Jazz Music in the 1980s

The 1980s were a great decade for jazz music. Many new and innovative artists emerged, pushing the boundaries of the genre. Here are some of the best jazz albums of the 1980s.

The Birth of Jazz Fusion

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, jazz musicians began to experiment with electric instruments and amplified sound. This new style of music, which blended elements of both jazz and rock, came to be known as jazz fusion. Jazz fusion became hugely popular in the 1980s, with many iconic albums being released during this decade.

Miles Davis and Bitches Brew

In March of 1969, Miles Davis set out to make an album that would speak to the “blood of the young Black man in America.” He returned to the studio with an electric band that included guitarist John McLaughlin, keyboardists Joe Zawinul and Chick Corea, bassist Dave Holland, and drummer Jack DeJohnette. The result was Bitches Brew, a major turning point in jazz history.

Bitches Brew brought together elements of rock, funk, and African music to create a new sound that was raw, dark, and electric. It was unlike anything Davis had recorded before, and it would change the course of jazz forever.

When Bitches Brew was released in April of 1970, it received mixed reviews from critics. Some loved it, others hated it. But there was no denying its impact. The album went on to sell over 500,000 copies and became one of the most influential jazz records of all time.

Today, Bitches Brew is widely considered to be one of the birthplaces of jazz fusion—a genre that would come to dominate the jazz landscape in the 1970s and 1980s. Thanks to Miles Davis and his groundbreaking album, jazz would never be the same.

Herbie Hancock and Head Hunters

In the early 1970s, Hancock began incorporating elements of rock, funk, and R&B into his jazz compositions. He did this to attract a younger audience to jazz and to make the music more accessible. He achieved great success with this approach, and his 1973 album Head Hunters became one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time.

In the 1980s, Hancock continued to experiment with different genres, including hip hop and electronic music. He also formed a band called the Head Hunters, which became one of the most popular jazz bands of the decade. The Head Hunters’ self-titled debut album won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Group in 1974.

Jazz Funk

Jazz funk is a subgenre of jazz that combines elements of funk and disco. It was popularized in the 1980s by artists such as Miles Davis and George Clinton. Jazz funk often has a syncopated groove and is often played at a high energy level.

George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic

In the 1970s and 1980s, a new style of music called jazz funk emerged. This type of music combined elements of both jazz and funk to create a unique sound. One of the most popular groups during this time was George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic.

George Clinton is a singer, songwriter, and musician who was born in North Carolina in 1941. He moved to New York City in the 1960s, where he formed the band The Parliament. The Parliament was a psychedelic soul group that became very popular in the 1970s. In 1974, Clinton founded another group called Funkadelic. Funkadelic was a funk rock band that combined elements of both funk and rock music.

George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic became known for their outrageous stage shows, which often included costumes and make-up. They also became known for their innovative music, which combined elements of many different genres. Some of their most popular songs include “Flash Light,” “One Nation Under a Groove,” and “Aqua Boogie.”

In the 1980s, George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic continued to be one of the most popular bands in the world. They toured extensively throughout the United States and released several more albums. In 1989, they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Bootsy Collins

Collins’ bass playing style influenced many subsequent rock and funk bassists, including Lloyd Parks, Abraham Laboriel, Paul Jackson, Jr., Bernard Edwards, Verdine White, Mark Adams, Louis Johnson, Roosevelt Collier, Marcus Miller and Cordell Mosson. His unique style places him as one of the most influential bass guitarists in funk history.

The Avant-Garde

Cecil Taylor

Cecil Taylor is often cited as being one of the most important and influential jazz pianists of the 20th century. He was born in New York City in 1929, and began playing piano at a young age. He studied classical piano at the New York College of Music, but was more interested in jazz and improvised music. He began playing professionally in the 1950s, and quickly developed a highly distinctive style that incorporated elements of both jazz and classical music.

