamen]

There was a very short span of time (in my opinion) between the birth of fusion and when it became horrifically stupid that fusion music was really good. For me, Tony Williams-era Miles Davis is where its at ("In a Silent Way," "Circle in the Round," etc.)

Also, there are some very interesting definitions of "fusion" in this thread

[Bear Up North]

Oh, good thread. And its' from Maister! Oh, the humanity!

First nomination, from Chicago, back when they were a rock and roll band that played horns and jazz.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIQeu...eature=related

Second nomination, from Focus, only because this Bear determined that yodeling in a rock and roll song is as jazz-oriented as one could get. The guitar riffs in this tune are awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpV5InLw52U

Third nomination, from Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. There is no death without life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to_8kZCQalQ

Fourth nomination, from Yes. This is only the first half of the tune.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMF1-OEZYBE

Fifth nomination, from The Allman Brothers Band. Dynamite, low-key, jazz-influenced. Wow!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXrcINvsREU
_____

So many tunes have slight-to-major elements of rock/jazz fusion. So many good tunes. Therse are just a sample.

Bear

[MacheteJames]

Anything by Jean-Luc Ponty.

[Seana]

[wahday]

Originally posted by Seana

Now this is the only kind of fusion I still listen to. Why, just this morning I was listening to In a Silent Way while I walked the dog. Its a companion album to Bitches Brew with the same lineup. Great stuff.

Herbie Hancock is another name that has not come up. Like so many of the fusion folks I listened to over the years, he runs the gammut from delightfully tasteful to total cheeseball.

But I really like this album - The Headhunters