【コラム】アシッドジャズ（Acid Jazz）──クラブカルチャーと都市の知性が生んだ音の融合

Column en 80s 90s Acid Jazz

17 Aug 2025

【コラム】アシッドジャズ（Acid Jazz）──クラブカルチャーと都市の知性が生んだ音の融合

What is Acid Jazz?

Text: mmr｜Theme: Social and geopolitical background behind Acid Jazz

Birth and definition of acid jazz

Acid Jazz is a musical movement that originated in London in the late 1980s, and is characterized by a crossover sound that mixes jazz, funk, soul, hip-hop, Latin, and rare groove.The origin of the name goes back to the label ``Acid Jazz Records’’ founded by DJ [Gilles Peterson] (https://amzn.to/3KOnzMr) and record producer [Eddie Piller] (https://amzn.to/4hdwdAb).

In the club scene of the 1980s, there was a growing movement to reevaluate black music in response to the enthusiasm for acid house and hip-hop.Acid jazz emerged as danceable jazz'' andsoulful music suitable for clubs.’’

Musical features

Acid jazz tends to refer to a ``hybrid feeling’’ rather than a single genre.Characteristic elements include:

Groove emphasis: Inheriting the rhythmic feel of 70’s funk and rare grooves
Improvisation: Introducing solos and interplays derived from jazz
Club-oriented: Remix-like development with DJ play and dance floor in mind
Sampling Culture: Incorporating a hip-hop approach and reconstructing past jazz-funk sound sources
Urban sophistication: Has a stylish mood with a mix of Latin and soul.

As a result, acid jazz established a new style of ``intellectual and danceable music.’’

In the 1980s, Britain was in an environment of widening economic disparity under the Thatcher government, the growth of immigrant communities, and the rise of rave culture.

Immigrant culture: Caribbean and African immigrant communities brought reggae, funk and soul to form the basis of London’s club scene.
Post-industrial society: The decline of manufacturing and the deterioration of cities gave youth culture “deconstructive” values, and club culture became its refuge.
Media Influence: BBC Radio and Pirate Radio introduced Acid Jazz, leading to its spread from the underground to the mainstream.

Geopolitical context of surrounding countries

The spread of Acid Jazz was also closely related to geopolitics in Europe, the United States, and Asia.

UK Scene

Incognito: The most important band led by Bluey (Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick).A fusion of funk and soul, featuring elegant horns and female vocals.

Brand New Heavies: Groovy and soulful band sound.In the 1990s, they also made it onto the US R&B charts.

Jamiroquai: A band led by Jay Kay.Based on funk and acid jazz, he became an international hit with his ecological message and charisma.

Galliano: Produced by Gilles Peterson.The fusion of rap and jazz gives it a more street feel.

International expansion

US scene

Acid Jazz was perceived as a “reimport.”In the United States, the original 70’s jazz funk and soul existed, so the label ``Acid Jazz’’ from the UK seemed fresh and was adopted by the club scenes of New York and Chicago.

And, like Deee-Lite, it expands while linking with hip-hop. On the other hand, the connection with hip-hop was emphasized, and it served as a bridge to jazz-hip-hop such as A Tribe Called Quest and Gang Starr.

Japan/Asia Scene

In Japan, the “club jazz” movement flourished in the 1980s and 1990s, and bands such as United Future Organization (UFO) and Kyoto Jazz Massive inherited the Acid Jazz trend.

It had an affinity with the consumer culture of the bubble economy and the Shibuya scene, and became a bridge between Europe and Asia.

It gradually gained acceptance in countries such as South Korea and Taiwan from the late 1990s as club culture expanded.

In Japan, United Future Organization (UFO) in particular received worldwide acclaim and became the face of acid jazz in the Tokyo club scene.Successors such as Ryota Nozaki (Jazztronik) continue this trend.

Western Europe

France/Germany: In France, it was incorporated into “Nouvelle Scène Jazz” and club culture in Paris, and in Germany, it was incorporated into the experimental spirit of jazz/clubs centered on West Berlin around the time of reunification (1990).
Italy/Spain: Linked with tourism, Acid Jazz is established in resort culture and club scene.Particularly in Ibiza, it was mixed with house and Balearic.

Geopolitical expansion and post-Cold War culture

The expansion of Acid Jazz mainly in Europe was also influenced by post-Cold War cultural liberalization.

The end of the Cold War in the 1990s → Club culture was liberated in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, and music that combined jazz, funk, and electronics was welcomed.

Globalization → Immigrant culture centered in London spread musically through the “world city” network.

Scene and Cultural Background

Acid jazz was more than just a music genre; it was a symbol of club and urban culture.

Club scene: At the end of the 1980s, DJs played jazz-funk at London clubs such as “Dingwalls” and “The Wag Club,” and young people went wild.
Fashion: A mix of mods, suits, and urban streetwear, with a stylish, urban aesthetic.
Geopolitical context: Britain’s multicultural society (Caribbean immigrants, African diaspora, and Asian communities) has created cross-culture in London.Acid jazz can be said to be the epitome of this.

Decline and Reappraisal

In the late 1990s, acid jazz evolved into Nu-Jazz, Lounge, and Broken Beat, and its momentum as a scene converged.However, in recent years, it has been rediscovered on Spotify and YouTube, and young listeners are reappreciating its relaxed texture, which is similar to lo-fi hip-hop and chill-hop.

In addition, it has played a major role as a bridge between club music and jazz, and has influenced the modern jazz revival (a new generation of jazz led by London’s [Shabaka Hutchings] (https://amzn.to/3W0xMYx) and others).

A crystallization of sound that transforms urban diversity and sophistication into grooves

Acid jazz is ``intellectual and danceable music’’ that was born out of the urban culture and club scene of the 1980s and 1990s, and redefined the jazz tradition into club culture.That spirit is still alive in Nu-Jazz and modern chill beats, and it was not just a passing fad, but an important crossroads in music history.

The music was born from the fusion of London’s immigrant culture, club culture, and the dissatisfaction of post-industrial society.

In Europe, it developed into tourism and urban culture after reunification, in the United States, it was combined with hip-hop, and in Japan, it developed into Shibuya-kei and club jazz.

The end of the Cold War and globalization encouraged its proliferation, and it served as a geopolitical symbol of freedom and exchange.

Acid jazz is the crystallization of sounds that translate urban diversity and sophistication into grooves.