The Supernova that Was Jazz-Rock Fusion

Bob James and I go back pretty far. I fell in love with his production sound with the 1977 arrival of Kenny Loggins' amazing Celebrate Me Home album. BJ4 was my first purchase and it quickly became a "comfort" staple in my record play--for some years. Though I know look upon Bob's contribution to music as one of having helped establish, define, and solidify the now-ubiquitous presence of "Smooth Jazz" in our world (a phenomenon that I resent for its destruction of the momentum of joyful creativity that Jazz-Rock Fusion had built up during the first half of the 1970s) but I accept it because A) there's nothing I can do about it and B) I understand the other levels of joy and comfort that Smooth Jazz has provided our (though I see it as a parallel trend and symptom of the dumbing down of our society).      There is certainly no shame in Bob James' start as a arranger and studio musician for the likes of Quincy Jones and Creed Taylor but as his solo ca...

These are my favorite Jazz-Rock Fusion guitarists from 1966 through 1980: 1.  John McLaughlin  / Lifetime, Miles Davis, solo,  Mahavishnu Orchestra , Shakti 2.  Jan Akkerman  / Brainbox, Focus, solo, Tony Scott, Joachim Kühn 3.  John Abercrombi e / Dreams, Barry Miles, Gato Barbieri, Friends, Billy Cobham, JAck DeJohnette, Atmospheres, Michael Urbaniak, Neiman, Rava, Collin Walcott, Ralph Towner, McCoy Tyner, Bobby Hutcherson, Peter Erskine, self and lots of trios  4.  Corrado Rustici  / Melos, Nova, solo 5.  Allan Holdsworth  / 'Igginbottom, Nucleus, The Soft Machine, Tempest, Tony Williams' New Lifetime, Pierre Moerlen"s Gong, John Stevens, Jean-Luc Ponty, Bruford, UK, Gordon Beck, Solo  6.  Carlos Santana  / Santana,  Illuminations (with Alice Coltrane) , Love Devotion Surrender (with John McLaughlin) 7.   Eef Albers / Toots Thielemans, John Lee & Gerry Brown/Medusa, Focus 8.   Ray Gom...

Unlike any other bands or musicians outside of the "Bitches Brew" circle of progenitors, John Lee and Gerry Brown get it: They understand fully and completely that which Jazz-Rock Fusion is about; they unleash music that is fully in line with the fullest potential of the Jazz-Rock Fusion medium as defined by the architects of the "Third Wave"--which includes likes of Herbie Hancock with his Headhunters, John McLaughlin with the second incarnation of his Mahavishnu Orchestra, Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Al Di Meola, and Lenny White with their Return To Forever and initial solo projects. With this impetus, John and Gerry move toward and lock into the Jazz-Funk and Funk-Rhythm & Blues branches that lure many Jazz-Rock Fusion artists away from center. But they seem to always produce amazing, full arrangements for their songs, facilitated by the invariably-stellar musicians they seem to attract (or contract). The dynamic duo met in high school in their hometown of P...