For Tommy Bolin, the best is Quadrant 4 from Spectrum. Such a kick-ass song! Next is
Stratus. Kind of a fusion "standard." Jeff Beck does it on the Ronnie Scott CD. I have a Frank Gambale boot somewhere where he does it.
For good examples of pure moal soloing, check out almost any Mahavishnu Orchestra. Maybe start out with Birds of Fire or Meeting of the Spirits. Those are kind of fusion standards as well.
For more mainstream stuff there's the Jeff Beck fusion stuff.
Peaches En Regalia by Zappa. Hot Rats was among the very first of the fusion albums ever.
Whatever floats your boat by the Dixie Dregs.
Stuff by Al DiMeola - My fave is Tour De Force Live. The energy is fantastic and it just got all his great instrumental fusion solo stuff on it. Race with the Devil is the hilight, but that whole album is great.
Also Al Dimeola's performance on Return to Forever's Romantic Warrior - specifically the song "Majestic Dance" (the rest of the album barely has much guitar playing) will piss you off even more when you learn that Al was writing and playing that song at 19!!!!
The Explorers by Frank Gambale is a good album too, and there is even an accompanying TAB book (assuming its still in print).
Lastly, Jean-Luc Ponty's solo stuff is cool too (he played for a bit with Zappa and Mahavishnu Orchestra too). Listen to Imaginary Voyage.
. I'll check it out - thanks!
