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Return to Forever
They bridged the gap between fusion and prog rock bands
Return to Forever had a pretty long run with a few different lineups, but in their most classic incarnation, they moved jazz fusion and the largely instrumental progressive rock bands like Brand X and Mahavishnu Orchestra closer together.
Read ‘Chick Corea’s Musical Universe
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King Crimson: 1981-2019
Part 1: King Crimson: 1969-1974 ** Part 2: Robert Fripp: Crimson Hiatus 1974-1980 ** Part 3: King Crimson: 1981-2019
Part 3: King Crimson: 1981-2019
1981 brought a new development to the musical landscape that was very surprising and confusing to many music fans: Robert Fripp announced the formation of a new version of King Crimson that would go on tour as well as releasing a new album. While the return of King Crimson was unexpected, it didn’t create the kind of controversy and confusion that the actual band did. Fripp, of course, was the only original member of the band, and he brought drummer Bill Bruford, a member of the group’s 1973-74 model, to the table as well.
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Jazz Fusion
History of Jazz: Part 7
Jazz fusion is a pretty big category, and we’ve lumped a lot of material together here. Basically, these are the granddaddies of the marriage of jazz with electronics, rock, funk, and technology.
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Free Jazz and the Avant-Garde
History of Jazz: Part 6
Free jazz is perhaps one of the more misunderstood forms of music. Free jazz draws from other forms of improvisational music that are based on instrumentalists playing based on either a very loose thematic element or perhaps no specific starting point, and playing based on what they are hearing other musicians in the group playing at any given time. The element of playing and listening is a large part of any improvisational music, from primitive folk music to art music.
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Dr. John: The Doctor Is In
Dr. John has left the stage for the last time, but nothing can dim the beauty of his music and his love affair with the wild, dangerous New Orleans that once was.
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The Dawn of Hip-Hop DJs
From Brooklyn Disco to the Bronx Playground
Continue reading The Dawn of Hip-Hop DJs“The idea of a d.j. making something new out of other people’s music might seem preposterous. But there’s no question that a real d.j. can shape a night of music with his personality, style, and spirit, magically turning a string of records into a spontaneous symphony.”
–Vince Aletti– The Disco Files 1973-1978 —
Hard Bop, Post Bop & Soul Jazz
History of Jazz: Part 6
The strains of blues, gospel, and R&B that figured in the music of many hard bop musicians led to the development of soul jazz, which eventually led to the development of fusion and electric experiments in jazz.
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