Exotica

Exotica Jazz, the original World Fusion music, was popularized during the 1950s to mid-1960s, typically with the suburban set who came of age during World War II. The musical colloquialism, exotica, means tropical ersatz: the non-native, pseudo experience of Oceania and other foreign locales. It reflects the "musical impressions" of every place from standard travel destinations to the mythical "shangri-las" dreamt of by armchair safari-ers. The distinctive sound of Exotica relies on a variety of instruments: conga, bongos, vibes, gongs, bamboo sticks, ethnic percussion, Chinese bell tree, Japanese kotos, and other exotic world instruments fused with conventional jazz instruments.