jazzfunk

Jazzfunk is a music style that blends jazz's improvisational approach with the groove-oriented rhythms and textures of funk. It emphasizes tight, groove-based ensembles, electric keyboards and bass, and often a horn section, while maintaining space for improvised solos. The result is music that can be both rhythmically driving and harmonically exploratory.

Characteristics include steady 4/4 grooves with funk-influenced basslines, clavinet or Fender Rhodes textures, wah-wah guitar, and prominent horn arrangements. While the grooves drive the music, jazz harmony and improvisational dialog between soloists remain central, producing contrasts between tight ensemble sections and free-form improvisation.

History: Jazzfunk emerged in the late 1960s and flourished in the 1970s as part of the broader jazz fusion movement. Pioneering records by Herbie Hancock, notably Head Hunters (1973), helped define the sound, as did bands such as The Headhunters, George Duke, and The Crusaders. The style spread through club scenes and international artists, influencing later subgenres and cross-genre collaborations, and laying groundwork for later developments in acid jazz and neo-soul.

Legacy: Jazzfunk remains a reference point for musicians seeking to combine jazz's improvisation with funk's groove-centric approach. It has influenced hip-hop sampling, electronic music, and contemporary jazz. Notable artists associated with jazzfunk include Herbie Hancock (Head Hunters, 1973), The Crusaders (Street Life, 1979), George Duke, and Roy Ayers, whose recordings demonstrate the blend of jazz improvisation with funk-influenced rhythm and electric textures.