The Music
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The music of the Jazz Funk and Soul scene is really a combination of four different genre's these being Jazz Fusion (which also included Latin Jazz and Jazz Samba), Jazz Funk, Funk and Soul. Followers of the scene tend to lean towards a particular genre depending on their individual musical taste. On this page you will find a description of each genre aswell as a list of some of the artists attributed to each catagory. WHAT IS JAZZ FUSION Jazz fusion is a musical genre that merges jazz with elements of other styles of music, particularly funk, rock, R&B, ska, electronic, and world music, but also pop, classical, and folk music, or sometimes even metal, reggae, country, hip hop, etc. Fusion albums, even those that are made by the same group or artist, may include a variety of styles. In the late 1960s, jazz musicians began mixing the forms and improvisational techniques of jazz with the electric instruments of rock and the rhythms of soul and rhythm and blues. At the same time, some rock artists began adding jazz elements to their music. The 1970s were the most visible decade for fusion, but the style has been well represented during more recent times. Rather than being a codified musical style, fusion can be viewed as a musical tradition or approach. Some progressive rock music is also labeled as fusion. Fusion music is typically instrumental, often with complex time signatures, metres, rhythmic patterns, and extended track lengths, featuring lengthy improvisations. Many prominent fusion musicians are recognized as having a high level of virtuosity, combined with complex compositions and musical improvisation in metres rarely seen in other Western musical forms. Fusion music generally receives little radio broadcast airplay, owing perhaps to its complexity, usual lack of vocals, and frequently extended track lengths. (Source: Wikipedia) Noteable Artists include the following: Grover Washington Jr, Airto, Norman Connors, George Duke, Dexter Wansell and the Crusaders.
WHAT IS JAZZ FUNK Jazz-funk is a sub-genre of jazz music characterized by a strong back beat (groove), electrified sounds[1], and often, the presence of the first electronic analog synthesizers. The integration of Funk, Soul, and R&B music and styles into jazz resulted in the creation of a genre whose spectrum is indeed quite wide and ranges from strong jazz improvisation to soul, funk or disco with jazz arrangements, jazz riffs, and jazz solos, and sometimes soul vocals[2]. Jazz-funk is a mostly American genre, where it was popular throughout the 1970s and the early 1980s, but it also achieved noted appeal on the club-circuit in England during the mid 1970s. Other possible names for this genre include soul jazz and jazz fusion, but neither entirely overlap with jazz-funk. Notably Jazz-funk is less vocal, more arranged and featured more impro than Soul-Jazz, and retains a strong feel of groove and R&B Vs some of the Jazz-fusion production. (Source: Wikipedia) Noteable Artists include the following: Donald Byrd, Roy Ayres,Tom Browne, Ronnie Laws, Light of the World and Incognito WHAT IS FUNK Funk is an American musical style that originated in the mid- to late-1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, soul jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony, and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground. Unlike R&B and soul songs, which had many chord changes, funk songs are often based on an extended vamp on a single chord. Like much of African and Latin inspired music, funk typically consists of a complex groove with rhythm instruments such as electric guitar, electric bass, Hammond organ, and drums playing interlocking rhythms. Funk bands also usually have a horn section of several saxophones, trumpets, and in some cases, a trombone, which plays rhythmic "hits". Influential African American funk performers include James Brown, George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic,Bootsy Collins, and Prince. Notable 1970s funk bands included Earth, Wind & Fire, The Commodores, and Kool & the Gang though many of these most famous bands in the genre also played disco and soul extensively. Funk music was a major influence on the development of 1970s disco music and funk samples are used in most styles of house music and hip hop music Funk even left its mark on New Wave, and its pulse was evident in post punk as well. (Source: Wikipedia) Noteable Artists include the following: James Brown, Johnny Guitar Watson, Parliament, Funkadelic, Bootsy Collins and The Brothers Johnson. WHAT IS SOUL Soul music is a music genre that combines rhythm and blues and gospel music, originating in the United States .[1] According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of funky, secular testifying."[2] The genre occasionally uses improvisational additions, twirls and auxiliary sounds. Catchy rhythms, stressed by handclaps and plastic body moves, are an important feature.[1] Other characteristics are a call and response between the soloist and the chorus, and an especially tense vocal sound. (Source: Wikipedia) Noteable Artists include the following: Jean Carne, Maze, Teddy Pendegrass, Luther Vandross and George Benson.
