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Smooth jazz

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Smooth jazz, also sometimes referred to as new adult contemporary music, is generally described as a genre of music that utilizes instruments (and, at times, improvisation) traditionally associated with jazz and stylistic influences drawn from mostly R&B, but also funk and pop. Since the late 1980s and into the 1990s, it has become successful as a radio format. Despite its apparently large following, there has been something of a backlash against the genre, mostly from jazz purists who consider its recordings bland, overly commercial and not jazz.

Description

The average smooth jazz track is on the "downtempo" (most widely played tracks are in the 90–105 BPM range) side, layering a lead, melody-playing instrument (saxophones — especially soprano and tenor — are the most popular, with guitars a close second) over a backdrop that tends to consist of programmed rhythms and various pads and/or samples. Though much of what is played under the banner of the "smooth jazz" radio format contains vocals, this is not usually the case for music recorded with the intent of categorization as smooth jazz. Rather, the stations in question pull their vocal tracks from the work of artists like Simply Red or Luther Vandross, who are normally considered "soul" or "R&B".

Although many people and record companies group smooth and contemporary jazz together, both genres are slightly different in the way they serve the listener. Smooth jazz is generally considered background music, whereas "serious" jazz is seen as demanding the listener's undivided attention.

Origins

Smooth jazz can be traced to at least the late 1960s. Producer Creed Taylor worked with guitarist Wes Montgomery on three popular records (1967's A Day in the Life and Down Here on the Ground and 1968's Road Song) consisting of instrumental versions of familiar pop songs such as "Eleanor Rigby", "I Say a Little Prayer" and "Scarborough Fair". From this, Taylor founded CTI Records. Many established jazz performers recorded for CTI (including Freddie Hubbard, Chet Baker, George Benson and Stanley Turrentine). The records recorded under Taylor's guidance were typically aimed as much at pop audiences as at jazz fans, with ornate string section arrangements, and a much stronger emphasis on melody than was typical in jazz. Some critics and jazz fans expressed a distaste for CTI releases, but the label's output is now generally well-regarded: critic Scott Yanow writes, "Taylor had great success in balancing the artistic with the commercial."

In the mid- to late-1970s, smooth jazz became established as a commercially viable genre. It was pioneered by such artists as Lee Ritenour, Larry Carlton, Grover Washington, Jr., Spyro Gyra, George Benson, Sérgio Mendes, David Sanborn, Tom Scott, Dave and Don Grusin, Bob James and Joe Sample.

Other notable artists

Smooth jazz groups or recording artists tend to play their instruments in a melodic fashion such that they are recognizable within just a few measures; this category includes names such Kenny G, saxophonist David Sanborn; guitarists George Benson, Marc Antoine, and Peter White; and pianists Joe Sample and Bradley Joseph. Some performers, such as Dave Koz, Bob James, and Nathan East attain attention via their numerous collaborations with many other of the genre's big names. Groups include Fourplay, Pieces of a Dream, Acoustic Alchemy, and The Rippingtons. Female performers include Keiko Matsui, Joyce Cooling, Mindi Abair, Candy Dulfer, Sade, Brenda Russell, Pamela Williams, Regina Belle, and Anita Baker.

The Weather Channel released its own smooth jazz CD on October 9, 2007, Weather Channel Presents: Best of Smooth Jazz, based on collections of popular smooth jazz music played on the Local On the 8s segments. Artists represented are Joyce Cooling, Dave Koz, Paprika Soul, Four 80 East, Jeff Lorber, Pieces of a Dream, Chick Corea, Jeanne Ricks, Ryan Farish, Mark Krumowski, Majee, and 3rd Force.

"Urban jazz" and "Chill"

A recent development is urban jazz, which incorporates aspects of hip-hop. This style is aimed at audiences who would normally listen to urban contemporary radio stations that play a mix of hip-hop and R&B. Among the musicians who frequently perform urban jazz are Dave Koz, Boney James, Paul Jackson Jr., Bobby Perry, Urban Jazz Coalition, Streetwize, Tha' Hot Club and former NBA player-turned-bassist Wayman Tisdale.

Urban jazz includes artists such as Michael Lington, Brian Bromberg, David Lanz, Kim Waters, Daniele Caprelli, Ken Navarro, Walter Beasley, Fattburger, Peter White.

Another nascent trend involves the fusion of smooth jazz and electronica, the results of which are similar to what has, among electronica enthusiasts, come to be called "chill." Radio stations such as New York's WQCD, SmoothJazzWeb.com Smooth Urban Jazz and DJs such as Rafe Gomez have pioneered the usage of playlists that blend tracks from both genres. Norman Brown is also popular.

