Indo jazz is a hybrid musical genre consisting of jazz, classical and indian influences. The structure and patterns would be based on Indian music with the improvisation typical to jazz overlaid. The term might be comparatively recent, but the concept dates at least to the mid-1950s. Musicians like John Coltrane, Yusef Lateef, and others showed Indian influences.
The Mahavishnu Orchestra might be an early example of a jazz group with Indian influences as John McLaughlin at that time was a devotee of Sri Chinmoy. Others found the improvisational elements already in some Indian music to fit well with jazz. Although John Mayer and Joe Harriott are perhaps the most important influences in the movement. In addition Alice Coltrane is also known for relational work.[1]
Indo jazz is danced all around the world and many studios have opened up in honor of it. An example is Shaimak, very famous for teaching all kinds of Indian dancing, from traditional to modern. They specialize in Indo Jazz.
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"Mayer is very definite about that distinction, as only someone could understand who grew up in Calcutta studying Indian music with Sanathan Mukherjee whilst simultaneously learning Western music with Melhi Mehta. "Indian music is basically built around a linear technique," he says. "There's no harmony in the Western sense, just one extended melodic line accompanied by a drone. The absence of harmony is compensated for by very complex rhythms. As I found out more about Western music, I realised that there are similarities with the techniques of serialism. In serialism you are dealing with an atonal sequence, and in ragas, the Indian scale system, you are dealing with a tonal sequence, but one which goes up one way and down another, what's called the aroha-avaroha. In most of the music we play in Indo-Jazz Fusions, the music is all scored. I don't believe in too much improvisation, and when there is space for improvising, this is done in a format which reminds the player of the notes of the raga."
"Indo-Jazz Fusions is just such proof of the folly of labels. It isn't a question of the music being jazz, or Indian, or classical; it is a thoroughly satisfying blend of ingredients into something genuinely new, original and forward looking. "[2]