Jazz Rock: A HistoryOver the last three decades, no musical innovation in jazz has been more important - or controversial - than the wedding of jazz improvisation with rock music. Nicholson's lively text begins with the impact of the Beatles and the British Invasion on American popular culture and how the unexpected rise of rock music in the 1960s almost overwhelmed jazz. He charts how young jazz musicians, growing up in the rock explosion, began experimenting with incorporating the best of rock's energy into their music. Players like drummer Tony Williams, guitarist Larry Coryell, vibists Gary Burton and Mike Mainieri, and pianist Mike Nock, all brought a young sensibility to a music that was in danger of becoming ossified. Meanwhile, rock returned the compliment with groups like Blood, Sweat & Tears, Electric Flag, and Flock, that incorporated horns and jazz improvisation, and brought a vast new audience of young fans to the music. But the real catalyst for change came in 1969 when Miles Davis leaped into the fray with the seminal album Bitches Brew. Davis's bands were a breeding ground for players who moved the music forward, including Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul's Weather Report, John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra, Chick Corea's Return to Forever, and Herbie Hancock's Headhunters. Nicholson examines how commercial excess eventually undid jazz-rock's early promise through FM-friendly fusion that favored rampant virtuosity, the cute cadences of pop music, and non-threatening electronics. Finally, Nicholson shows how the original premise of jazz-rock, founded on risk, energy, and electricity, continues to be felt in jazz today. Out of sight of a comfortably accessible mainstream, the legacy ofjazz-rock continues to flourish in the innovative work of musicians such as John Zorn, Bill Frisell, Steve Coleman, and other bold contemporary experimenters. |
Contents
Ticket to Ride | 1 |
Wheels of Fire | 14 |
Free Spirits 6 Voodoo Child རྨུ ཨྰཿ ཛ ྣ 4 Spinning Wheels | 58 |
Copyright | |
13 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
acoustic appeared Arista artists Atlantic n/a audience band's bass bassist Beatles big band Bill Billy Cobham Bitches Brew Blue Note Brecker Burton CBS Columbia CBS n/a CD LABEL ORIGINAL Chick Corea Coleman Coltrane Columbia n/a compositions concert Corea Coryell Dave Davis's debut DeJohnette Downbeat drummer drums ECM ECM electric electronic Elektra ensemble Epic free jazz funk fusion Gil Evans Gramavision groove guitar guitarist Hancock Ibid improvisation included Jack DeJohnette jazz and rock Jazz Festival jazz musicians Jazz n/a jazz-rock Jimi Hendrix John McLaughlin keyboards LABEL CD LABEL LABEL ORIGINAL RELEASE Live Love LP RECORD LABEL Mahavishnu Mahavishnu Orchestra Melody Maker Mike Miles Davis MPS n/a n/a GRP Orchestra Pastorius performance pianist piano player playing Polydor quartet rhythm section rhythmic rock rhythms Rolling Stone Rykodisc saxophonist solo songs sound Steve studio tenor tour trumpet Warner Bros Weather Report York Zappa Zawinul