****A ladder goes up and down****
A simple observation and comment, yet extremely significant, I think. Inherent in the implied meaning of the dual purpose of a ladder is the suggestion that it is meant for movement in both directions and not meant for standing still. It goes to the questions of what is jazz and to the issue of aesthetics and even ethics; they are a moving target.
Those who have followed and/or participated in this thread know all too well how much discord there has been over the issue of what jazz is (and also political issues that have to do with ethics). I personally feel that to try to define what jazz is in a narrow way is pointless. Not because it can't be done (it can't), but because one has to ask oneself the question "why?"; what purpose, really, does it serve? The idea that somehow the integrity of "Jazz" is degraded by not defining it narrowly is silly and ultimately self-serving. I also find it curious that when even our most revered jazz artists proclaim that "there are only two kinds of music...good music and bad ("the other kind"), this simple "rule" is often ignored. I prefer to think of it in terms of the "traditional" and the "non-traditional".
Very good and interesting comments on these topics recently and I think that the Lyle Mays recording is a perfect platform for looking at the issue of what jazz is or isn't. I think that jzzmusician's description is a good one. For me, while it is definitely a kind of "fusion", it is ultimately jazz. Why? Because it meets my requirements for what jazz is: improvisation is a key element within a compositional and harmonic framework that is sophisticated in a way that makes it an obvious extension of traditional jazz. We can analyze it further for the sake of more clarity, but ironically it may only serve to make matters even more vague and confusing. For many, "jazz" has to have the typical swing feel and have an obvious "bluesiness" to it. If one looks at how jazz has evolved all the way from Dixieland, to swing, to bebop, hard bop, and onward, one hears a continued move to a less obvious rhythmic "swing", and to a more "straight" rhythmic feel (like in rock). Harmonically, jazz became more and more sophisticated and "extended" from simpler core harmonies while still having roots in the blues. Mays' recording is a great example of this. Yeah, it's "fusion", but it is also "jazz". Most importantly, it's good music.
I'm still trying to get a handle on how the issue of ethics relates to aesthetic choices (tone?). THAT should be an interesting discussion. I suspect that, as always, there will be no clear answers.
I heard the most recent recording from Etienne Charles yesterday; not available on YouTube yet. This is earlier material. Love the relaxed feel of this guy's music and playing; a "fusion" of jazz and his roots in Caribbean Island music (Trinidad):
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e6rfAnQ9DDAhttps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YmhajnlB9Oghttps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad3uG7-2tVs