Fusion

Jazz fusion (or jazz rock) is a musical genre that merges jazz with elements of other styles of music, particularly funk, rock, R&B, ska, electronic and world music, as well as pop, classical and folk music, or sometimes even metal, reggae, country, hip hop, etc. Fusion albums, even those that are made by the same group or artist, may include a variety of styles.

In the late 1960s, jazz musicians began mixing the forms and improvisational techniques of jazz with the electric instruments of rock and the rhythms of soul and rhythm and blues. At the same time, some rock artists began adding jazz elements to their music. The 1970s were the most visible decade for fusion, but the style has been well represented during more recent times. Rather than being a codified musical style, fusion can be viewed as a musical tradition or approach. Some progressive rock music is also labeled as fusion.

Fusion music is typically instrumental, often with complex time signatures, metres, rhythmic patterns, and extended track lengths, featuring lengthy improvisations. Many prominent fusion musicians are recognised as having a high level of virtuosity, combined with complex compositions and musical improvisation in metres rarely seen in other Western musical forms, perhaps best recognised in the work of jazz composers Michal Urbaniak, Dave Brubeck and Don Ellis.

This description is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses materials from the Wikipedia article "Jazz fusion".