Jazz rock(English) jazz rock) - a direction of music whose name speaks for itself. This unique mixture of jazz and rock appeared relatively recently - in the 60s of the twentieth century, when some progressive-minded jazzmen found the scope of their extensive style too narrow. Traditionally, the emergence of jazz rock is geographically attributed to the United States, but in the Old World there were also enough nuggets who, independently of their colleagues from overseas, mastered the new sound.

Already in the early 60s in the UK there were groups such as Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames and the Graham Bond Organization, whose musicians tried to combine jazz and rhythm and blues in their work. Echoes of jazz rock can also be heard in the 1964 album “The Five Faces of Manfred Mann” by Manfred Mann. However, venerable music critics are inclined to consider the first work in jazz rock to be the record of American jazz vibraphonist Gary Burton (Gary Burton) “Duster”, which went on sale in 1967. This disc featured young Texas musician Larry Coryell as guitarist. It is he who stands at the origins of the style that is commonly called jazz-rock.

A year before working with the great Gary Burton, Larry managed to make his mark in the group The Free Spirits, which also tried to mix jazz with rock in its experiments. When it became clear that the two independent genres of music were quite compatible, Miles Davis' "Miles in the Sky" appeared on the charts. From that moment on, jazz-rock began to gain momentum. Groups playing in a new vein arose independently of each other on both sides of the ocean and sounded very diverse. And this diversity was determined by the broad framework of both genres. Comparing, for example, the Americans Blood, Sweat and Tears with the British The Soft Machine is a completely different approach to music, but both groups at certain moments of their creativity can be completely attributed to this direction.

Jazz-rock is characterized by a significant duration of compositions, improvisation, its jazz basis with all the ensuing consequences and the use of rock instruments. During the heyday of this movement in the 70s, groups such as The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Brand X, Chicago, Return to Forever appeared - groups that are still considered classics of the genre. Subsequent years somewhat expanded the boundaries of jazz rock, adding world, funk and elements of pop music, including electronics. Many subgenres have appeared, but their basis is the same unchanged jazz.

Jazz rock is also sometimes referred to by the term "fusion" ( English fusion), the emergence of which is associated with the arrival of black musicians in jazz-rock who did not want to associate themselves with white rock culture. Characteristic feature fusion is a leaning towards funk. But, to a greater extent, the term “fusion” contains not a musical, but a social connotation, marking the implementation of “fusion” not only at the level musical cultures, but also between different ethnic groups of performers and listeners. A striking example of such social fusion was the performance of the black Miles Davis at concerts at Fillmore West in 1970 in front of an audience of white hippies in a lineup with white and black performers.

The first ensembles that began performing music called “jazz-rock” consisted of young performers who grew up in a rock environment, but were inclined towards jazz aesthetics and improvisational instrumental music. They were practically rock bands with a brass section.

This direction can be attributed to the origins of the entire fusion style

This pattern was typical of the most prominent American groups that made their presence known in 1968 - "" and "". The brass section of these groups included only three or four different instruments, usually a trumpet, trombone and saxophone, and the orchestrations for them were done in such a way that, in combination with guitar, bass guitar and keyboards, they sounded like a real big band. Soon the group “”, created by trumpeter Bill Chase, gained enormous popularity. The peculiarity of its sound was that the brass section consisted of four trumpets playing in a high register. Unfortunately, in 1974, Bill Chase and three of his colleagues died in a plane crash and the group broke up.

Usually, all the laurels of jazz-rock pioneers go to the groups "Chicago" and "Blood, Sweat & Tears", although attempts to combine two such movements were made by other musicians, in parallel, and sometimes even before them. For example, back in 1965, the New York group “The Free Spirits” arose (for some reason this name was borrowed by John McLaughlin when creating his trio in 1993), already then performing what could safely be considered jazz-rock. guitarist Larry Coriell, who later became a fusion music star, began his career.

White bluesman from Chicago Michael Bloomfield created the group “The Electric Flag” in 1967, calling it “The Orchestra of American Music”. It was an ensemble consisting of a blues-rock band with an added horn section, which gave the white blues extra power.

