Jazz fusion, which combines jazz improvisation with other musical styles, has come a long way in the last century. While exploring the vast landscape of contemporary jazz fusion, a handful of albums stand out as prime examples of inventiveness and creative brilliance. Not only do these albums reimagine what modern jazz fusion is, but they also expand the genre’s accepted parameters.
1. Kamasi Washington’s “The Epic”
The masterwork “The Epic” by Kamasi Washington deftly combines jazz, R&B, and classical music. Its elaborate arrangements and expansive compositions highlight the new century’s enormous potential for jazz fusion.
2. Flying Lotus is “You’re Dead!”
Flying Lotus’s “You’re Dead!” is an aural excursion that probes ideas of death and the hereafter through a fusion of jazz, electronic, and hip-hop. The CD stands out in the current jazz fusion scene due to its experimental character and genre-bending attitude.
3. Metropole Orkest and Snarky Puppy’s “Sylva”
“Sylva” is a symphonic fusion jazz adventure that combines the powers of Snarky Puppy and the Metropole Orkest. From beginning to end, the album enthralls listeners with its sumptuous orchestrations and Snarky Puppy’s distinctive grooves.
Summary
Artists of the 21st century have boldly expanded the frontiers of jazz fusion, ushering in a new age for music. There is much original and ground-breaking work in modern jazz fusion, and the CDs listed below only touch on it. As we delve deeper into the aural mysteries of jazz, these recordings stand as a tribute to the ever-present ingenuity and innovation within the genre.