Smooth jazz albums generally considered to be genre-defining

Criticism

The term "Smooth jazz" seems to inspire controversy. Normal jazz purists contend that smooth jazz is, in actuality, not jazz of any kind, regarding it as a misleading marketing buzzword that represents an attempt to hijack the ostensible prestige of jazz in order to sell what is really a form of "elevator music". They consider the smooth jazz genre uninspired, lacking the depth of expression, harmonic and rhythmic sophistication, and complex improvisation that are hallmarks of traditional jazz; substituting, at times, trite and hackneyed musical phrasing. Recurring accusations charge smooth jazz with offering a watered-down sound whose aim is to appeal to a larger, mainstream, middle class white audience, though, notably, radio demographics have indicated that middle- and upper-middle class African Americans constitute what may be a significant percentage of smooth jazz listenership. Smooth jazz is still played (though decreasingly) on Muzak-style background music systems as well as telephone music on hold services, which many artists try to distance themselves from as they are seen as degrading to music. Jazz fusion enthusiasts also point to smooth jazz as having confused many listeners as to the meaning of fusion music, with fusion enthusiasts being some of the most vocal in appreciating a high level of virtuosity, improvisation, extended track lengths and soloing, all of which are rarely present in smooth jazz.

In the United Kingdom, British jazz performer Digby Fairweather, before the launch of UK jazz station theJazz, denounced the change to a smooth jazz format on defunct radio station 102.2 Jazz FM, stating that the owners, GMG Radio were responsible for the "attempted rape and (fortunately abortive) re-definition of the music — is one that no true jazz lover within the boundaries of the M25 will ever find it possible to forget or forgive.

Others contend that smooth jazz is indeed a viable jazz subgenre, asserting that attempts to maintain jazz music as a kind of museum exhibit are narrow minded, presenting over a century's continued cross-pollination between jazz and R&B as evidence. Furthermore, they point out that the music of such widely respected musicians as Pat Metheny, David Sanborn, Marcus Miller, Sting and others are often classified as smooth jazz, and that many of these artists are capable of performing well in multiple styles, although Metheny has been one of the harshest critics of Smooth-jazz, namely in his denouncing of Kenny G. The over-30 audience in the USA enjoys the melodic nature of the medium, the frequent revival of Pop standards and freedom from Histrionic vocal lines of this contemporary instrumental music, lacking the intensity and dedication of much of jazz itself. However, the appeal of Smooth Jazz is developing amongst the late teens and 20s age groups in eastern Asia (especially Japan) and in Europe. In particular, late night coffee bars are playing Smooth Jazz in order to create an enticing late-night non-alcoholic social alternative where conversation is encouraged. No matter what the national language, the genre is invariably referred to by this young, developing and affluent demographic a "Smooth Jazz."

Radio

United States

Smooth jazz as a radio format has its roots in the construction of what were once called "beautiful music" stations, which generally played fifteen-minute sets consisting of instrumentals bookending a vocal song or two.

The incubators of the format were specialty shows at night or on the weekends, in places such as Atlanta (WQXI-FM) and San Antonio (KTFM). The first jazz radio station to attempt to reach an audience beyond hardcore jazz fans full-time was New York's WRVR-FM, which was acquired by Sonderling Broadcasting in 1976. Under its new management, WRVR more than tripled its audience by emphasizing artists like George Benson and Pat Metheny that were crossing over to more popular formats. In Detroit, "traditional jazz" station WJZZ (now WDMK) went through a similar transition to a more mainstream sound in the late 1980s. Other early pioneers included Russ Davis in Atlanta and "Jazz Flavours" and Art Good at KIFM San Diego with "Lights Out San Diego".

After programmer Frank Cody began "The Wave" KTWV in Los Angeles and the simultaneous KIFM (San Diego) and the eclectic KKSF (San Francisco), another wave of "Smooth Jazz" stations banking on "The Wave's" softer sound grew quickly. Those included "Breezin' 100.7" in Milwaukee and KHIH in Denver programmed by consultant Gary Guthrie, WNUA (Chicago) consulted by Cody, WVAE in Detroit, and the re-launch of WQCD (CD101), New York. The format had been deemed 'New Age" originally and radio stations like WNUA Chicago and KNUA Seattle emulated the phrase in their call letters. In the late 80's, research firm Cody/Leach conducted a study for WNUA/Chicago; it was through the verbatim responses from listeners that the name "Smooth Jazz" was identified. WNUA then adopted the slogan "Smooth Rock, Smooth Jazz". Under the direction of General Manager John Gehron, "Smooth Rock" was dropped. It's Cody who made "Smooth Jazz" a household name, giving rise to its nationwide proliferation through the firm Broadcast Architecture, the widely syndicated “The Jazz Show with David Sanborn” and his association with saxophonist Dave Koz. Cody was also responsible for overseeing the launch of the now defunct Satellite Music Network's syndicated "Wave" format.