American groups of this type had their own ideology - to create something in the United States that would resist the wave of the “British Invasion” that swept the United States.
In 1969, he began performing and producing instrumental rock music with improvisations; he is an eternal nihilist and shocking experimenter. With his assistance, many fusion musicians achieved a high level of fame. One cannot help but recall the rock band "The Flock", in which the jazz violinist played, who later became famous for his participation in the first composition of the "Mahavishnu Orchestra" of John McLoughlin.

In 1970, the jazz drummer created the group "Dreams", which was at first noticeably similar in the style of orchestration to its predecessors - "Chicago" and "Blood, Sweat & Tears". The difference was that brilliant jazz improvisers took part in "Dreams", such as Michael Brecker and Randy Brecker, who played on the first Blood, Sweat & Tears record, as well as guitarist John Abercrombie, not to mention Billy Cabham himself. All of these musicians became famous Soon they became stars of the fusion style, participating in the most famous ensembles.

And the group “Dreams” can no longer be called white “brass rock”, since it was racially mixed, and, despite the external similarity with “Chicago”, it was more like “rock-jazz”, that is, jazz that resembled rock. (The reader is reminded that in English the first of the two words is the definition of the second.) During the same period, that is, immediately after the instant fame came to the pioneers of jazz-rock, some famous American jazzmen began to play in a new way, using rhythms borrowed from rhythm and blues, soul and funk music.
It is impossible not to note the emergence on the verge of the 60s and 70s of a number of projects aimed not so much at creating a fundamentally new music, how much for the popularization of jazz by performing in a new way works taken from pop culture, from classical music. Jazz trombonist Don Sebesky then made a number of interesting experimental recordings with large orchestras.

Critics, who had not yet understood what was happening, dubbed this music “pop-jazz,” despite the fact that its structure was immeasurably more complex than what fits the term “pop.” A number of outstanding jazz musicians who played “soul jazz” and “hard bop” in the 60s, in the first half of the 70s under the production of Grid Taylor, made a number of recordings that can safely be classified as forms of jazz rock. This is, first of all, George Benson, Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine, Hubert Laws. But this line of early jazz-rock did not receive further development.
Over time, when rock culture was swept away by the disco era, the classics of jazz rock were included in the history of jazz, their names began to be included in jazz encyclopedias, reference books and dictionaries. The replacement of the term “Jazz-rock” with “Fusion” was largely due to the arrival of black musicians in jazz-rock who did not want to be associated with white rock culture, and gave the whole movement the character of “funk” music.

The term “fusion” has not only musical, but also social connotations, indicating that the “fusion” occurred not only at the level of musical cultures, but also between different ethnic groups of listeners and performers.
This was especially clearly demonstrated by Miles Davis, who performed at concerts at the Fillmor West in front of an audience of white hippies with avant-garde funky music, featuring white performers.

In Great Britain

Shocked by their close contact with the true blues, these jazzmen began to create their own version of white blues.
A number of groups emerged in London clubs, the most famous of which were “Blues Incorporated”, “Graham Bond Organization” and “Blue Flames”. good school future stars of various directions - Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, Dick Heckstal-Smith, John McLoughlin, Jack Bruce and many others.

The British school of early art rock (progressive or jazz rock) of the late 60s is characterized by a noticeable influence of rhythm and blues, on the one hand, and on the other hand, on the contrary, by the special depth and content inherent in centuries-old European culture.
Music of this type, created in that short period in England, is in many ways unique and underestimated by the mass audience.
The initial period of the formation of jazz rock is characterized by the search for something new, both from outside large quantity jazzmen, and from obvious rock performers. Quite unusual combinations of musicians arose then. A prominent representative of hard rock, Deep Purple guitarist Tommy Bolin is looking for contacts with jazzmen, recording on the Spectrum disc with Billy Kobham. Rock guitarist Jeff Beck records with keyboardist Ian Hammer, who became a prominent figure in jazz rock after his participation in the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Rock bassist Jack Bruce, known for his participation in short life supergroup "Cream", plays for some time in "Soft Machine", and then records in the project of American jazz drummer Tony Williams "Lifetime". The drummer of the group "Genesis" Phil Collins collaborates with guitarist Al Dee Meola (Al Di Meola), plays in the group "Brand X". And there are many such examples.

