jazzfusion

Jazz fusion, or fusion, is a genre that blends jazz improvisation with rock, funk, R&B, and electronic music. Emerging in the late 1960s and reaching prominence in the 1970s, it extends jazz harmony and improvisation through electric instruments, amplified bass, guitar, keyboards, and drum patterns influenced by rock and funk.

The movement was catalyzed by Miles Davis’s electric period, notably Bitches Brew (1969), which fused modal jazz with rock grooves, psychedelic textures, and studio experimentation. Other early pioneers include Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, John McLaughlin, and Weather Report, Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Return to Forever. They integrated complex compositions, extended improvisations, odd time signatures, and virtuosic technique, often featuring electric pianos, synthesizers, Fender Rhodes, wah-wah, and electronic effects.

Fusion diversified into subgenres such as jazz-rock, jazz-funk, and later smooth jazz and modern jazz fusion. The 1980s saw a more commercially oriented, polished sound led by artists like Kenny G and Spyro Gyra, while artists such as Pat Metheny and Marcus Miller explored more melodic and accessible forms. Fusion declined in mainstream popularity in the late 1980s and 1990s but continues through contemporary players who blend rock, world music, and electronic production with jazz.

Reception has been mixed: admired for technical prowess and innovation, criticized by some purists for perceived sterility or departure from traditional jazz. Key venues include clubs, festivals, and large concert halls, with studio experimentation remaining a hallmark of the genre.