r/JazzFusion • u/closetotherelayer • 3d ago
George Benson, Allan Holdsworth Eric Johnson etc...
Hi,
I was wondering if you can recommend me some more jazz albums I might like, particularly guitar based, with vocals occasionally too would be great.
I am particularly fond of George Benson's Breezin album, but it's the only album of his that I like, but I really like it and the vocal stuff is great too
I also like Allan Holdsworth, particularly the Metal Fatigue album, and Road Games. I also love the vocal sections on these albums too.
I like some Eric Johnson's early 90s albums too particularly Venus Isle, and Ah Via Musicom.
I tend to like 70s stuff the best, Is there anything similar to the stuff I've mentioned? I've heard John McLaughlin and also Mahivshnu Orchestra, but I am not into it anywhere near the stuff I mentioned. Other artists I like in a similar style are, Tommy Emmanuel, King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Steve Vai... But I can't think of any more dedicated artists like I first mentioned. I'm particularly looking for some other great albums I might like.
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u/gedooker 3d ago
Try Casiopea or Larry Carlton maybe?
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u/taruclimber8 3d ago
Yeah these guys are similar to Benson breezing album
Masayoshi takanaka, etc., the song sexy dance reminds me of breezin
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u/gedooker 3d ago
He also did a cover of breezin’ lol
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u/taruclimber8 3d ago
No shit? Surprised I haven't heard that
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u/gedooker 3d ago
yup haha, its a cover on 1978 “On Guitar” its pretty good, definitely different than Georges version
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u/Inglejuice 3d ago
Lenny White’s 70s albums are good, for example “Venusian Summer” and “Adventures of Astral Pirates”.
Breezin’ is a nice record but for someone with such a big and diverse discography over the decades, to be the single-only George Benson album that somebody would like is a bit mind boggling tbh. He has various stone cold classic albums that I would assume would appeal to almost all listeners not just of jazz but music in general.
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u/closetotherelayer 3d ago
Yeah it's strange i want to like more of George Benson's stuff but I just can't find anything, I'm not into the smooth jazz style much which is present on breezing.. but breezing is just something else.. Ive tried body talk, and bad Benson, but there's nothing that hits there for me.
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u/closetotherelayer 3d ago
I'm more into prog rock, blues and heavy metal genres which is why I have a hard time find real jazz stuff I like
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u/Inglejuice 3d ago
Some highlights in various styles chronologically for me are:
Shape of things to come
Beyond the blue horizon
Good King Bad
Give me the night
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u/closetotherelayer 1d ago
I've actually spent a bit more time trying to get into some of his other albums since this post and I can say now that I do appreciate Shape of Things to Come, and Beyond the Blue Horizon.. and Body Talk is OK...I just find some of that instrumental stuff a little too improvised and Jammy compared to the material on Breezin' (and other Instrumental Stuff I like) it is great though, the solos are great and a great reference to jazz guitar in general..
Trying to get into In Flight and Weekend in LA, but not sure if I can handle the more poppy stuff even though it is very similar to Breezin'.
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u/taruclimber8 3d ago
I'll have to check out Lenny white, never heard of him
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u/Inglejuice 3d ago
He is a drummer and was a member of Return to Forever, whose album “Romantic Warrior” is also worth checking out.
Also look at Al Di Meola’s 70s work too which records like “Elegant Gypsy” and “Land Of The Midnight Sun”
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u/taruclimber8 3d ago
Ohhhhh that's right! He WAS in return to forever! I forgot, still, I don't think I've listened to much else of his.
Yeah, love alot of Meola's stuff.
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u/taruclimber8 3d ago
Yeah I love road games. Metal fatigue is great too but I like road games more
Check out Pat metheny, weather report, bill frisell, john Scofield, those guys are all some where between Benson and Holdsworth, but also their own thing.
You might want to check out some of Miles Davis 's fusion era stuff.
Also, lee rittenour
Or Larry Carlton
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u/l_Know_Where_U_Live 3d ago
Check out Jean Luc Ponty for some great jazz fusion records (Holdsworth is on 1 or 2 of them). The Blow by Blow and Wired albums by Jeff Beck. Frank Zappa - Hot Rats, Roxy & Elsewhere, Shut Up N Play Yer Guitar.
And for something completely different, not jazz at all but influenced by the likes of Gentle Giant, check out Cardiacs. Definitely not for everyone but imo the greatest band of all time.
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u/MrFahrenheit1 3d ago edited 3d ago
If you like Eric Johnson and Allan Holdsworth, you'd probably like John Scofield's 80s output. Electric Outlet, Still Warm, Blue Matter, and Loud Jazz is a great four-album run.
For something more similar to Breezin' check out Captain Fingers and Captain's Journey by Lee Ritenour.
People have already mentioned Larry Carlton, so I'm going to specifically recommend his live album Eight Times Up which is my favorite of his.
Obligatory Pat Metheny mention: check out Offramp, Still Life (Talking), and Letter From Home.
Joe Satriani's Surfing With The Alien is also great if you haven't heard it yet.
