Week 33: 50 Albums That Changed Music

[Swish]

I never would have expected this week's entry, although it might not be a bad choice considering the genre. Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters (1973)

It definitively wedded jazz to funk and R & B, and did it with such joyful confidence that it launched a whole new, open-minded approach to the music. Equally important was the use of electronic keyboards, then in their infancy, which vastly expanded the range of available textures. Head Hunters kickstarted the stylistic and ethnic fusions that have enlivened jazz for almost 30 years. Without this...suffice to say, almost everything in the jazz-funk idiom can be traced back to this.

This is certainly not my favorite style of jazz, as I leaned toward bands like Weather Report back in the mid to late 70s. Nothing wrong with it, just not my thing, but I can certainly agree to the degree of influence that it generated.

Swish

[jvc]

The Beatle's "Rubber Soul" album is considered to be one, that changed the direction music was headed in. I'd also say "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band".

Swish.......
Have you heard Spyro Gyra?

[Swish]

The Beatle's "Rubber Soul" album is considered to be one, that changed the direction music was headed in. I'd also say "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band".

Swish.......
Have you heard Spyro Gyra?

...the premise is that I am posting one per week for 50 weeks, all taken from a list that I read while visiting London last year. I am simply putting the information out there for all to review and comment. Rubber Soul didn't make it, but "Sgt. Pepper's..." was the choice in week number 2.

As for Spyro Gyra, yes I've heard them, but it's not my kind of jazz. I starting listening to them for a brief period when an acquaintance was close to touring with them as their drummer. Something happened at the last minute and they took someone else. I would much rather listen to Miles Davis, John Coltrain, or Wes Montgomery than I would any of the various types of "modern" jazz that is out there. That's not to say they can't play as many are incredibly talented, but I just don't appreciate the style.

Regards,
Swish

[BradH]

Without this...suffice to say, almost everything in the jazz-funk idiom can be traced back to this.

Sounds like bs but it's probably true. Sure, jazz & funk elements were mixed together in varying degrees by everyone from Miles to George Clinton by 1973 but this particular mix from Herbie was potent for its time and a massive seller. Funkier than fusion's Big Three: Return To Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra and Weather Report. Stanley Clarke's brown album wasn't until the next year, 1974. Billy Cobham's Spectrum was funky in '73 but harder on the jazz-rock fusion angle. And is there anyone who doesn't like "Watermelon Man"?

Yeah, the Guardian may have accidentally got another one right.

But I still say Weather Report is God.

[MindGoneHaywire]

I got into a long discussion on another board last summer about this choice. I guess there's a couple of ways to look at it. It's certainly not the worst choice, though I'll stand firmly with the idea that the Spice Girls choice was absolutely valid given the parameters of the list, which had nothing to do with the readers actually liking the choices or what they influenced.

I object to the heavy presence of Britpop, except it's a UK paper...although even given that I think there's a little too much, especially on a list that has nothing in the realm of jam band music, and no Rolling Stones albums. But choosing this over jazz recs I would consider to be far more influential doesn't quite make sense.

[Swish]

I got into a long discussion on another board last summer about this choice. I guess there's a couple of ways to look at it. It's certainly not the worst choice, though I'll stand firmly with the idea that the Spice Girls choice was absolutely valid given the parameters of the list, which had nothing to do with the readers actually liking the choices or what they influenced.

I object to the heavy presence of Britpop, except it's a UK paper...although even given that I think there's a little too much, especially on a list that has nothing in the realm of jam band music, and no Rolling Stones albums. But choosing this over jazz recs I would consider to be far more influential doesn't quite make sense.

...this was truly a different type of jazz and probably fits the whole shebang in that it probably is one record that "changed music". I agree there were many other jazz albums that I like better, but I think this one fit.

Swish

[MindGoneHaywire]

Well, I'd counter with a record I'm no fan of, B*tches Brew. I find it difficult to believe that, even in the UK, that record's influence on fusion didn't change the world more than Hancock's rec on....'the jazz-funk idiom.'

Jazz-funk idiom? Sorry, on a list about influence, I have to rank that, as a musical force, movement, genre, subgenre, whatever term you'd like to describe it, as being less significant, even in fhe UK, as fusion, or jam bands, for that matter. Excluding Southern Rock I can see. Jazz-funk over jazz fusion? Nope.

[BradH]

Jazz-funk idiom?

Well, there wasn't a helluva lot of difference, if any, between jazz-funk and jazz-rock in those days. All the fusion bands used funk elements while being close to prog-rock in nature at times. It was a carefully worded choice by the Guardian to make it seem like jazz-funk was a separate genre so they wouldn't have to call it jazz-rock or simply fusion. It's basically a really funky fusion album. Obviously not as influential as B*tches Brew, though. Wasn't that already on the list?

