A Dash Of Folk And Jazz

One could argue that anything of a given vintage will be impacted on by all other things of an older vintage. However only some things will have sufficient impact on newer things for that impact to be overt. So saying ‘rock drew on blues and country’ or ‘soul drew on blues and gospel’ only recognizes the most significant factors in the development of those genres. Both folk and jazz had also been part of the process of cross-pollination. They are there in the ancestry of rock and soul but very much as an undercurrent. However in the 1960s a number of musicians drew explicitly from these rich musical traditions.

Folk was incorporated into popular blues-derived music in the mid 1960s. Additionally there were some artists who played pure folk but with modern instruments. Artists pioneering electric folk and folk-inflected rock also inspired later practitioners of genres like psychedelia and metal. Over time artists like Bob Dylan, The Byrds, The Mamas And The Papas, Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span, Clannad, The Corrs and Flogging Molly have continued the tradition of drawing on folk.

Jazz was incorporated into popular blues-derived music in the mid 1960s. Additionally there were some artists who played pure jazz but with modern instruments. Artists pioneering electric jazz and jazz-inflected soul also inspired later practitioners of genres like psychedelia and funk. Over time artists like Miles Davis, Grover Washington Junior, Weather Report, Bob James, Manhattan Transfer, Sade, Harry Connick Junior and Cherry Poppin' Daddies have continued the tradition of drawing on jazz.