Fusion, so called, jazz fusion or jazz rock, the fusion of rock rhythms and songs and song structures with jazz improvision and instrumentation, developed out of the psychedleic experiments of the late sixties. Rock musicians expanded the palette of instruments they played on albums (especially) and live and played with song structures, jamming to blues standards, and stretching out, slowing down and distorting (wah wah, fuzz). Jamming to the blues was this close to improvising jazz and it was just a matter of time...

Miles Davis''In a Silent Way' and 'Bitches Brew' are often cited as the first fusion records - Miles being the first jazz artist to introduce electric instruments beyond the guitar. Musicians like John McLaughlin, Larry Coryell, Carlos Santana, and others are popular and familiar fusion players. And then there is Brian Auger and Julie Driscoll and the Trinity. The who?

A few weeks ago I was browsing the small rack of vinyl in my local used CD store. I rarely find anything interesting there, but occasionally there is something worth listening to, and it is usually a real bargain. So, on this occasion, a record 'spoke' to me that I had never heard, a double record set that only cost $2. I wish I could remember what drew me to this record....but I decided for two bucks, buy it, trust your intuition.

I am so glad I did.

The record is 'Streetnoise,' a fantastic jazz rock collaboration between Julie Driscoll and Brian Auger and the Trinity. What a discovery. After putting it on my turntable tonight, I have not been able to take it off. Sort of a British Jefferson Airplane sound, Driscoll reminding me a little of Slick, and Auger's organ improvisations replacing Kaukonen's guitar.

On four sides, about half the cuts are covers, and great ones they are including Miles Davis, Laura Nyro, Richie Havens, Nina Simone, and Jim Morrison. The only thing keeping this from being better known and a true classic is the large proportion of covers, but sometimes original song writing is overrated!

After listening for a while, I looked it up online. Check out Greg Boraman at the BBC, who writes:

"The approach developed in Open and Definitely What come to fruition in the release of Streetnoise (1969) oft cited as the first fusion recording. An impressive range of diverse influences results in the musical soundscape varying from some very funky organ freak outs, a hip cover of ''Flesh Failures'' (from the musical Hair) through to the mind blowing progressive jazz/rock of ''Ellis Island'' - and culminating in the haunting high point Driscoll's vocal version of Miles Davis' ''All Blues'' a strange and haunting rendition that will undoubtedly open up ears all over again when heard for the first time."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/x3cz/

The cover is also a fantastically strange black and white painting by Ralph Steadman 'In the style of Hogarth, London, 1969.

Brian Auger went on to greater fame with his Oblivion Express, never one of my favorites, and Julie Driscoll, I don't know. But this album, 'Streetnoise' deserves a fresh listen and re-evaluation.

Sounds really good to me. What do you think?