But already during this period there was a noticeable tendency towards the gradual transformation of jazz-rock into purely instrumental music. The vocalist is replaced by a virtuoso improviser. The brass section becomes optional. The composition of jazz-rock ensembles is formed according to the principle of jazz combos - a rhythm group plus soloists. Acoustic instruments are being replaced by electronic ones. Instead of a double bass, a bass guitar is used, and instead of a piano, keyboards are used (Wutlitzer piano, Rhodes piano, and later synthesizers). The electric guitar with bells and whistles is replacing the jazz acoustic guitar.

IN early period Jazz-rock is dominated by a rhythmic concept that comes from rock culture, that is, based on rhythm and blues, on soul music. The further fate of jazz-rock in the process of its gradual transformation into “fusion” music is associated with the transition to a completely different sense of rhythm, to the concept of the “funk” style. Jazz-rock becomes the music of improvisers as its destiny passes into the hands of prominent jazz figures such as Miles Davis, Chick Corea Chick Corea, Joe Zavinul, John McLoughlin, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter.

Alexey Kozlov.

The second half of the 60s of the last century was marked by the heyday of rock culture in the West, which was associated with the incredible rise of the hippie movement.

A lot of new things appeared in those years. And not only in music, but in art in general and in the aesthetics of young people’s lives. There were regular rock bands and jazz rock bands playing here. The new groups that emerged during this period can be safely compared to the number of mushrooms growing after rain.

The emergence of Jazz rock

In those years, many new musical trends, groups and names appeared. The Beatles paved the way from Mersbeat to diverse complex compositions. Following them, such trends as Acid-Rock, Psi-rock, Folk-rock, Classic-Rock, Country rock, Rock Opera, Blues-rock and, of course, Jazz-rock began to appear.

Based on grammar in English, the term jazz-rock can be translated as “jazz rock”, since in grammar the first word determines the relationship to the second. Therefore, the first jazz-rock ensembles became a springboard for the onset of rock culture, not jazz.

Jazz-rock has become an essential part of unconventional music. His stars ended up in rock encyclopedias, reference books and dictionaries.

The first jazz rock bands

At that time, critics came to the conclusion that the Chicago group consisted of rock musicians who were trying to play jazz. And the Blood of Tiars group, in their opinion, on the contrary, consisted of jazzmen who joined rock music. It is also important to remember that in the United States, rock was originally considered white music.

For this reason, the image of the jazz-rock genre was described as: “a white rock band that includes a section of brass instruments.” Not only these two groups made themselves known at that time. They performed new harmonies and rhythms, improvised, and played electronic instruments. Note that America was subject to unprecedented pressure from rock bands based in England.

Mike Bloomfield is a young bluesman from Chicago. He created the blues-rock group Electric Flag. There was a brass section. But at the same time it was said that the group would play real American music. Therefore, we can conclude that in the early stages jazz-rock had an ideological background. One of the most striking ensembles at that time was the Chase group, created by trumpeter Bill Chase. He died tragically in 1974.

Jazz rock in the activities of famous rock musicians

The early manifestations of jazz rock include a huge number of groups in which musicians played who had previously had nothing to do with such a movement as jazz. Ginger Baker - drummer of "The Cream" - after the group broke up, created new group- "Air Force Band". Groups began to appear in which young jazzmen worked together with rock musicians.

Famous rock musicians actively took part in recording new types of music. Some famous musicians begin to record in studios with others. For example, Jeff Beck recorded with Jan Hammer and Stanley Clarke. Jack Bruce joined The Tony Williams Lifetime. Some time later, the drummer of the Genesis band became a member of the Brand X group.

