Early players on Miles Davis' crucial electric albums who went on to be composers and band leaders themselves. While the genre turned atrocious pretty quickly there's some gold early on. Yeah, there's a lot of overlap in here but the point is discussion and uncovering hidden gems.

Herbie Hancock is probably the most successful at integrating contemporary influences (like, even into the 2000s) but those first 2 Tony Williams Lifetime records (which owe a lot to McLaughlin admittedly) are just too good. There are a few others I wasn't sure to include like Keith Jarrett and Dave Holland who didn't really go fusion post Miles, and I'm probably missing others.

Going with Hancock here, but I don’t know a ton of work from the others. I kind of wish I liked those Mahavishnu records more.

Herbie

Wood Goblin wrote: Sat Mar 04, 2023 11:18 am I kind of wish I liked those Mahavishnu records more.

Me too, which is frustrating because this side of McLaughlin kicks ass:

McLaughlin. That early Mahavishnu stuff was formative for me. Cob was an insane drummer.

Tony Williams never did anything remotely similar to those first two Lifetime records, they were a bit of an accident, in some ways, I think (such as in how dirty they sound, a big part of their character). The early Mahavishnu was fantastic, McLaughlin played on a number os significant records from that era including the aforementioned Lifetime releases, and I think he made more great, fiery fusion records than the other guys, including Shakti. The well was dry before the 80's, but still.

I love Sextant, but that period was an exception for Hancock.

Weather Report managed to release some great music in the first few years, but I always heard it as an ensemble effort. By Mr Gone they were pretty bad.

Fusion-era Return to Forever has just one great record IMO, the one with Bill Connors, though there's good stuff on the following releases. The corniest of the bunch.

Bernardo wrote: Sat Mar 04, 2023 4:59 pm Weather Report managed to release some great music in the first few years, but I always heard it as an ensemble effort.

Zawinul s/t record falls under this as well, which pretty much sounds like the Miles albums without Miles (with a reworking of 'In A Silent Way').

As noted most everyone from this list has a spate of early albums (68-72-ish) that are all good to very good. By about 1973 just about everyone had ditched the off-the-deep-end experientialism Miles championed for a better chart performing fusion mush, with side trips into Scientology (Corea), Too Much Time Around Santana (McLaughlin), Cocaine/"Jaco" (most of 'em), and Pro Gear (all).

DeJohnette is an interesting case since he didn't give up side work for band leadership full time so his discography tends to be more varied and interesting. (Side note: I saw him several years ago with his Made in Chicago band and during the encore improv he started tapping out those eighth notes on the hi-hat and I practically leapt out of my seat)

Shorter had done his most interesting work (to me anyway) in the 60s both as a leader & with Miles

Hancock I think is the champ out of this list, the Mwandishi records, Head Hunters, solo, even V.S.O.P. stuff is all pretty hard to deny

McLaughlin & Mahavishnu are like King Crimson for me, there was a certain point in my life when I really loved that music & some of it still cooks but mostly it doesn't move me much any more. Jokes aside the Love Devotion Surrender record is ten times better than it has any right to be.

Crystal Silence still gets a good amount of playing time at our house.

Herbie and Wayne are the two who made music on their own that I really love