Search - Various Artists :: Meltdown-Birth of Fusion

Running the Voodoo Down....

yygsgsdrassil | Crossroads America | 01/20/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"....s'no secret. I am a serious fan of 70's electro funk and fusion jazz. Miles Davis' Bitches Brew was the turning point in this era of jazz as many artists turned to a neo-tribal, pan spiritual, afro-cuban-electro-nistic groove/anti-groove thing. Here is a CD of a sampling of some of the purveyors of the art of fusion (some more famously released thru Sony/Columbia Records' Jazz division). This begins with Hancock's record setting Chameleon--which I recall caused me much chagrin when they played it on the radio and would cut it off at the mellower, Fender Rhodes midsection, making it far shorter than it's 16 minute majesty. (Talk about coitus interruptus and aburpttus): here, it's in its entirety. Then, there's Wayne Shorter's great Mysterious Traveller performed by the superb Weather Report...let's go on that journey, I'd say. There's Flora Purim's Flora's Song as well as excursions and explosions by Keith Jarrett and Santana in his Caravanserai/Welcome years. Many may feel the producers of this compilation has saved the best til last as Davis, Shorter, Corea, Maupin, McLaughlin, et al, performs Miles Runs the Voodoo Down from the masterpiece Bitches Brew. It is, I would venture to say, a spiritual journey. Transcendence. John Ephland from Downbeat Magazine has provided liner notes and observations from this courageous and some may say outrageous era in jazz music. Find this one, my friends, and you would have found a true treasure."