The Supernova that Was Jazz-Rock Fusion

Though vocals are not typically associated with the world of Jazz-Rock Fusion, there have been several exceptions whose talents have not only made a lasting impression on me but, in my opinion, significantly improved the music to which they contributed. The list that I've generated contains artists of such diverse talents and styles that I've decided not to list them in any sort of ranking but, instead, an alphabetical order. Brian Auger Ann Ballester / Édition Spéciale George Benson Klaus Blasquiz  / Magma Mireille Dalbray / Cortex Urszula "Ula" Dudziak / Michal Urbaniak, self/solo Dorle Ferber / Zyma Rimona Francis / Miroslav Vitous, David Friedman, self/solo Michael Franks Barbara Gaskin /  Spirogyra,  Egg,   Hatfield & The North, Clearlight, National Health, Bruford, Dave Stewart Allan Holdsworth / 'Igginbottom, Tempest, The Soft Machine, Gordon Beck Al Jarreau / Quincy Jones, self/solo, Chick Corea, Freddie Hubbard  Gayle Moran / Mahavishnu Orc...

Scottish trumpeter Ian Carr had been working with saxophonist Don Rendell in the mid- and late-1960s, The Ian Carr-Don Rendell Quintet , when he got the idea for moving his jazz music into a more rock-infused direction. The result became his "Nucleus" project with experimental electric guitarist Chris Spedding, diverse keyboardist Karl Jenkins, bass player Jeff Clyne, drummer-extraordinaire John Marshall, and long-time collaborator, saxophonist Brian Smith. From 1969 to 1972 the original Nucleus lineup was able to pump out four stellar, trend-setting and standard-setting albums before things fell apart. Other than Brian Smith, Ian Carr was able to attract amazing musicians to his project for successive tours and studio sessions but, for whatever reason, he was unable (or unwilling?) to retain them for (usually) more than one album. Still, the number of Ian Carr/Nucleus albums churned out during the 1970s is at the absolute highest level of quality and marksmanship for that wh...