On a related note...

nickwellings · 05-24-2002, 05:29 PM

How would you define Jazz Fusion?

As jazz sensibilities within a rock band context?

Any thoughts?

More crucially though:

Someone has asked me to be in a jazz fusion band. Jazz is an area I have been exploring, but I have no real idea what I should learn to play fusion. I am primarily a "rock/blues" guitarist (i.e not that good

)

Any advice would be apprecciated!

TaikaJim · 05-24-2002, 05:54 PM

Check out some Miles Davis recordings from the 70´s. Thats the kinda "fusion" i like.
Its really hard to define what fusion is these days. Its not anymore just rock/pop that gets mixed with jazz. There is metal mixed with jazz, flamenco mixed with jazz etc.

If i were you i would go for it. Hey, its all music and the theory is the same in rock and in fusion. The chord changes are just more complex than in a average rock song. In my opinion its really hard to get a fusion band really working. Many have tried and many have failed. Again Miles Davis is a good example of a good fusion though even he has crappy songs in his fusion period.

Hope this help even a little bit.

***EricV*** · 05-24-2002, 05:59 PM

Hi Nick...

hmmmmm... "jazz fusion"... I have heard that definition a few times, but not too often...
I mean, "fusion" means a merge of several different styles of music or rather a mix of elements from those.
So "jazz fusion", to me, could mean
-either a mix ( fusion ) of several jazz-related styles ( bebop, cool jazz... )
- or fusion with an accent on jazz-sounds...

Tough to say. Maybe you could ask your friend for soundfiles, or maybe some listening recommendations... stuff the band was inspired by or feels related to...

It´s also to narrow down what you should learn / prepare for a job like that. You should maybe work on your chord vocabular, get a bit more familiar with modes, how to play different scales over different chords, maybe read up on the topic of substitutions...
It´s a vast area.
Most important: Listen to music of that style... get some ideas of what kinda sound these guys are going for, then listen to that stuff to get an idea of that music...
One time, I was hired to play guitar in a ska-band for one show. I wasn´t really familiar with that style of music ( of course pretty much everyone has heard some ska, but... )
So, when I was preparing for the show, I was both learning the songs of that band and listening to a lot of ska-music...
Just some ideas
Warm regards
Eric

nickwellings · 05-24-2002, 11:06 PM

Thanks guys!

Some great advice there...its a leap into the unknown for me

BluDChyLD · 05-25-2002, 11:04 AM

hey nick how you doing? I remember you from guitar.com you help me out a few times. Nice to see you found this place aswell

Dawson

nickwellings · 05-25-2002, 12:47 PM

Heeeeeeeeeeeeey!

Dawson, man, cool to see you. I remember you!!

Did you ever do that music school audtion?

I know it was AGES ago!

Cool to see you man

BluDChyLD · 05-25-2002, 02:32 PM

yeah i got in for the course (doing it now). Ive only got a few weeks left, I can continue for another two years or do something else. I think i'll drop it and do as level music or something.

It was a bit of a disappointment to be honest. There's alot of aspects im not interested in (stage management, light, production, midi etc...) We only have about an 2 hours worth of music theory/practice week but thats good fun.

The people on my course aren't the greatest, im the only one who plays classical guitar and I get the piss taken out of me all the time (even the teacher!)

I bought myself a metronome the other day and took it in to practice with and everyone was looking at it as if it was something from mars. I got comments such as "why don't you just use your foot" and "i learnt to keep time on my own, i dont need a metronome". There's a only a handful of people on there that take their playing seriously, most of them just stick to power chords.

I just put up with it but it gets annoying sometimes. Oh well, not long left

Anyway, hows the playing going nick? Over the past few months ive been getting into classical playing on my acoustic. I've just got a tab for caprice #5 and im having a go at that right now (the electrics been gathering dust so I thought i'd get it out

).
Nice to hear from you,
Dawson

P.S Sorry to go on about the course, i didnt think i'd write that much!

szulc · 05-25-2002, 02:44 PM

The term 'Fusion' is an overloaded word much the same as 'Alternative' is today.
When it first became popular it was for describing any music that didn't fit one of the convenient genres, that had a progressive (another overloaded term, possibly intellectual) quality.
There are far too many styles and forms of music available today to have so few terms to describe them.
Along comes Bela`Fleck and he gets labeled 'Fusion' had he came out in the 90's it would have been 'Alternative'.
What do you call somthing like Primus?
or the Squirrel Nut Zippers?
At some point there are so many sub genres of 'Fusion ' or 'Alternative' that the genre label it self becomes meaningless.
What does 'Jazz' mean to you?
To me it means improvised music........

nickwellings · 05-25-2002, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BluDChyLD

Anyway, hows the playing going nick? Over the past few months ive been getting into classical playing on my acoustic. I've just got a tab for caprice #5 and im having a go at that right now (the electrics been gathering dust so I thought i'd get it out ).
Nice to hear from you,
Dawson

P.S Sorry to go on about the course, i didnt think i'd write that much!

Hey man, its ALWAYS good to talk!

Caprice 5 huh!

Great stuff...I always played that to get my chops up, but I never LEARNT it, I just kinda sight read it badly.

