Lincoln Center Electric

Flea on a Josh Redmon album. Brad Mehldau on a John Patitucci album. Marcus Miller at Lincoln Center. I was *there*, 15 years ago... What I/they see is a blending of electric/acoustic that doesn't degenerate into chops-fest because performance is subsumed in strong composition and the discipline required of great jazz. Earlier success was had by Weather Report and Miles; they were followed by jazzy jammers playing rock music that didn't rock. Give me Eddie Van Halen any time...

Also, bass guitar can blend beautifully with acoustic instruments; providing stronger harmonic support than the fuzzy intonations of an upright :).

Also, Patitucci seems to be wimping out of the quest to integrate bass guitar functionally into a post bop context. Using it almost exclusively for melodic and solo work, even playing guitar while his upright supplies the bass. So sad :(.

And what's up with the cult of Anthony Jackson? Only recent "jazz" I could find is an annoying work by Steve Smith. Bad songs, annoying keyboard, stiff stiff stiff drumming. Jackson's tone is nice. And Dave Liebman is excellent, but that hardly compensates. Please explain.