| Most fusion guitarists play some pretty fast chops-oriented stuff, so there aren't too many choices out there without that.
One guy to look into would be Larry Carlton. He might just be the best 'melodic' fusion player ever and doesn't go apeshit with the fast picking or weirdo scales etc. Anyone could learn a lot from studying his approach to phrasing and subtlety. My favorite album of his is his late '80s album "Last Nite", which features a small jazz combo doing some cool funky/jazzy stuff that isn't as "Muzak" as some of his more recent outings. Also, he recorded a scorching live album with Steve Lukather a couple of years ago that features excellent--and approachable--soloing from both guys.
Another "non-chops" fusion album to check out is Jeff Beck's "Blow By Blow." Learn the amazing phrasing and nuances of those leads, and you will be very well set, indeed. Probably better equipped to play with other jazz musicians than you would be if you strictly learned to play crazy shit like Shawn Lane etc.
Somebody mentioned Scofield, and that's probably a good choice too. He's got chops, but he doesn't get into shredder territory.
Now that I've become a fusion player myself over the last couple of years and gotten away from metal, I find myself mostly listening to horn players for inspiration. That's where most of the 1st generation great fusion guitarists got it from, and you can get endless years of inspiration just by listening to John Coltrane and Miles Davis do their thing. |