Best Fusion Albums?

[plankspanker13]

No mention of Brand-X. Percy Jones was a monster.

OK, so I'll mention "Moroccan Roll" on my addendum, along with
Jeff Lorber Fusion's "Wizard Island."

 

[Richland123]

No mention of Brand-X. Percy Jones was a monster.

I listed Brand X above. Very cool band. Phil Collins played on some of their stuff.

Here is a German band that ventured into some fusion

Kraan

 

[Richland123]

Pat Metheny Group - American Garage

 

[christopherogut]

Billy Cobham - Spectrum

+100 - I came to this thread just to suggest Spectrum!

 

[Lee Moses]

I'm going to try to total up what we've got so far. I just assumed that the first album you mentioned was your #1, unless you indicated otherwise. A couple of posts, I'm not sure what to do with, for example:

Yeah I was gonna say Jeff Beck Wired, but Blow by Blow will work.

I'm not sure which one you would rather have me put down as the best fusion album.

At any rate, so far we've got . . .

1. Billy Cobham, Spectrum
2. Miles Davis, Bitches Brew
3. Mahavishnu Orchestra, Inner Mounting Flame tied with
Tony Williams Lifetime, Emergency!
5. Return to Forever, Romantic Warrior
6. (7-way tie) Weather Report, Heavy Weather
Frank Zappa, Hot Rats
Brand X, Moroccan Roll
Mahavishnu Orchestra, Birds of Fire
Miroslav Vitous, Magical Shepherd
Jeff Beck, Wired
Pat Metheny Group, American Garage

 

[M0ses]

This thread is a gold mine. So much fusion to absorb.

 

[Mystic Michael]

I don't know if The Dixie Dregs and Bela Fleck and the Flecktones would be catagorized as Prog or Fusion or what, but I think that if one likes those genres the those bands would be of interest as well.

Along the same lines; Can and Camel are two more bands that might be worth giving a listen to.

For me, Camel and The Dixie Dregs both deserve recognition - at least at the periphery. Camel is known primarily as progressive rock (a genre close in spirit), but they are eclectic enough to qualify somewhat. The Dixie Dregs melded a unique mix of genres & styles - rock, blues, country, bluegrass...and yes, some jazz - truly in the spirit of fusion. And with chops to burn!

MM

 

[BawanaRik]

Gong Shamal.

Perhaps one of those bands that never got the traction they deserved.

And what a history.

 

[onosson]

Probably not typically counted as a fusion album, Caravanserai by Santana is an all-time favourite of mine. And of course, John McLaughlin and Santana's Love Devotion Surrender. Not Mahavishnu Orchestra, but it has its own raw power and emotion.

 

[JoeWPgh]

Weather Report - Black Market - Alfonso Johnson and Jaco on the same record!
I'd put Herbie Hancock's 'Thrust' in there, just for 'Butterfly'
Some of Little Feat's 'Waiting for Columbus' gets awfully close to 'jazz fusion'
One I didn't like at all on first listen but grew on me, Miles' 'On The Corner'

 

[Mystic Michael]

In nearly two full pages of a fusion thread, I am truly surprised to learn that not a single person has yet mentioned the great Jean-Luc Ponty. His string of fusion albums of the mid-to-late Seventies still rate as some of the very best music ever to come out of fusion's heyday. Truly inspired stuff.

My personal favorite: Cosmic Messenger
Egocentric Molecules (featuring that ultra-cooking bass line plus fantastic solo by the incomparable Ralphe Armstrong that comes in at about 1:52) :

Other excellent examples: Enigmatic Ocean, Imaginary Voyage, Mystical Adventures.

MM

 

[Mystic Michael]

Probably not typically counted as a fusion album, Caravanserai by Santana is an all-time favourite of mine. And of course, John McLaughlin and Santana's Love Devotion Surrender. Not Mahavishnu Orchestra, but it has its own raw power and emotion.

Great choices. Great under-rated, under-appreciated choices, IMO.

MM

 

[onosson]

And in a similar but altogether different vein, there's much of Alice Coltrane's work... is World Galaxy a fusion album? Whatever it is, I love it.

 

[zontar]

Hmm, let's see

1. Blow by Blow Jeff Beck
2. Wired Jeff Beck
3. The Master & the Musician Phil Keaggy
4. Flying Home Stanley Jordan
5. No Mystery Return to Forever

 

[M0ses]

In nearly two full pages of a fusion thread, I am truly surprised to learn that not a single person has yet mentioned the great Jean-Luc Ponty.

See reply #6, for starters.

 

[JoeWPgh]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Chick Corea's Light as a Feather.

 

[OldDirtyBassist]

Jaco
Bireli Lagrene guitar
Tomas Böröcz drums

'Live in Italy'

My favorite Jaco material...

 

[JimK]

Some of Little Feat's 'Waiting for Columbus' gets awfully close to 'jazz fusion'

For some reason, I can not really get into Little Feat? Great players, etc...recently re-read a Downbeat with a Jan Hammer Blindfold Test-
IIRC, Hammer was played "Day at the Dog Races" (from Time Loves a Hero); Hammer was impressed & thought it sounded like the MO. When told it was Little Feat...he said something like "...I thought they were a Blues/Country-ish band".
So, I buy the album & yeah, "Day at the Dog Races" is a Fusion tune.

One I didn't like at all on first listen but grew on me, Miles' 'On The Corner'

That's Miles & gang trying to be Sly/James Brown...great Jazz-Funk example, IMO.

 

[N.F.A.]

Gong - Gazeuse! This one is worth finding. I've also seen it called Expresso I think.

Not sure if anything from Gentle Giant, Camel or PFM would qualify. I guess they are more prog. rock.

 

[Richland123]

In nearly two full pages of a fusion thread, I am truly surprised to learn that not a single person has yet mentioned the great Jean-Luc Ponty. His string of fusion albums of the mid-to-late Seventies still rate as some of the very best music ever to come out of fusion's heyday. Truly inspired stuff.

My personal favorite: Cosmic Messenger
Egocentric Molecules (featuring that ultra-cooking bass line plus fantastic solo by the incomparable Ralphe Armstrong that comes in at about 1:52) :

Other excellent examples: Enigmatic Ocean, Imaginary Voyage, Mystical Adventures.

MM

I guess you missed my post on page 1. I listed 4 Jean-Luc Ponty albums. He is one of my favorites.