New Sounds, New Boundaries
As we have talked about before, jazz tends to follow some semi-predictable patterns. Things often revolve around four-bar phrases, we tend to hear the melody up front followed by a series of improvisations based upon its form (with each band member taking turns). Then, at the end, we usually hear the original melody again, almost exactly like we did at the beginning. These patterns are pretty deep in the DNA of a typical jazz performance.
However, we have now arrived at a point in history where a lot of these conventions are being thrown aside, or at least stretched in significant ways. Free Jazz through almost all of this out in exchange for a semi-free-for-all approach. Some of jazz’s later developments, like its various “fusions” with rock and funk, reigned in some of Free Jazz’s excesses this regard, but some of that style’s “looseness” and unpredictability became a central feature of Fusion.
Take a look at this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h56USliw3eo
This is the Fusion band Weather Report playing the song “Barbary Coast.” Weather Report was one of Fusion’s most prominent bands. (Not coincidentally, it contains a few high-profile alumni from Miles Davis’s fusion bands.) Notice how the roles between soloist and accompanist are blurred. Notice how the usual “roles” are a little trickier to pin down. Also, the presence of some new instruments and sounds.
Now, have a look at this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgntkGc5iBo
This is the Jaco Pastorius band playing “The Chicken.” (You might recognize the bass player in this one as the same guy from Weather Report. This is Jaco Pastorius, one of the people who played bass in Weather Report and a very innovative bassist (and musician in general).) The lines around each “section” are not quite as blurry, here. But, there are still some new instruments/sounds.
After watching these two performances, leave a comment on which one you found more engaging or interesting. Why? What about this performance was interesting/engaging?