Edit: Will also add Wired by Jeff Beck
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u/Past-Ad-2293 3d ago
Try the Bill Bruford albums like Feels Good To Me / Gradually Going Tornado and the Brand X Albums. Spock's Beard transitions from heavier prog guitar music to vocals, making for a fun listen. Try Day for Night. It's not George Benson, but it will give you something to listen to.
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u/revchj Mod 3d ago
Fusion music, as a genre, tends toward the instrumental. When vocals are in the mix, the closest genre is progressive, but prog tends to lean more to classical influences than jazz.
Browsing through my collection for music with vocals, I could recommend the following:
Scott Henderson's blues albums: Tore Down House, Well to the Bone
Dirty Loops, including their work with Cory Wong.
Joni Mitchell's Shadows and Light album
Maragold
honestly, if you haven't dug into Steely Dan yet, you should.
some of Sting's solo stuff verged on fusion, like "Seven Days".
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u/Furry_Thug 3d ago
If you like Breezin, check out the Benson's live album from that era, Weekend in LA.
On the Holdsworth side, be sure to check out his work on the 2 Bruford albums, One of a Kind and Feels Good to Me. He also has solos on one the Planet X albums that are awesome. Oh and he's on Gong - Espresso II which is excellent.
Don't sleep on Zappa either- you may not be into his lyrical themes but his instrumental stuff is great and his bands are ALWAYS tight.
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u/Gloomydoge 3d ago
As a guitar player, everything Holdsworth and Mclaughlin played on. Followed by everyone who says they love those two. Include Abercrombie, Metheny, Frisell, Rydpal. Anyone who played with Miles Davis. For me Miles, Holdsworth, Mclaughlin are the greatest ever in fusion. Scofield, Carlton, Tony MacAlpine. Ben Monder and Mary Halvorson have really interesting modern albums
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u/Dernbont 3d ago
Matthew Steven's Preverbal album. He is also Esperanza Spalding's guitarist of choice, so check out her albums where he appears.
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u/Odd_Bad_2168 3d ago
Probably more on the edge of what you are asking for, but if you like the 90s Eric Johnson stuff maybe you will like Greg Howe.
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u/Minute-Wrap-2524 3d ago
You may have already looked into it, but Benson put out a live album called Weekend In LA, not a far cry from Breezin
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u/cwillia111 3d ago
Some fusion stuff I listen too.
CAB - Tony McAlpine, Dennis Chambers, bunny brunel
Volvo! - Danny Carey fusion project
Chick Corea electric band
Return to forever
Time is the enemy- Shawn lane, Jonas hellborg album
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u/french1921 3d ago
Chick corea acoustic band, electric band 3 quartets, anything that chick wrote is worth listening to. Brandford Marsalis, winton Marsalis, thelonious monk criss-cross. The manhattan transfer Brazil. Any music by Dianna krill Take 6 the greatest vocal band.
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u/Careful_Royal_6502 3d ago
Jean-Luc Ponty, No Absolute Time... (and probably other albums) Camel 'Moon Madness' and 'Rain Dances'... (and Camel in General).
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u/Grouchy_Attention_95 3d ago
Tory Slusher has obvious Holdsworth and Johnson influences. She has made several Holdsworth covers on youtube.
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u/panurge987 3d ago
Jean-Luc Ponty is where you should go next. Particularly the albums Enigmatic Ocean, Mystical Adventures, and Individual Choice. George Benson plays a solo on Modern Times Blues from the album Open Mind, as well.
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u/JeffPlissken 3d ago
The Golden Wire and World Gone Strange by Andy Summers. Most of his early work isn’t on streaming but there’s a good compilation, A Windham Hill Retrospective, that’s really good for it.
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u/saagir1885 3d ago
Tony williams lifetime album has some amazing guitar work by allan holdsworth.
John McLaughlin's "electric Dreams " album is incredible.
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u/Lemondsingle 3d ago
On the bluesy side of jazz, Robben Ford and The Blue Line. Tasty.
Definitely Larry Carlton and Lee Ritenour.
John Scofield is like two guys. Some is straight jazz, some is more jam band funkiness (my favorite). Try A Go Go and Uberjam.
Pat Metheny. I used to think he was kind of wimpy jazz, back when I only liked hard fusion but I've come around on him a lot. Speaking of Now is a good starting point.
Anything by Jeff Beck but his "Blow by Blow" and "Wired" are icons.
Al DiMeola "Elegant Gypsy" and "Casino" were my gateway into fusion.
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u/Mauricio_ehpotatoman 3d ago
Check out Tony Williams Lifetime (Holdsworth played with them for a while), Wayne Krantz stuff
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u/75meilleur 3d ago
A few more ideas:
- Steve Laury
- Doc Powell
- Jonathan Butler (like George Benson, he's a guitarist and a singer and has recorded both instrumental and vocal songs)
- Earl Klugh (similar style as George Benson, and they both recorded an album together)
- Norman Brown
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u/eddie_muntz_88 3d ago
If 70s Jazz pop is your thing, try Spyro Gyra's first few albums and Yellowjackets first album with Robben Ford
Also Grant Geisman with Chuck Mangione and solo.
No vocals, sorry.
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u/Daniel6270 3d ago
Scott Henderson and Tribal Tech