Taking off in the late 1980s and early 1990s, there was a “new” type of music evolving. Combining elements of funk, jazz fusion, and more popular styles such R & B and pop, this hybrid of sorts seem to reach most of its listeners through the electronic and club scene. Loved by some, detested by others, what exactly did Acid Jazz mean, and what did it have to offer?

Well, during this period, musicians and artists were looking for a new spin on their style of music. Whether it was pop or whether it was fusion or even R & B, this diversion seemed to take on a life of its own, developing from the combination of many already-existing elements to form something that might have new appeal. But what was that appeal? Was it really anything new? Yes and no.

A Breakdown Of Acid Jazz:

Jazz first came onto the scenen in the late 1980s in the UK, with the objective of appealing to the British dance scene. It incorporated many elements, much of which was based in jazz funk. The beat and pulse of funk lends itself quite well to dancing, so it is easy to see that this would be a large foundation. But what is not always clear is what happens on top of that funk.

Some believe that its primary focus was to add the element of electronic music, namely in the form of sampling and live spinning and scratching by a DJ. It is true that many such artists aimed at doing this; however couldn’t this simply be seen as an electronic version of funk? In other words, this isn’t really “new.” Why could it deserve attention in its own right, as a completely different category of music.

The answer can be seen in many artists that arrived on the scene in the early – and even mid – 1990s. Groups like The Brand New Heavies and Incognito were also interested in expanding on current popular music, but their approach was a little more unconventional compared to other predecessors. Influenced by the pulsing beat of fusion and the foundation that funk provided, they were also in touch with the contemporary jazz scene. The idea was to introduce, little by little, elements of jazz into the music, so as to expose more people to a (let’s face it) rather beaten and battered style – one that did not have much success in mainstream music.

What elements of jazz were present? Many of the tracks by the artists named above featured more in-depth developments, began to take on more of a jazz-like form, and even incorporated many progressions and structures common in jazz. Of course, this “obscure” approach to music would not be accepted by society as a whole and would not be easily understood or embraced; HOWEVER, to embed within pop, funk, R & B, and other more common styles, it would have the effect of almost a subliminal message. Begin the song in a more common form and style, intertwine jazz properties, and then RESOLVE like popular music.

It was, in our opinion, a rather ingenious approach to the promotion and attempted “reawakening” of jazz, and it was not like anything ever heard before. A lot of people give Acid Jazz a lot of flack because, in a lot of ways, it doesn’t line up with anything we can refer back to in traditional jazz form. The lack of improvisation, or “minimalistic re-interpretations” of the main theme (at best), threw out a red flag for most jazz fans.

Conclusions:

So, what are we left with? Those that cling to the funk and fusion side of the coin, mixing in their electronic adaptations, DJ-like looping samples, and favoring a movement toward dance. In fact, for these people, it may have even been considered a “revival” of sorts, back to a thriving jazz fusion or jazz-funk style. If it can truly be called ACID “JAZZ,” where is the jazz? Incorporating jazz into this line of thinking does not necessarily mesh well, and if dance is in fact the goal and objective, it would tend to lean away from this incorporation of anything traditionally known in jazz. Many critics, and avid jazz followers, take this point of view, in denying that there was ever any jazz influence in the music to begin with.

On the other hand, followers of traditional and even contemporary jazz were not too quick to move toward this because of the lack of jazz structure, form, and progression. They could not relate to it in the same way, and largely despised the title because it was doing a great injustice to their beloved form.

Overall, it seemed to be an “experiment,” resulting in various, and mutually exclusive, concoctions. It is always difficult to appease a large group (let alone popular culture) when hybridization is on the menu. One will usually find two ends of the spectrum, like in the case of Acid Jazz, where a style (or styles) are attempting to break through the confinement of borders imposed on them by the listeners.

In any event, we believe the idea is great! The realization does not always meet expectations, but for those select few that can find an even balance of many different influences, they get a glimpse at a larger view of what music represents and how people react to it. It would be great to see more hybridization, in our opinion. It may even unite or reunite fans and followers that once shared the same ground and perspective.

Your Opinions:

With that, we leave it up to you – the reader. Send us your thoughts on this topic. In light of our topic of hybridization, it would be great to hear other opinions and maybe come a little closer to understanding what Acid Jazz is and who it appeals to.

Related Posts

1. An Introduction To Jazz’s Influence On Society: The 4th of a 4-part Series on the Essentials of Jazz
2. An Introduction To Jazz Styles: The 1st of a 4-part Series on the Essentials of Jazz
3. I Need To Learn About Jazz Quickly! Your Jazz 101 crashcourse in 4 easy steps
4. Wynton Marsalis’ Call To New Orleans Jazz: What’s missing from contemporary jazz?
5. All Your Jazz Reviews Jeff Lorber’s New Release: “Heard That” from Peak Records