My playing, kinda took a HUUUUUGE leap this month...like...major changes in the works. It's quite exciting. It doesn't sound refined or polished yet, but its damned fun. At the moment, I'm like Buckethead but a lot, lot worse.

05-24-2002, 05:29 PM	#1
nickwellings Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: England Posts: 50	On a related note... How would you define Jazz Fusion? As jazz sensibilities within a rock band context? Any thoughts? More crucially though: Someone has asked me to be in a jazz fusion band. Jazz is an area I have been exploring, but I have no real idea what I should learn to play fusion. I am primarily a "rock/blues" guitarist (i.e not that good ) Any advice would be apprecciated! __________________ Boogie On!

05-24-2002, 05:54 PM	#2
TaikaJim I sleep with my guitar Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 44	Check out some Miles Davis recordings from the 70´s. Thats the kinda "fusion" i like. Its really hard to define what fusion is these days. Its not anymore just rock/pop that gets mixed with jazz. There is metal mixed with jazz, flamenco mixed with jazz etc. If i were you i would go for it. Hey, its all music and the theory is the same in rock and in fusion. The chord changes are just more complex than in a average rock song. In my opinion its really hard to get a fusion band really working. Many have tried and many have failed. Again Miles Davis is a good example of a good fusion though even he has crappy songs in his fusion period. Hope this help even a little bit. __________________ "Im just gonna see what this guitar playing thing gets me. If i get Arthritis and a horrible tinnitus.... thats fine by me." -me

05-24-2002, 05:59 PM	#3
*EricV* Ibreathe Music Advisor Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 6,096	Hi Nick... hmmmmm... "jazz fusion"... I have heard that definition a few times, but not too often... I mean, "fusion" means a merge of several different styles of music or rather a mix of elements from those. So "jazz fusion", to me, could mean -either a mix ( fusion ) of several jazz-related styles ( bebop, cool jazz... ) - or fusion with an accent on jazz-sounds... Tough to say. Maybe you could ask your friend for soundfiles, or maybe some listening recommendations... stuff the band was inspired by or feels related to... It´s also to narrow down what you should learn / prepare for a job like that. You should maybe work on your chord vocabular, get a bit more familiar with modes, how to play different scales over different chords, maybe read up on the topic of substitutions... It´s a vast area. Most important: Listen to music of that style... get some ideas of what kinda sound these guys are going for, then listen to that stuff to get an idea of that music... One time, I was hired to play guitar in a ska-band for one show. I wasn´t really familiar with that style of music ( of course pretty much everyone has heard some ska, but... ) So, when I was preparing for the show, I was both learning the songs of that band and listening to a lot of ska-music... Just some ideas Warm regards Eric __________________ www.ericvandenberg.net "Talking Hands" shop Guitar Magazine Blog

05-24-2002, 11:06 PM	#4
nickwellings Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: England Posts: 50	Thanks guys! Some great advice there...its a leap into the unknown for me __________________ Boogie On!

05-25-2002, 12:47 PM	#6
nickwellings Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: England Posts: 50	Heeeeeeeeeeeeey! Dawson, man, cool to see you. I remember you!! Did you ever do that music school audtion? I know it was AGES ago! Cool to see you man __________________ Boogie On!

05-25-2002, 11:04 AM	#5
BluDChyLD Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: UK Posts: 18	hey nick how you doing? I remember you from guitar.com you help me out a few times. Nice to see you found this place aswell Dawson

05-25-2002, 02:32 PM	#7
BluDChyLD Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: UK Posts: 18	yeah i got in for the course (doing it now). Ive only got a few weeks left, I can continue for another two years or do something else. I think i'll drop it and do as level music or something. It was a bit of a disappointment to be honest. There's alot of aspects im not interested in (stage management, light, production, midi etc...) We only have about an 2 hours worth of music theory/practice week but thats good fun. The people on my course aren't the greatest, im the only one who plays classical guitar and I get the piss taken out of me all the time (even the teacher!) I bought myself a metronome the other day and took it in to practice with and everyone was looking at it as if it was something from mars. I got comments such as "why don't you just use your foot" and "i learnt to keep time on my own, i dont need a metronome". There's a only a handful of people on there that take their playing seriously, most of them just stick to power chords. I just put up with it but it gets annoying sometimes. Oh well, not long left Anyway, hows the playing going nick? Over the past few months ive been getting into classical playing on my acoustic. I've just got a tab for caprice #5 and im having a go at that right now (the electrics been gathering dust so I thought i'd get it out ). Nice to hear from you, Dawson P.S Sorry to go on about the course, i didnt think i'd write that much!

05-25-2002, 02:44 PM	#8
szulc Resident Curmudgeon Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Jackson MS Posts: 2,234	Fusion The term 'Fusion' is an overloaded word much the same as 'Alternative' is today. When it first became popular it was for describing any music that didn't fit one of the convenient genres, that had a progressive (another overloaded term, possibly intellectual) quality. There are far too many styles and forms of music available today to have so few terms to describe them. Along comes Bela`Fleck and he gets labeled 'Fusion' had he came out in the 90's it would have been 'Alternative'. What do you call somthing like Primus? or the Squirrel Nut Zippers? At some point there are so many sub genres of 'Fusion ' or 'Alternative' that the genre label it self becomes meaningless. What does 'Jazz' mean to you? To me it means improvised music........

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