Jazz fusion

Jazz fusion or simply fusion is a musical genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined aspects of jazz harmony and improvisation with styles such as funk, rock, rhythm and blues, and latin jazz. During this time many jazz musicians began experimenting with electric instruments and amplified sound for the first time. Electronic effects and keyboard synthesisers also featured. Many of the developments during the late 60s and early 70s have since become established elements of jazz fusion musical practice.

Fusion arrangements vary in complexity, some employ groove based vamps fixed to a single key, or even a single chord, with a simple melodic motif (a lick). Others can feature odd or shifting time signatures with elaborate chord progressions, melodies, and counter-melodies. Typically, these arrangements, whether simple or complex, will feature extended improvised sections that can vary in length. As with jazz, fusion often employs brass instruments such as trumpet and saxophone as melody and soloing instruments but other instruments often substitute for these. The rhythm section typically consists of electric bass (in some cases fretless), electric guitar, electric piano/synthesizer (in contrast to the double bass and piano used in earlier jazz) and drums. As with traditional jazz improvisation, fusion instrumentalists generally require a high level of technical proficiency.

Jazz

Jazz is a music genre that originated from African American communities of New Orleans in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It emerged in the form of independent traditional and popular musical styles, all linked by the common bonds of African American and European American musical parentage with a performance orientation. Jazz spans a period of over a hundred years, encompassing a very wide range of music, making it difficult to define. Jazz makes heavy use of improvisation, polyrhythms, syncopation and the swing note, as well as aspects of European harmony, American popular music, the brass band tradition, and African musical elements such as blue notes and African-American styles such as ragtime. Although the foundation of jazz is deeply rooted within the black experience of the United States, different cultures have contributed their own experience to the music as well. Intellectuals around the world have hailed jazz as "one of America's original art forms".

Robi Botos

Robi Botos (born 1978) is a Hungarian-Canadian jazz pianist. He has recorded several albums as a leader and was the winner of the TD Grand Jazz Award at the 2012 Montreal International Jazz Festival.

Biography

Botos was born in Nyíregyháza to a Roma family, and grew up in Budapest. His first instrument was drums, and at age seven he began playing piano. In 1998 Botos immigrated to Canada and has been a prominent member of the Toronto jazz scene since.

Botos has played with the likes of Michael Brecker, Pat LaBarbera, and Dave Young among others. As well as winning the TD Award in 2012 he also won the Montreux Jazz Festival piano competition in 2004. Botos has recorded several albums as a leader of various bands. Additionally, he composed the music to the 2011 documentary A People Uncounted.

Robi is the brother of Frank Botos, a drummer who also resides in Toronto.

Discography