Taylor was a pioneer in the use of extended techniques on the piano, such as using the palms of his hands to strike the keys, or using prepared objects (such as coins or pieces of metal) to create percussive effects. He was also one of the first jazz musicians to make extensive use of free improvisation, often eschewing traditional harmonic structures entirely in favor of exploring new sonic possibilities.

While Taylor’s music was initially met with some resistance from critics and fellow musicians, he quickly gained a devoted following among avant-garde jazz fans. In the 1960s and 1970s he recorded a series of highly acclaimed albums for independent labels such as Blue Note and ESP-Disk, cementing his reputation as one of the most innovative and influential jazz musicians of his generation.

Anthony Braxton

A musician of prodigious technical facility and musical scope, Anthony Braxton has been active in the avant-garde jazz community since the early 1960s. He has composed for virtually every conceivable combination of instruments, from solo pieces to full orchestral works, and is also a respected theoretician. His work is often characterized by its eclecticism, blending elements of jazz, European classical music, and Asian and African musical traditions.

In the 1980s, Braxton began to experiment with electronic music, first with synthesizers and later with computer-generated sounds. He has also worked extensively with dancers, particularly in his pieces forsemble (a word he coined to describe his ensemble pieces). In recent years, he has been increasingly interested in finding ways to incorporate visual elements into his performances; in some cases, he has even performed on paint-splattered canvases.

Avant-garde jazz can be a difficult music to appreciate; it often takes time to “get into” Braxton’s pieces. But those who make the effort are rewarded with some of the most original and innovative music being created today.

The Mainstream

Jazz music in the 1980s was dominated by the mainstream. This was the era of artists like Miles Davis and Wynton Marsalis. The music was accessible and the musicians were virtuosos. The mainstream jazz scene was vibrant and exciting.

Wynton Marsalis

Wynton Learson Marsalis (born October 18, 1961) is a trumpeter, composer, bandleader, music educator, and prominent member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. He has promoted the appreciation of classical and jazz music often to young audiences. Marsalis has won nine Grammy Awards and is the only musician to win Grammy Awards for both jazz and classical performance.

Marsalis was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on October 18, 1961 to Dolores (née Ferdinand) trade unionist and civil rights activist Ellis Louis Marsalis Jr., and Alberta Williams Marsalis, a piano teacher and gospel singer. Ellis Marsalis Jr., a native of Kenner Louisiana was a pianist and founding member of Thelonious Monk’s ensemble as well as being the patriarch of the musical Marsalis family. Wynton’s brothers Branford Marsalis (saxophone), Delfeayo Marsalis (trombone) and Jason Marsalis (drums) are also active jazz musicians; while his father Ellis Sr., his uncle Alvin Batiste and cousins Marlon Jordan and Stephen Riley were also professional jazz musicians. He displayed artistic talent early in life. According to biographer Ben Ratliff, “As young infants his brothers Branford – who became an internationally famous saxophonist – Jason – who plays drums – and Delfeayo – who plays trombone – occupied much of [Wynton’s] time…Marsalis performed debutante balls alongside his father before moving on to performing with pianist James Booker at New Orleans’ famous Nightcap club when he was 11.”

As a child he wanted to be a dancer like Bojangles but he found his niche in playing the trumpet—his mother insisted that he begin piano lessons when he started secondary school but he later switched to studying under Alvinbatiste—a move which according to Ratliff “might have been due less to any sparks of enthusiasm than because it was easier substitution for the introductory recorder class which all students were required to take.”

Chick Corea

During the 1980s, mainstream jazz was influenced by a wide range of other genres, including rock, funk, and world music. The result was a period of great creativity and diversity in the music. One of the leading figures of this period was pianist Chick Corea, who released a series of highly acclaimed albums with his group Return to Forever. Corea’s music incorporated elements of Latin jazz, funk, and classical music, and helped to pioneer the use of synthesizers in jazz. Other notable 1980s jazz artists include saxophonists Branford Marsalis and Wayne Shorter, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, and pianists Herbie Hancock and McCoy Tyner.