Moving on from Classic Jazz (see Vol. 1 of our series) , there were several remarkable albums, beginning in the 1970s, that changed ideas of what jazz could be. These records found huge audiences by incorporating elements of pop music, the Great American Songbook, rock, hip-hop and world music. Something new emerged – and it’s been a lasting genre that is still valid today. We’re calling it Crossover Jazz, and we’ve chosen 7 great selections for your exploration. Vol. 3 in the series, entitled New Jazz, is up next. Enjoy, and feel free to leave your comments below.
The debut album by Grover Washington Jr. came about by accident. Inner City City Blues was intended for Kudu Records’ jazz star Hank Crawford, but he was unable to make the record, or perhaps declined in order to preserve a pure jazz reputation, so Grover filled in. He could play soprano, tenor, alto, and baritone sax, and had a gift for transforming pop songs into magic. Some say he invented smooth jazz with this album. Inner City Blues is much more than that. It moves the soul of the listener.
~ Released 1972
George Benson loved to sing, but his previous label managers told him he was a jazz guitarist, not a singer. He had made 14 studio guitar-only albums that sold modestly. George moved to Warner Brothers, who were more sympathetic to his wishes. They lined up a cracking band of jazz and rock players to make Breezin‘, which catapulted George Benson into the ranks of pop stars. His vocal of Leon Russell’s “Masquerade” was somewhat reminiscent of Stevie Wonder, but the essence of his soulful performance was pure Benson. This is jazz-pop at its finest, the first triple-platinum Crossover album in the genre, and still one of the best. He kept on singing – and his guitar work? – superb.
~ Released 1976
Yes, we’re calling Steely Dan‘s album Aja a Crossover Jazz recording, though there isn’t a trace of improvisation in this carefully planned assembly of highly polished tunes. The record is sophisticated well beyond any measure of rock music, with rhythms and time signatures that required infinite patience and studio time. Clever lyrics, cool hipster singing that echoes Mose Allison, and melodies clearly inspired by Donald Fagen’s jazz hero Horace Silver, all added up to sonic delights for jazz fans. The sound quality is legendary, the album still a staple at industry shows to demonstrate what audio engineering can achieve. Aja is the pinnacle of jazz-rock by every standard.
~ Released 1977
A devotee of Nat King Cole (whose jazz piano trio was famous prior to his pop success), Diana Krall is equally at home with both traditional jazz and orchestrated pop. She is an adept pianist and a wonderful singer – the only jazz vocalist to have topped the Billboard Jazz charts eight times. No other jazz artist has taken on such a wide selection of material – from George Gershwin to Bossa Nova to The Eagles. Diana’s depth of emotion and perfect diction, along with her splendid sense of rhythm and swing, put her at very top of female jazz artists. When I Look In Your Eyes is just one of her many great albums.
~ Released 1997
Rap music and hip-hop have been the biggest selling forms of music since 1985. Slowly though, this music began to penetrate and invigorate the field of jazz. There’s no finer example than Courtney Pine‘s album Back In The Day. He is a British jazz musician who plays tenor sax, grand piano, and bass clarinet. As the founder of the band The Jazz Warriors he couldn’t be categorized, since the band was equally at home with jazz and UK garage rock. This album is heavily influenced by Afro-funk and hip-hop, and was twenty years ahead of its time. Just right for today.
~ Released 2000
Chris Botti played jazz trumpet on tour with Paul Simon, who told him he was far too good not to be a headliner. Botti’s debut album came out in 2004 to wide acclaim, and subsequent records confirmed him as one of the top Smooth Jazz artists of present day. His Impressions album won him a Grammy. His love of performing led him to live out of a New York hotel room, alternated with gigs on a cruise ship. His lyrical tone, heavily influenced by Miles Davis’ muted melancholy, is often complemented by his superb choice of collaborators – Sting and Vince Gill among them.
~ Released 2012.
A splendid flamenco artist who is also a gifted composer, Canadian guitarist Jesse Cook records and performs with a talented group backing him on bass, drums, violin, cajon and mandole. The exotic combination adds great dynamics and atmosphere, while featuring his aptitude for jazz fusion and sonic variety. Beyond Borders is his most intriguing work to date, and delivers both vitality and tenderness. “Whenever I have ventured beyond the borders in my life, I have been the better for it. Beauty, humanity, artistry, joy, wisdom, and of course love … music is the universal language, maybe there is something it can teach us?”…Jesse Cook
~ Released 2017
