Literate Jazz-Pop TS: Steely Dan vs. Joni Mitchell 1974-1980

Think Dory Previn could fit in the discussion, those early 70's records are gorgeous (and devastating). Definitely influenced by Joni, and jazz in her singing (1st record was a jazz album w/Andre).

lots of great Brazilian artists/records in the 70's that combined great ears and songwriting and jazz and pop and rock.

― scott seward, Friday, February 10, 2017 10:24 PM

Caetano!

re:Brazil, Milton Nascimento's Minas is the most perfect blend of MPB and fusion that I know. Edu Lobo's Limite Das Aguas is not far behind.

It is kinda interesting that there were so few songwriters that both had the ability and ear to go into this area between jazz, pop and rock. There was plenty of instrumentalists that in the same period threaded this needle, but it says something that you get past Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan and later on Sting...that's kinda it. You got Tom Waits, but really he never did 'rock' or a partial permutation of it until he went all junkyard sounding. I suppose you could add someone like George Duke or maybe a jazz musician that had pop hits going the other way like perhaps George Benson, but it's a small list at least off the top of the head. You could even expand and add maybe some pop singers whose background is more in jazz like Al Jarreau or maybe something like Grover Washington Jr.'s collaborations but the jazz/pop/rock area was a horizon few threaded.

― earlnash, Saturday, February 11, 2017 3:08 AM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Well Rickie Lee Jones on Pirates was quite specifically channelling both Joni and Steely Dan. Not a huge amount of "rock" in the strong sense but about as much as for Joni.

Emily's D+Evolution definitely hit this spot for me last year.