I think the Guardian knows nothing about fusion so they picked Headhunters because it was popular. And it was influential within the jazz-rock world. How important that was is up for another debate, I guess. You could claim fusion is dead but 20 years ago no one would've said the Grateful Dead or the Allman Brothers were relative to new music but who could've foreseen the rise of the jam bands?


The problem with talking about influential music is it leads to endless discussions about genre and sub-genre classifications because that's what influential music does, it inspire whole genres. But how many people actually listen to music that way? People used to get fried and listen to Autobahn and then Headhunters and then Tubular Bells...Hell, 2 hours ago I talked to a black guy who was into Yes and Rush. He said his son will listen to "Tom Sawyer" in his room over and over

Music critics are like evolutionary biologists slaving over taxonomy charts while the animals are outside getting their freak on. I'm probably just as guilty as anyone but it amazes me how fusion and prog-rock from the early '70's had so much...er...cross-fertilization.

[3-LockBox]

I'll stand firmly with the idea that the Spice Girls choice was absolutely valid given the parameters of the list, which had nothing to do with the readers actually liking the choices or what they influenced.

This horse has not only been beaten past its expiration, it is now a fine paste, suitable for a tastey euqine spread.

[Swish]

Well, I'd counter with a record I'm no fan of, B*tches Brew. I find it difficult to believe that, even in the UK, that record's influence on fusion didn't change the world more than Hancock's rec on....'the jazz-funk idiom.'

Jazz-funk idiom? Sorry, on a list about influence, I have to rank that, as a musical force, movement, genre, subgenre, whatever term you'd like to describe it, as being less significant, even in fhe UK, as fusion, or jam bands, for that matter. Excluding Southern Rock I can see. Jazz-funk over jazz fusion? Nope.

...*****es Brew was a better choice, and not that Head Hunters was a bad choice. You may be correct, but apparently one of the "rules" of this list was that there could be no more than one selection per artist/band, and they chose "Kinda Blue" for Miles, so you're S.O.O.L. on BB making it.

Swish

[Swish]

It's basically a really funky fusion album. Obviously not as influential as B*tches Brew, though. Wasn't that already on the list?

I think the Guardian knows nothing about fusion so they picked Headhunters because it was popular. And it was influential within the jazz-rock world. How important that was is up for another debate, I guess. You could claim fusion is dead but 20 years ago no one would've said the Grateful Dead or the Allman Brothers were relative to new music but who could've foreseen the rise of the jam bands?.

thing I noticed was that no artist/band had more than one selection, which may or may not be intentional, but it makes sense that, since they already used Kinda Blue, there was no way in hell they were going to choose *****es Brew. Right or wrong, that appears to be the answer.

As for the Allman Brothers, I think they should be represented at some point, but they're not. I was really into country rock scene for a time, but after hearing Freebird and Green Grass and High Tides for the umpteenth time, I was forced to move on to the burgeoning "new wave" scene in the late 70s. But country rock was strong for a long time, and I credit the Allman Brothers for making it so.

Swish

[MindGoneHaywire]

I think what I"m saying is...

...it should've been titled 50 Albums That Changed Music, But By 50 Different Artists Instead of 45 or 48 or 49.

[nobody]

Not really a genre where I'm all that knowledgeable. I did pick this one up after hearing a friend praise it. But, on my initial listen, I wasn't really into it. Perhaps I need to go back and give it another spin.

[BradH]

But country rock was strong for a long time, and I credit the Allman Brothers for making it so.

Yeah, you're talking about Southern Rock. I don't go past the Allmans and some early Marshall Tucker with its jazz/flute jamming. No telling what the Guardian would pick as the influence on that whole genre, probably Skynyrd's Second Helping or something else early because the Brits took notice of Skynyrd right away back then. But I'd give it to the Allman's Brothers And Sisters from 1974 because it's an American classic and was a pronounced shift in direction from the most popular band in the U.S at the time. A smart move on Betts' part after Duane's death and maybe his finest hour artistically. They toured that year headlining over Marshall Tucker and their debut, both albums on Capricorn. I see that tour and the promotion around it as a more significant beginning to southern rock than Skynyrd.


...but it makes sense that, since they already used Kinda Blue, there was no way in hell they were going to choose *****es Brew.

Yeah, that makes sense. Except, how much influnce has Kind of Blue had on rock 'n' roll? They never specified the face of what music was being changed. If they're talking strictly rock then they should've picked B*tches Brew.