1970s in jazz

Art Blakey, 1973

In the 1970s in jazz, jazz become increasingly influenced by Latin jazz, combining rhythms from African and Latin American countries, often played on instruments such as conga, timbale, güiro, and claves, with jazz and classical harmonies played on typical jazz instruments (piano, double bass, etc.). Artists such as Chick Corea, John McLaughlin and Al Di Meola increasingly influenced the genre with jazz fusion, a hybrid form of jazz-rock fusion which was developed by combining jazz improvisation with rock rhythms, electric instruments, and the highly amplified stage sound of rock musicians such as Jimi Hendrix. All Music Guide states that "..until around 1967, the worlds of jazz and rock were nearly completely separate." However, "...as rock became more creative and its musicianship improved, and as some in the jazz world became bored with hard bop and did not want to play strictly avant-garde music, the two different idioms began to trade ideas and occasionally combine forces."^[1]

Carlos Santana, one of the pioneers of the Latin jazz-fusion genre

Miles Davis made the breakthrough into fusion in the 1970s with his album Bitches Brew. Musicians who worked with Davis formed the four most influential fusion groups: Weather Report and Mahavishnu Orchestra emerged in 1971 and were soon followed by Return to Forever and The Headhunters. Although jazz purists protested the blend of jazz and rock, some of jazz's significant innovators crossed over from the contemporary hard bop scene into fusion. Jazz fusion music often uses mixed meters, odd time signatures, syncopation, and complex chords and harmonies. In addition to using the electric instruments of rock, such as the electric guitar, electric bass, electric piano, and synthesizer keyboards, fusion also used the powerful amplification, "fuzz" pedals, wah-wah pedals, and other effects used by 1970s-era rock bands. Notable performers of jazz fusion included Miles Davis, keyboardists Joe Zawinul, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, vibraphonist Gary Burton, drummer Tony Williams, violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, guitarists Larry Coryell, Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin and Frank Zappa, saxophonist Wayne Shorter, and bassists Jaco Pastorius and Stanley Clarke. Jazz fusion was also popular in Japan where the band Casiopea released over thirty albums praising Jazz Fusion.

In the mid-1970s, jazz funk became popular, characterized by a strong back beat (groove), electrified sounds,^[2] 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.^[3]

1970s jazz standards

• 1971 – "Spain".^[4] Jazz fusion composition by Chick Corea. First recorded on Return to Forever's Light as a Feather. The famous theme from the second movement of Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez is often used as an introduction for the song.
• 1972 – "Little Sunflower".^[5] Composed by Freddie Hubbard with lyrics by Al Jarreau.
• 1972 – "Red Clay".^[6] Jazz fusion composition by Freddie Hubbard.
• 1972 – "Waters of March" – 1972 bossa nova song by Antonio Carlos Jobim. Known in Portuguese as "Águas de Março".
• 1973 – "Chameleon".^[7] Jazz-funk composition by Herbie Hancock, Paul Jackson, Harvey Mason and Bennie Maupin, from Hancock's album Head Hunters.
• 1973 – "Mr. Magic".^[8] Written by Ralph MacDonald and William Salter.
• 1973 – "Send in the Clowns".^[9] Song by Stephen Sondheim from the musical A Little Night Music.
• 1974 – "Beauty and the Beast".^[10][11] Jazz fusion composition by Wayne Shorter, from the album Native Dancer.
• 1977 – "Birdland".^[12] Jazz fusion composition by Joe Zawinul. Originally released on Heavy Weather by Weather Report, it is instantly recognizable by bassist Jaco Pastorious' introduction using artificial harmonics, and notes sung by him by the end of the song. The tune was one of the biggest hits of the jazz fusion movement.^[13]

1970

Events

• July: Lee Morgan records Live at the Lighthouse at the Lighthouse Café in Hermosa Beach, California

Album releases

Deaths

• Johnny Hodges (July 25, 1906 – May 11, 1970)
• Albert Ayler (July 13, 1936 – November 1970)
• Booker Ervin (October 31, 1930 – July 31, 1970)

1971

Phil Woods, Ron Mathewson and Henri Texier, NDR Jazzworkshop, 1971

Album releases

Deaths

• Louis Armstrong (August 4, 1901 - July 6, 1971), singer and trumpeter
• Wynton Kelly (December 2, 1931 — April 12, 1971), pianist
• Charlie Shavers (August 3, 1920 – July 8, 1971), trumpet player

1972

Musicians of the Michael Gibbs Big band, NDR Jazzworkshop 1972

Events

• Grant Green records Live at the Lighthouse at the Lighthouse Café in Hermosa Beach, California

Album releases

Deaths

• Kenny Dorham (August 30, 1924 - December 5, 1972)
• Lee Morgan (July 10, 1938 – February 19, 1972)
• Jimmy Rushing (August 26, 1901 - June 8, 1972)

1973

McCoy Tyner in 1973

Album releases

Deaths

• Gene Krupa (January 15, 1909 – October 16, 1973)
• Eddie Condon (16 November 1905 – 4 August 1973)
• Spanky DeBrest (April 24, 1937–1973)
• Kid Ory (December 25, 1886 – January 23, 1973)
• Ben Webster (March 27, 1909 – September 20, 1973)
• Willie "The Lion" Smith (23 November 1893 – 18 April 1973)
• Bill Harris (October 28, 1916 - August 21, 1973)

1974

Album releases

Deaths

Duke Ellington died on May 24, 1974

• Duke Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974)
• Bobby Timmons (December 19, 1935 - March 1, 1974)
• Gene Ammons (April 14, 1925 – August 6, 1974)
• Tina Brooks (June 7, 1932 – August 13, 1974)
• Paul Gonsalves (July 12, 1920 - May 15, 1974)
• Harry Carney (April 1, 1910 - October 8, 1974

1975

Joe Pass, 1975

Album releases

Deaths

• Cannonball Adderley (September 15, 1928 – August 8, 1975)
• Oliver Nelson (June 4, 1932 – October 28, 1975)
• Zutty Singleton (May 14, 1898 -July 14, 1975)

1976

Album releases

Deaths

• Ray Nance (December 10, 1913 - January 28, 1976)

1977

Ben Riley Heath Brothers, 1977

Album releases

Deaths

• Erroll Garner (June 15, 1921 – January 2, 1977) -pianist and composer
• Paul Desmond (November 25, 1924 – May 30, 1977)
• Bennie Green (16 April 1923 – 23 March 1977)
• Rahsaan Roland Kirk (August 7, 1935 – December 5, 1977)

1978

Bill Evans, Montreaux Jazz Festival, 1978

Album releases

Deaths

• Ray Noble (17 December 1903 – 3 April 1978)
• Larry Young (October 7, 1940 — March 30, 1978)
• Joe Venuti (September 16, 1903 – August 14, 1978)
• Teddy Hill (December 7, 1909 - May 19, 1978)
• Joe Marsala (January 4, 1907 – March 4, 1978)

1979

Album releases

Births

• Jamie Cullum (20 August 1979-), British singer/songwriter, pianist, radio personality

Deaths

• January 31-Grant Green, American jazz guitarist and composer
• Charles Mingus (April 22, 1922 – January 5, 1979)
• Blue Mitchell (March 13, 1930 – May 21, 1979)
• Stan Kenton (December 15, 1911 – August 25, 1979)
• Wilbur Ware (September 8, 1923 – September 9, 1979)

References