Acid jazz is a type of music that emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It is a fusion of jazz, funk, and soul music with elements of hip-hop, electronic music, and other genres. The term “acid jazz” was first coined by the British DJ Gilles Peterson in the late 1980s to describe a style of music that was being played in London clubs at the time.
The term “acid” in acid jazz is not a reference to the drug LSD, as some might assume. Instead, it refers to the acidic, futuristic, and electronic sound of the music. Acid jazz is characterized by its heavy use of samples, particularly from old jazz records, which are then combined with electronic beats and other elements to create a new sound.
Acid jazz was part of a wider movement of “club culture” in the UK in the late 1980s and early 1990s, which was characterized by a fusion of different styles of music and a focus on dance and DJ culture. Acid jazz was particularly associated with the “Rare Groove” scene, which was a subculture of collectors and DJs who were interested in rare and obscure funk, soul, and jazz records from the 1960s and 1970s.
One of the most influential acid jazz bands was the Brand New Heavies, who formed in London in the late 1980s. Their sound combined funk, soul, and jazz with a modern electronic edge, and they became one of the leading bands of the acid jazz movement. Other notable acid jazz artists include Jamiroquai, Incognito, and the James Taylor Quartet.
Acid jazz was popular in the UK in the early 1990s, but it also had an impact in other parts of the world. In the US, acid jazz influenced the development of the “neo-soul” movement, which combined elements of classic soul music with modern R&B and hip-hop. Acid jazz also had an impact on the development of trip-hop in the UK, which was a fusion of hip-hop, electronic music, and other genres.
In conclusion, acid jazz is a type of music that emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s, characterized by its fusion of jazz, funk, and soul music with elements of electronic and hip-hop music. The term “acid” refers to the acidic and futuristic sound of the music, and it was coined by the British DJ Gilles Peterson. Acid jazz was part of the wider “club culture” movement in the UK in the late 1980s and early 1990s and was particularly associated with the Rare Groove scene. The Brand New Heavies were one of the most influential acid jazz bands, and the movement had an impact on the development of neo-soul and trip-hop.
