The Jazz-Rock/Fusion Appreciation Thread

Barla wrote: Apart from the big classics, there's a new band that called my attention some time ago, GARAJ MAHAL. They sound very good! Definitely to check out! www.garajmahal.net Also, another band, not really jazzy , more metallish, is ELECTROCUTION 250, who play insane music, the combination of metal, shred and cartoon music. If you're looking for ORIGINAL music, give a listen. So far they've released one album, which is very good, and on their PA page they've an mp3: www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=1877

BaldFriede wrote: I highly recommend early Embryo (not that the latter Embryo are bad, but they are no longer jazz rock; their music is more ethno-rock) and Aera (not to be confused with Area).

Good advices. About Embryo, "Rocksession" is a must.

Just started listening to Planet X Moonbabies...man I'm at loss of words, it sounds incredible, nice fusion of prog metal elements and jazz, never quite heard something like this, you guys better try them!!!

You will want to be careful here.

For reference the thread below, which also dedicated to jazz rock, has been continued in this thread:

Early Embryo albums are great jazz rock too, especially "Bad Heads and Bad Cats" and their first live album.

1800iareyay wrote: Their new album Quantum, is quite good, with Allan Holdsworth replacing MacAlpine. I think they sounded better with Tony, even though Holdsworth is the superior jazz guitarist.

Perhaps because our tastes differ slightly I have to say I prefer Quantum - coincidentally  it arrived yesterday from Amazon and has been played hard since. It is the first Planet X album I felt has consistent jazz rock fusion feel running throughout (of the 4 albums I have of their's), rather heavy instrumental rock with the occasional jazzy solo thrown in.  That perhaps reflects Sherinian and Donati's  employment of musicians who are better known for jazz rock than heavy rock. I've been an admirer of Australian Bret Garsed's guitarwork (various solo and duo albums with T.J Helmerich , including Uncle Moe's Space Ranch, although when adopts a Holdsworthian style in his solo work here, he does slightly confuse as to whether he or the maestro are playing certain passages - the liner notes are poor wrt who does what. Although I'm absolutely sure when Holdsworth is doing the business. And Jimmy Johnson, bass regular with Allan Holdsworth,  also helps give that feel of a near complete jazz rock album. Donati's drumming is pretty special on this album. Sherinian is comparatively restrained but when he strikes in there are echoes of Hammer and Emerson and dare I say it somethings I thought lifted from one of Jens Johansson's best solo album.

I recommend Quantum strongly - btw so are many of the contributors at Fusenet jazz rock discussion site, who turned me on to the album originally.

LeInsomniac wrote: I'm mainly keen on Mahavishnu, AREA, Perigeo, Al di Meola, Bill Bruford, Return to Forever, Zappa and softmachine (in their Jazzy works)

With such preferences you're bound to love KENSO, especially their masterpiece FABULIS MIRABILIBUS, which you will find reviewed here:

http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=6066

GILGAMESH..

Oh, and of course Gong definitely have to be mentioned too. Their jazz-rock period begins with the in my opinion slightly underrated "Shamal".