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We're fresh off of Queensryche and Operation: Mindcrime in Episode 23. Now, I'm continuing with the other top three vote-getters in the last poll (because of broad support), including Camel, David Bowie, and Gentle Giant. The two new options, pulled from our list of recommendations, include Return to Forever and Jeff Wayne. 

One vote per person this time...voting goes through Thursday, July 14. Happy voting!

Comments

Tom Brophy

As much as Bowie is amazing. Romantic Warrior is a seminal Jazz Fusion work that truly deserves to be given all due attention.

Eduardo Alejandro del Corral Lira

Torn between Return to Forever and Octopus... this is really a great list, regardless of who comes out on top I hope we get to each at some point.

Christopher Arters (relative timeworx - Mr.A)

RTF is making a comback and my faith in the wisdom of this collective is being restored! Keep it up good people and jump on with this genre-defining masterpiece.

Arrow2theACL

Splitting the prog vote among the 3 classics hurts, but it is what it is. Bowie did get 2nd last poll, so good to see consistency in the voting.

DJ Marquis Marc Rambeau du Tacoma

Haven't from much of these bands, excepting Bowie. I do have a Gentle Giant album (Freehand? Something like that.) It's pretty good, so my choice is for G.G. Is the album listed above kind of progressive (a la early Genesis or early Yes)?

bobj

I’ve been listening to Return To Forever for more than 45 years. This album is in my top three, which is part of why I recommended it in the first place. I was jacked to see that it made it to the main list. Now, jacked again to see it finally make it into a poll. I’m elated that Dr. Doug will eventually react to this album, even though it doesn’t make it this time. This band checks all the boxes for me. All the band members are monster musicians in their own right. As much as I love progressive rock/metal, jazz fusion is prog on steroids!!! Of course, I dig three of the other four bands in this poll, but I don’t know who Jeff Wayne is. All made it this far, that means even the one I don’t know is worthy of being picked regardless of the polls. Vote for RTF, you will NOT be disappointed…I promise you!!!

doughelvering

I'm thinking of having a poll just on jazz fusion albums in the coming months. I think it's more fair to stack these polls against more closely aligned competitors.

bobj

I believe that idea would make sense with other genres as well.

Arpeggio Blues

I would very much love to see you put on "Return to Forever" (Romantic Warrior) Since you have NOT EVEN YET acknowledged the passing of one of the best and most imaginative fusion master keyboard artist: CHICK COREA Also alive and well, one of the greatest guitar players of the 1980s AL di MEOLA. If you don't do this one, I'm going to be disappointed that you are not introducing something incredibly amazing, tonality wise, harmonically wise and inventive and outside the mainstream but brilliant.. the drummer Lenny White, and bass Stanley Clark.. are virtuosos, and to miss it would be very sad not to expose this fine group of Dougs and all out there, to this masterpiece. Later you should hear Frank Gambale with Chick Corea, one of my earliest guitar teachers.. an all time brilliant guitarist..

bobj

I also meant to say something about that no one mentioned the passing of the great Chick Corea. He even won two Grammys after his passing. I also Saw Frank Gambale play with RTF along with Jean-Luc Ponty. Love Al, but this lineup crushed it as well. I’ve seen all these players several times. Either together or solo. Chick was my first concert at 16 years old. Since others seem to be recommending a lot of prog that I would, I will keep pushing the jazz fusion recommendations…HARD!!! Thanks for the fusion support, Arpeggio! I know there are more of you out there. Doug accepted two more of my recommendations. One from Al DiMeola. First track from his first album and the other from another RTF album. Vulcan World from Where Have I Known You Before.

Ray Sincere

I think Ziggy's got it by a mile. Still, I'd like to see Snow Goose covered. It's like a classical symphone played on rock instruments, to an even greater extent than a lot of progressive rock. It's in the compositions, and they way they flow into one another. And the use of the orchestra, and the sections for woodwinds. It's all so brilliantly crafted.

doughelvering

I personally don't have much knowledge about Chick Corea's repertoire. I, of course, know of his importance in this genre...but don't know the music. The slight is due to my ignorance and not due to a lack of respect. I'm working on it!

Arpeggio Blues

After your exploration with progressive rock/metal, the next big step is progressive fusion. It's a lot like progressive rock/metal, but it introduces those jazz upper chordal extensions, uses superimposition (layering bi-tonality), and brilliant solos.. I'd have to suggest a starting point is the album "Romantic Warrior" by Return to Forever (Chick Corea's band featuring master Al di Meola. Try it.. you'll like it.. hehe

Arpeggio Blues

Totally Agree that "Romantic Warrior" would be a great jumping-off place for Doug into the magical world of Fusion. (*LA style Fusion*)

Arpeggio Blues

a jaunt into Jazz Fusion would be amazing, but I would guess not a lot of your followers are familiar with this genre.. There's a lot out there, but there are some that are monumental achievements. The key with Jazz Fusion is not always the Band/Group/Ensemble.. it's the Virtuosic Mastery and Musicianship of the band players.. Many of these players will join and play with many others, it's in flux a lot. So, you have to key in on the players, Chick Corea, Frank Gambale, Steve Smith, Bunny Brunel.. get insights from the council on which musicians to explore and go from there..