Best Jazz Fusion Albums
Jazz electrified and cross-bred with rock, funk and beyond. Miles Davis's electric period launched a genre that Herbie Hancock, Weather Report and Mahavishnu Orchestra pushed to its limits.
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1On the CornerMiles Davis
On the Corner
A dense, funk-and-electronics landmark divisive on release and later revered. Bold and influential. A cult masterpiece.
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2Kind of BlueMiles Davis
Kind of Blue
The best-selling jazz album of all time and the gateway record for countless listeners, built on modal improvisation and an unmatched band. Cool, spacious and endlessly calming, it never wears out. If you own one jazz record, start here.
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3In a Silent WayMiles Davis
In a Silent Way
A serene, proto-ambient fusion landmark of hushed electric textures. Spacious and influential. A pivotal record.
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4The Shape of Jazz to ComeOrnette Coleman
The Shape of Jazz to Come
The album that announced free jazz, melodic yet liberated from chord changes. Revolutionary and surprisingly tuneful. A pivotal record.
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5Birth of the CoolMiles Davis
Birth of the Cool
The recordings that codified cool jazz, trading bebop's heat for relaxed, arranged elegance with a nonet. Their influence on West Coast jazz was immense. Restrained, sophisticated and historically pivotal.
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6MilestonesMiles Davis
Milestones
A pivotal modal-leaning hard-bop peak with the first great quintet expanded. Swinging and assured. A bridge to Kind of Blue.
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7Free Jazz: A Collective ImprovisationOrnette Coleman
Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation
The double-quartet landmark that named free jazz. Radical and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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8The Inner Mounting FlameMahavishnu Orchestra
The Inner Mounting Flame
A ferocious jazz-fusion landmark of virtuosic intensity. Explosive and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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9Miles SmilesMiles Davis
Miles Smiles
A peak of the second quintet's elastic, exploratory post-bop. Sophisticated and acclaimed. A landmark.
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10Future ShockHerbie Hancock
Future Shock
An electro-funk landmark, home to the scratch-driven 'Rockit'. Inventive and huge. A pivotal record.
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11Change of the CenturyOrnette Coleman
Change of the Century
A bold free-jazz peak of melodic liberation. Inventive and acclaimed. A genre cornerstone.
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12Head HuntersHerbie Hancock
Head Hunters
The album that fused jazz with funk and sold in huge numbers, anchored by the slinky 'Chameleon'. Groove-led and irresistible. A fusion landmark.
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13Sketches of SpainMiles Davis
Sketches of Spain
A lush orchestral collaboration with Gil Evans blending jazz and Spanish classical. Gorgeous and singular. A beloved record.
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14NefertitiMiles Davis
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15Maiden VoyageHerbie Hancock
Maiden Voyage
An elegant, oceanic post-bop classic with an unforgettable title track. Cohesive and beautifully played by an all-star band. A graceful entry point to Blue Note.
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16Empyrean IslesHerbie Hancock
Empyrean Isles
A spare, adventurous quartet date, home to 'Cantaloupe Island'. Inventive and beloved. A Blue Note gem.
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17Heavy WeatherWeather Report
Heavy Weather
The most accessible jazz-fusion record, home to the ubiquitous 'Birdland' and Jaco's bass. Polished and joyful. A fusion landmark.
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18Porgy and BessMiles Davis
Porgy and Bess
A lush Gershwin reworking with Gil Evans's orchestrations. Gorgeous and beloved. A high point.
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19Speak Like a ChildHerbie Hancock
Speak Like a Child
A gentle, impressionistic peak of lush harmony. Beautiful and acclaimed. A Blue Note gem.
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20ThrustHerbie Hancock
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21Return to ForeverChick Corea
Return to Forever
A bright, Latin-tinged fusion landmark of airy grooves. Warm and influential. A genre favourite.
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22Light as a FeatherChick Corea
Light as a Feather
A bright, Latin-tinged fusion peak, home to 'Spain'. Warm and beloved. A genre favourite.
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23Birds of FireMahavishnu Orchestra
Birds of Fire
A blazing fusion peak of complex, electric intensity. Virtuosic and acclaimed. A genre high point.
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24Universal BeingsMakaya McCraven
Universal Beings
An inventive, improvisation-built modern-jazz peak. Bold and acclaimed. A high point.
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25Walkin'Miles Davis
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26Bitches BrewMiles Davis
Bitches Brew
The album that birthed jazz-fusion, a dense, electric, studio-assembled brew of rock rhythm and free improvisation. Divisive on release and now revered. Demanding, hypnotic and unlike anything before it.