Nu jazz is an
umbrella term coined in the late 1990s to refer to music that blends
jazz elements with other musical styles, such as
funk,
soul,
electronic dance music, and
free improvisation.
[1] Also written nü-jazz or NuJazz, it is sometimes called electronic jazz, electro-jazz, e-jazz,jazztronica, jazz house, phusion, neo-jazz, future jazz or jazz-hop.
According to critic Tony Brewer,
Nu Jazz is to (traditional) Jazz what punk or grunge was to Rock, of course. [...] The songs are the focus, not the individual prowess of the musicians. Nu Jazz instrumentation ranges from the traditional to the experimental, the melodies are fresh, and the rhythms new and alive. It makes Jazz fun again.
O
verview
Nu jazz typically ventures farther into the electronic territory than does its close cousin,
acid jazz (or groove jazz), which is generally closer to earthier
funk,
soul, and
rhythm and blues, although releases from noted groove & smooth jazz artists such as the
Groove Collective, and
Pamela Williams blur the distinction between the styles. Nu jazz can be very experimental in nature and can vary widely in sound and concept. The sound, unlike its cousin
Acid Jazz, departs from its blues roots and instead explores electronic sounds and ethereal jazz sensualities. Nu Jazz "is the music itself and not the individual dexterity of the musicians."
[2] Often, Nu Jazz blends elements of traditional
Jazz texture with that of modern electronic music and free improvisation, thus, the music can truly evolve into a multitude of sounds and can vary greatly from artist to artist. The style can include broken rhythms, atonal harmonies, and improvised melody.
[3][4] Matthew Shipp and others demonstrate styles coined as "jazztronica" or "electro-jazz".
[4] [
edit]History
Nu jazz has its roots in the use of electronic instruments in production in the 1970s work of such luminaries as
Miles Davis,
Herbie Hancock, and
Ornette Coleman. Hancock's early 1980s work with
Bill Laswell, in particular, such as the album
Future Shock, anticipated the style in its incorporation of
electro and
hip-hop rhythms. Beginning in the late '80s, many hip-hop musicians worked in the
jazz rap style—among them,
Gang Starr,
The Roots,
A Tribe Called Quest, and
Nas. Also in the 1980s, many
house musicians took inspiration from jazz, particularly
post-bop and
jazz funk.
In the mid-'90s and early 2000s, musicians from the
downtempo scene,
St Germain,
DJ takemura,
Perry Hemus and
Jazzanova among them, began to delve more deeply into jazz. In the same period,
intelligent dance music producers—most famously
Squarepusher and
Spring Heel Jack, and later
London Elektricity and
Landslide -- took a similar interest. Techno musicians, such as
Laurent Garnier,
Carl Craig and his Innerzone Orchestra project, have also touched on nu jazz. Some figures from the
digital hardcore and
breakcore scenes, notably
Alec Empire,
Nic Endo, and
Venetian Snares, have explored a harder, noiser variant on the style. A decade later, some
dubstep producers, such as
Boxcutter, also explored electronic jazz.
While still embracing the traditional forms of
jazz, pianist
Bugge Wesseltoft and trumpeter
Nils Petter Molvær are known for their improvisational nu jazz style. The
Cinematic Orchestra is also known for incorporating a traditional jazz band while fusing electronic elements into their music production.
[2] St. Germain, a purveyor of nu jazz music, has sold 1.5 million copies of his Touristalbum, thus making it the top-selling jazz album in the United States.
[5] [
edit]Labels
Thirsty Ear is a record label which released recordings by many nu jazz artists. These include
William Parker,
Antipop Consortium,
Tim Berne,
Meat Beat Manifesto,
Sex Mob,
Nils Petter Molvaer,
Matthew Shipp,
Craig Taborn,
DJ Spooky, and
Spring Heel Jack.
Nu Jazz is also often associated with
Ninja Tune, as many nu jazz artists are signed with this music label. Artists signed to
Ninja Tune include
The Cinematic Orchestra,
Funki Porcini,
The Herbaliser,
Jaga Jazzist,
Pest,
Skalpel, and
Up, Bustle and Out.
[edit]Notable artists
![Lund Quartet - Lund Quartet (2011) MP3 [Jazzy, Trip-Hop]](http://fs212.www.ex.ua/show/27962912/27962912.jpg?800)
![Ищу друга на конец света / Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012) DVDRip (Лицензия) [ru]](http://fs154.www.ex.ua/show/30924208/30924208.jpg?1600 "Ищу друга на конец света / Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012) DVDRip (Лицензия) [ru]")
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