Ethnography

For my ethnography, I will be exploring the genre of Jazz Fusion. I would be analysing jazz fusion using 7 different elements to describe music which are;

Sonic

When it comes to jazz fusion, there is not a particular sound as jazz fusion is jazz 'fused' with other genres of music such as rock, latin, funk and R&B. However, in all jazz fusion there is still an element of jazz but the swing style is not very common. Improvisation is also common in jazz fusion and Snarky Puppy are a prime example of that in many of their songs.

Snarky Puppy - Shofukan 
(Watch from 2:23 - 4:15)


With jazz improvisation, I feel the improvisation doesn't have to to be in the key of the song, the musician has free range to do whatever they harmonically or non harmonically desire. 

There is a mixture of complex and simple chords that are used in jazz fusion. Instruments like sax, trumpets, strings and synths/piano creates a big harmonic texture. There is a wide range of instruments used like strings, brass, percussion like bongos, electric guitar, bass and a number of synths. The time signature can vary from simple time to even more complex compound time for example 5 bar phrase in 3/4

Mediatic 

Jazz fusion can be experienced in many ways like being streamed digitally on platforms such as youtube or spotify, seen live in clubs or venues and can also be experienced through CDs or DVDs. However, jazz fusion is mainly seen live which makes every performance different since the improvisation changes every time. This makes it special since every performance is unique.

Visual

In live performances, the bands would want their audience to focus on the music so extra visuals would be unnecessary as it would take attention away from the musicians. This would mean that the audience engages with the performers. You would receive individual compliments in rock as you do in jazz since in rock music, the front person leads the band and the rest supports. 

Technological

Fusion uses a range of technology from synths to orchestral instrument such as brass and strings. High quality acoustic instruments would be needed to perform challenging music but it would also need synthesisers to create a bigger texture that acoustic instruments wouldn't be able to do.

Temporal

In jazz, there is the main melody and then no certain amount of solos. 
Unlike a pop song, jazz fusion doesn't have an average time that every song lasts for. Depending on the composer, the song may last 10 minutes because of an improvised solo that lasted 64 bars or 4 minutes because there wasn't an improvised solo. However, a concert wouldn't last longer than 3 hours.

Discursive

Out of all the genres, jazz is not the most popular genre to listen as it is deemed to be complicated and nasty to listen to. By fusing jazz with other genres, it removes that negative stigma by make it more "enjoyable" by increasing its target market from fans of both genres. This then creates more money for the bands as they are appealing to a wider fan base.