Items12The creator’s order
  1. 1In a Silent Way (1969)In a Silent Way (1969)Released 1 Jan 1969Recorded in a single day in 1969 and edited by producer Teo Macero into two side-long pieces, this is fusion at its most hypnotic. Tony Williams barely leaves his hi-hat, a steady tap that holds everything in suspension, while John McLaughlin's guitar shimmers and three electric keyboardists,…0
  2. 2Thrust (1974)Thrust (1974)Released 1 Jan 1974After the commercial breakthrough of Head Hunters, Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters pushed their funk even further. New drummer Mike Clark and bassist Paul Jackson build a syncopated, constantly shifting pocket on Actual Proof that drummers still study, and Palm Grease shows the same band…0
  3. 3Heavy Weather (1977)Heavy Weather (1977)Released 1 Jan 1977With bassist Jaco Pastorius fully in the band, Weather Report made fusion that could cross over to a pop audience. Joe Zawinul's joyful synthesizer melody on Birdland, built up layer by layer over a bouncing groove, delivers instant delight, while Jaco's singing fretless lines and Wayne Shorter's…0
  4. 4Light as a Feather (1973)Light as a Feather (1973)Released 1 Jan 1973Chick Corea and Return to Forever combined Brazilian samba with sparkling electric jazz. Driven by Airto Moreira's bubbling percussion, Flora Purim's radiant vocals and Stanley Clarke's acoustic bass propulsion, Spain turns Rodrigo's classical guitar concerto into an exhilarating, sun-drenched…0
  5. 5Birds of Fire (1973)Birds of Fire (1973)Released 1 Jan 1973John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra fused rock volume with the long, odd-numbered rhythmic cycles of Indian classical music. Billy Cobham's volcanic drumming and Jan Hammer's searing keyboards make even the strangest meters hit as directly as heavy rock: the title track's unusual count feels…0
  6. 6Spectrum (1973)Spectrum (1973)Released 1 Jan 1973Fresh from the Mahavishnu Orchestra, drummer Billy Cobham recorded this explosive solo debut featuring a young Tommy Bolin on lead guitar and Jan Hammer on electric keys. The iconic groove of Stratus provides an unstoppable, hypnotic funk-rock blueprint that later laid the foundation for Massive…0
  7. 7Black Byrd (1973)Black Byrd (1973)Released 1 Jan 1973Teaming up with producers Larry and Fonce Mizell, veteran hard bop trumpeter Donald Byrd helped define the sunny crossover sound of jazz-funk. Vocal chants, flute accents and smooth wah guitar ride grooves that never stop moving, and the record became the best-selling album in Blue Note's history…0
  8. 8School Days (1976)School Days (1976)Released 1 Jan 1976Stanley Clarke elevated the electric bass from the rhythm section into a commanding lead voice. On the iconic title track, Clarke's thunderous slap-bass technique and ringing chordal strums drive a relentless, muscular funk-rock groove that rocks with arena-level swagger.0
  9. 9Mint Jams (1982)Mint Jams (1982)Released 1 Jan 1982Casiopea recorded this Japanese fusion landmark live in 1982, then took the crowd noise out, leaving a record of startling precision and buoyant energy. Issei Noro's bright guitar melodies, Tetsuo Sakurai's popping slap bass and Akira Jimbo's crisp drumming lock together with razor-sharp cohesion;…0
  10. 10Everybody Loves the Sunshine (2016)Everybody Loves the Sunshine (2016)Released 1 Jan 2016Vibraphonist Roy Ayers created the ultimate warm-weather soul-jazz soundtrack. Muted synthesizer chords, humming electric piano and Ayers's shimmering vibraphone lines drift over an effortless, slow-motion drum beat, capturing the relaxed haze of a New York summer block party.0