Jazz-Funk Top Picks

Before the 60s, jazz experienced a significant shift approximately every decade, introducing distinct advancements in its evolution. From early jazz in 1920s, followed by swing in the 1930s, bebop in the 1940s, and hard bop in the 1950s.

The 1960s brought divisive changes to jazz with the emergence of free jazz and later experiments that fused jazz improvisation with rock music. As this new genre started to gain momentum, sub-genres quickly emerged, drawing inspiration from popular music and the rising use of electric instruments.

In the mid-'60s, Jazz-Funk emerged as a blend of jazz and funky Southern soul, influenced by Sly & the Family Stone's early funk innovations. While it shared similarities with soul-jazz, jazz-funk had a stronger, more pronounced backbeat and a deep devotion to the Stax/Volt soul music style.

Many early jazz-funk artists, such as Lonnie Smith and Eddie Harris, were organists, while others like Roy Ayers played saxophone and vibraphone. As soul evolved into funk in the early '70s, jazz-funk adapted its R&B elements to the changing times.

Artists like Donald Byrd and Herbie Hancock incorporated jazzy R&B and Philly soul into their bright and breezy compositions. Keyboardists like Ronnie Foster and Lonnie Liston Smith explored a more atmospheric style of jazz-funk.

Fusion and jazz-funk shared similarities, but not all fusion was jazz-funk. Fusion allowed for a wider range of influences, while jazz-funk maintained its focus on R&B and the celebratory energy of funk.

Jazz-funk gained popularity in the British underground music scene as "rare groove" when it was rediscovered in the mid to late '80s. An updated version mixed with funk and hip-hop emerged as acid jazz.


American hip-hop artists also turned to jazz-funk when fusing jazz and rap, leading to a renaissance for artists like Roy Ayers. Medeski, Martin & Wood were instrumental in reviving the classic jazz-funk sound and introducing it to new audiences in the '90s.

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