He also accompanied Al Di Meola. Tommy Bolin, guitarist from Deep Purple, recorded with the famous jazz drummer Billy Cubham. In addition, he himself attracted jazz-rock performers to record his solo records together. All musicians united to find and invent something new. Everyone who did not get hung up on the same way of playing, on a monotonous style.

If we consider the early times as a whole, we can unequivocally state that in the environment of jazz in the mid-60s, what is called the “threshold” of jazz rock was formed. This is the Adderley Brothers Quintet, Messengers Jazz, Horace Silver and drummer Art Blakey. The music of this quintet is classified as soul jazz or funky jazz.

Elements of such music are actively used by Quincy Jones, an outstanding arranger. Funky soul music was promoted in every possible way by producer Grid Taylor. He worked with Jimmy Smith, Wes Montgomery and other jazzmen.

They were also innovators in their own right, as they offered a new aesthetic that differed significantly from the funky and hard bop standards. Already in 1965, Larry Coryell was one of the first to reconsider the approach to sound on his own instrument, changed the phrasing, and tried to become closer to the rock guitar.

But the real revolution was brought about by John McLoughin. Therefore, several forces worked simultaneously on the direction of jazz-rock. If we talk about traditional jazz, then, in principle, a whole generation of listeners appeared and grew up here.

On the other hand, jazz has changed a lot during this time. He stopped moving in a commercial direction. IN post-war period The era of dance swing is over. Bebop quickly evolved into hard bop. In the late 60s, he touched avant-garde jazz, leaving the general audience and beginning to develop in depth.

Over time, jazz became a very complex movement; it ceased to be a fashionable art. Because such circumstances forced the music business to change. Even famous jazzmen were left without work. Thus, antagonism arose in the sphere of rock music and the jazz environment.

For most jazzmen who continued their development, the tastes of youth caused a smile. It all seemed too simple and primitive to them. The musicians who played rock treated the jazzmen with respect. But there was also some hostility on their part due to the latter’s dislike of everything new.

If we talk about this in general, then both of these directions were to some extent rivals in terms of jealousy for success. It is because of these reasons that jazz rock did not cause much enthusiasm among the general public. Jazz criticism stated that this direction has no future and artistic value.

Video: Funk-Jazz-Rock-Groove-Music

The English word fusion best defines the name of the jazz movement, combining elements of funk, metal, folk, jazz, hip-hop, R&B, reggae and other styles. One jazz fusion album can contain music from all of the above directions, which makes it interesting for those who are looking for their own style and experimenting with jazz.

Performers

Jazz fusion is an “alloy” of jazz with elements of a variety of styles: metal, electronics, reggae, folk, pop, rock, hip-hop, ethnic, etc. Often, even in one artist’s album, you will find an explosive mixture of the above. Fusion originated in the late 60s of the last century, when jazzmen began experimenting with electronic music, rock, and rhythm and blues. At the same time, rock musicians were not alien to jazz elements and, with their help, diversified their compositions. In the 70s, fusion reached its peak, but in subsequent decades it enjoyed stable popularity among performers and listeners. This style can be called systematized; experts consider it as an approach or musical tradition, which is why, for example, progressive rock is considered fusion.

Most prominent representatives fusion were musicians performing jazz-rock, for example, the groups “Eleventh House”, “Lifetime”. The origins of fusion were associated with such orchestras as the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Weather Report, which performed bright, interesting and varied music, often successfully experimenting with directions. Among the individual fusion musicians, drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson, guitarists Pat Metheny, John Scofield, John Abercrombie and James "Blood" Ulmer, and saxophonist and trumpeter Ornette Coleman stand out.

Fusion is distinguished by instrumentality, complex bars, meter, long compositions with inclusions of improvisations. Most of the musicians performing this music are easily recognizable thanks to high level technique, which is rarely found in such forms. In the USA, fusion does not receive much airtime due to its complexity and lack of vocal component. However, in Japan, Europe, and South America there are entire radio stations broadcasting to a large number of fans of the style.