"Smooth jazz" has gone on to be recognized as a successful radio format, first emerging in name in the mid- to late-1980s (often, they would be transitioned from existing "new age" stations) and subsequently spreading into most radio markets within the United States and many without. Currently prominent smooth jazz stations include San Diego's KIFM, Miami's WLVE-FM, Seattle's KWJZ, Denver's KJCD, Los Angeles' KTWV, Chicago's WNUA, Detroit's WVMV, and New York's WQCD (which experimented with a Chill Music-based format for a time but soon returned to its focus on Smooth Jazz). On February 5, 2008, WQCD management announced a change to a rock format under the WRXP call letters. The station cited a declining audience for smooth jazz. At that time, the smooth jazz format moved to the station's HD2 subcarrier.

The majority of major-market smooth-jazz radio stations emphasize soft vocals, including jazz-tinged R&B performers like Luther Vandross, Anita Baker, Regina Belle and Sade, neo-soul artists like India.Arie, Brian McKnight and Kem, adult contemporary artists such as Celine Dion, Norah Jones, Whitney Houston, and Mariah Carey, and Motown and classic soul performers such as Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, and Gladys Knight. Some smooth jazz stations also play some pop standards by performers such as Ray Charles and Peggy Lee, as well as new recordings of standards by the likes of Michael Buble, Diana Krall, and Renee Olstead. WOEZ-FM in Knoxville, TN, is one example of a smooth jazz/adult standards hybrid. For the most part, today's smooth-jazz stations give little airplay to the vocalists originally featured as part of the "new age" format, such as Enya and Basia, although there are exceptions, such as SmoothJazzWeb.com, XM Satellite Radio's smooth-jazz channel, called "Watercolors," WNJL.com Radio, and the smooth-jazz format delivered to radio stations via satellite by the Jones Radio Network. Among the stations carrying programming from the Jones Radio Network include WCIN-AM in Cincinnati; WKYL-FM in the Lexington, Kentucky market; WASJ-FM in Panama City Beach, Florida; KMGK-FM in Glenwood, Minnesota; and WJZL-FM in Lansing, Michigan.

As of the Fall of 2007, the Smooth Jazz radio format continues to grow and thrive as one of radio's longest running formats. Several radio formats like "Jammin Oldies", "Arrow", "Jack" and "Movin" have come and gone in many cities where smooth jazz stations continue to be successful. In January, Broadcast Architecture launched the Smooth Jazz Network, featuring smooth jazz artists Dave Koz, Kenny G, Norman Brown, Brian Culbertson, Paul Hardcastle and Ramsey Lewis as on-air hosts. So far the network has spread to 25 markets across the US and brand new stations have launched utilizing the network in Norfolk, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City and Albuquerque. Currently there are more than 50 commercial radio stations across the US playing smooth jazz.

Ramsey Lewis is now the most listened to Smooth Jazz host in the US with his Smooth Jazz Network morning show in nearly 20 cities across the US including; KKSF San Francisco, WJZW Washington DC, KHJZ Houston, KNIK Anchorage, WLVE Miami and his home station of WNUA in Chicago. The smooth jazz network's afternoon drive is hosted by saxophonist Dave Koz and boasts more that 1.3 million weekly listeners in 18 markets including; WNUA Chicago, KKSF San Francisco, WJJZ Philadelphia and KYOT Phoenix. Other weekly syndicated smooth jazz radio shows include the long running Art Good's JazzTrax, "Chill" with saxophonist Mindi Abair, Ramsey Lewis' "Legends Of Jazz and the weekly two-hour Dave Koz Radio Show. In the summer of 2007, Broadcast Architecture launched the format's first ever national countdown show, the "Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown with Allen Kepler" SmoothJazzTop20.com The Smooth Jazz Top 20 now airs in more than 20 radio stations including; WNUA Chicago, KKSF San Francisco, KTWV Los Angeles, WSMJ Baltimore, WSJT Tampa, WLVE Miami and WMJX in Trinidad.

And at least one non-commercial FM station, the community-based WGDR in Plainfield, Vermont., broadcasts a weekly "Quiet Storm" program that's a mix of smooth jazz and soft R&B, presented in "Triple-A" (Album Adult Alternative) style, with a strong emphasis on "B" and "C" album tracks that most commercial smooth jazz stations often ignore. Hosted by Skeeter Sanders, "The Quiet Storm" is the only radio program of its kind in northern New England.

International

New and innovative material from the UK, Europe and Australia has largely failed to gain airplay in the US. Fortunately, deep-pocketed and usually government-funded radio organisations in the UK, Europe and Australia, coupled with technical developments in the digital radio field, have led to the launch of a number of smooth jazz radio stations in these markets and not surprisingly, their playlists are substantially more diverse than in the US.

Streaming on the Web

Smooth jazz is in included in a number of internet streaming music channels, including SKY.fm, Smoothjazz.com, and Smooth Jazz All Sax Show

Major smooth jazz-producing record labels

See also

References



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Last updated on Thursday March 13, 2008 at 21:48:21 PDT (GMT -0700)
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