Wittgenstein, a student of Bertrand Russell, attempted to reduce philosophy to a compact collection of brief statements in the style of mathematical equations. Russell favored the rigor of mathematics and expressed extreme doubt that natural languages could ever represent the really real. Wittgenstein recommended silence when you realized that could not say what you meant or when you did not mean what you might say. I share Russell's doubts about natural language. Indeed the second use of language (to deceive) usually overwhelms the first use(to inform). My solution is to move away from language back to music (where I believe I came from). While I was immersed in classical music as a child and have just completed a recording of 14 pieces from JS Bach's Art of the Fugue, my real salvation lies in playing and inventing Jazz.
My interest in Jazz begins with Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. I have followed a meandering path from their bebop innovations through Miles Davis, cool jazz, modal and fusion jazz. The 1968 album “Miles in the Sky” introduced Herbie Hancock playing electric piano and Carter playing bass guitar. In 1969, electronic instruments dominated the next album “In a Silent Way”, an innovative fusion album.
The term Fusion still appeals to me. Fusion describes the merging of different musical styles and intentions. In the best case, Fusion is an open door to all music traditions everywhere to merge with novel, exciting creativity. Fusion is not always an easy path to follow. Musicians who are well established in one musical genre usually face criticism and degrees of rejection when they move in another direction. Dizzie Gillespie and Charlie Parker were criticized by fellow jazz musicians for their new jazz style "Bebop." Miles Davis also faced criticism as he moved from more "traditional jazz" into continuously evolving styles that incorporated world music and at times came perilously close to rock and roll. Davis attracted the best musicians available so that innovation was an eclectic group effort.
The musicians who played with Miles often continued to develop fusion styles. 1970’s fusion bands originated with Miles Davis alumni: Tony Williams Lifetime, Weather Report, McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra, Corea's Return to Forever, and Herbie Hancock's Headhunters band. Herbie Hancock was one of the first jazz keyboardists to use synthesizers. Funk jazz emerged in his albums, Head Hunters 1973 and Thrust in 1974.
Weather Report, featuring Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter developed world music fusion jazz. Jaco Pastorius, the electric bass player, went on to great fame and a tragic death in 1987. Chick Corea, another of the great keyboardists, founded the band Return to Forever in 1972 with latin-influenced music. The band soon evolved into a jazz-rock band.
John McLaughlin was influenced by his guru, Sri Chinmoy and created the Mahavishnu Orchestra that merged psychedelic rock with Indian music. Carlos Santana’s band blended Latin salsa, rock, blues, and jazz. Pat Metheny started a fusion band in 1977 that produced popular recordings that made both jazz and pop charts. Cool jazz groups such as Dave Sanborn's bands and the Ripping tons become popular with more melodic pieces that appealed to listeners at home.
Marcus Miller, the multitalented musicians' musician collaborated with Miles Davis, played with Jaco Pastorius and carried forward a brilliant style of bass guitar playing, turning the bass into a versatile solo instrument.
I have arranged and recorded tunes made famous by several of the fusion jazz musicians. Tutu is a Marcus Miller/ Davis piece. Today I am adding another Marcus Miller tune Snakes to my song list. I have treated snakes as one of my anthem pieces, developing an energetic, big-band style arrangement with my Flugelhorn as a solo instrument. Snakes in this version is a description of the state of the human world. I have the image of someone asking me what I think about the state of the world. I cannot speak. When I open my mouth, out comes Snakes.
Hear Snakes, Tutu, Night in Tunisia - Stephen Gislason and the Trinity P2500 Band.
(http://www.reverbnation.com/tunepak/2560031)
My interest in Jazz begins with Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. I have followed a meandering path from their bebop innovations through Miles Davis, cool jazz, modal and fusion jazz. The 1968 album “Miles in the Sky” introduced Herbie Hancock playing electric piano and Carter playing bass guitar. In 1969, electronic instruments dominated the next album “In a Silent Way”, an innovative fusion album.
The term Fusion still appeals to me. Fusion describes the merging of different musical styles and intentions. In the best case, Fusion is an open door to all music traditions everywhere to merge with novel, exciting creativity. Fusion is not always an easy path to follow. Musicians who are well established in one musical genre usually face criticism and degrees of rejection when they move in another direction. Dizzie Gillespie and Charlie Parker were criticized by fellow jazz musicians for their new jazz style "Bebop." Miles Davis also faced criticism as he moved from more "traditional jazz" into continuously evolving styles that incorporated world music and at times came perilously close to rock and roll. Davis attracted the best musicians available so that innovation was an eclectic group effort.
The musicians who played with Miles often continued to develop fusion styles. 1970’s fusion bands originated with Miles Davis alumni: Tony Williams Lifetime, Weather Report, McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra, Corea's Return to Forever, and Herbie Hancock's Headhunters band. Herbie Hancock was one of the first jazz keyboardists to use synthesizers. Funk jazz emerged in his albums, Head Hunters 1973 and Thrust in 1974.
Weather Report, featuring Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter developed world music fusion jazz. Jaco Pastorius, the electric bass player, went on to great fame and a tragic death in 1987. Chick Corea, another of the great keyboardists, founded the band Return to Forever in 1972 with latin-influenced music. The band soon evolved into a jazz-rock band.
John McLaughlin was influenced by his guru, Sri Chinmoy and created the Mahavishnu Orchestra that merged psychedelic rock with Indian music. Carlos Santana’s band blended Latin salsa, rock, blues, and jazz. Pat Metheny started a fusion band in 1977 that produced popular recordings that made both jazz and pop charts. Cool jazz groups such as Dave Sanborn's bands and the Ripping tons become popular with more melodic pieces that appealed to listeners at home.
Marcus Miller, the multitalented musicians' musician collaborated with Miles Davis, played with Jaco Pastorius and carried forward a brilliant style of bass guitar playing, turning the bass into a versatile solo instrument.
I have arranged and recorded tunes made famous by several of the fusion jazz musicians. Tutu is a Marcus Miller/ Davis piece. Today I am adding another Marcus Miller tune Snakes to my song list. I have treated snakes as one of my anthem pieces, developing an energetic, big-band style arrangement with my Flugelhorn as a solo instrument. Snakes in this version is a description of the state of the human world. I have the image of someone asking me what I think about the state of the world. I cannot speak. When I open my mouth, out comes Snakes.
Hear Snakes, Tutu, Night in Tunisia - Stephen Gislason and the Trinity P2500 Band.
(http://www.reverbnation.com/tunepak/2560031)