LearnJazzPiano.com archives: Smooth Jazz

EphraimMoreira -- 01/18/2007, 21:37:26 -- #32506

hey guys I love Smooth Jazz, guys like Bob James, Brian Culbertson and many others rock my socks! My question is, what is the concept of Smooth Jazz? can I learn about it here? And is it really Jazz?? it has to be!

CynBad -- 01/19/2007, 13:31:50 -- #32506

Well, some of it is almost jazz.

EphraimMoreira -- 01/19/2007, 13:38:50 -- #32506

some of it? try all of it, Contemporary Jazz is Jazz with Funk,Blues Soul, R&B. It's it's not Jazz, then what is it? would you rather listen to Contemporary Jazz or Country music? case closed.

CynBad -- 01/19/2007, 13:51:38 -- #32506

Smooth Jazz - some of it is a kind of Jazz Fusion. Some of it (on the radio, anyway) is simply "Adult Contemporary" or "Easy Listening", IMO. Now, CONTEMPORARY Jazz -- I would think that would be cutting-edge stuff that is not "popular".

CynBad -- 01/19/2007, 13:54:06 -- #32506

Think... why is it called "Smooth"?

jmkarns -- 01/19/2007, 14:11:28 -- #32506

I listen to a smooth jazz format locally in passing sometimes, but I have to admit I am puzzled at what is passed off as jazz. For example I am ok with George Benson.  But Eagles? Phil Collins? Naaaah.

Jazz+ -- 01/19/2007, 14:54:09 -- #32506

From Wikipedia: "Smooth jazz is generally described as a genre of music that utilizes instruments (and, at times, improvisation) traditionally associated with jazz and stylistic influences drawn from, among other sources, funk, pop and R&B. Since the late 1980s, it has become highly successful as a radio format; one can tune in to a "smooth jazz"-themed station nearly everywhere in the United States. Despite its apparently large following, there has been something of a backlash against the genre, mostly from jazz purists who consider its recordings bland and overly commercial. Origins Smooth jazz as it is known today first emerged in the mid- to late-1970s, pioneered by such artists as Grover Washington, Jr., Spyro Gyra and Pieces of a Dream, stemming from a number of extant styles including jazz fusion. Unlike that form, however, smooth jazz tends to emphasize melody and deemphasize improvisation. The genre's roots, however, can be traced to some time earlier: in the late 1960s famed record producer Creed Taylor worked with guitarist Wes Montgomery on three widely 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 success, Taylor founded CTI Records. Many established jazz performers recorded for CTI (including Freddie Hubbard, Chet Baker, George Benson and Stanley Turrentine) though the records they recorded under Taylor's guidance were typically aimed as much at pop audiences as at jazz fans; critic Scott Yanow writes that "Taylor had great success in balancing the artistic with the commercial."[1] [edit] 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". " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smooth_jazz

Scot -- 01/19/2007, 15:10:53 -- #32506

In the big picture, jazz is jazz.  The improvisation, melody, harmony, rhythm, that sort of thing distinguishes it from pop, classical and other genres. Now one can get as detailed and picky about classification as they want.  You can talk about smooth jazz as being different from swing jazz and bebop jazz and latin jazz, however, there are about as many different kinds of smooth jazz as there is other kinds of jazz. Listen to Jeff Kashiwa verses Jay Beckenstein from Spyro Gyra.  Jeff copies some kind of pre-determined sound and style so that it sounds like every other smooth jazz sax out there, complete dribble.  Jay on the other hand developed a sound all his own that is copied all the time now, but in the 70's he had a sound that no one else did and helped start the smooth jazz thing. Easy listening and smooth jazz are different, too.  Diana Krall has some very easy listening recordings, but they aren't exactly smooth, they are more like lounge swing or something. Big picture: jazz is jazz For those who need to get detailed: you can break it down into as many smaller pieces as you want, but it's still jazz.

Jazz+ -- 01/19/2007, 15:16:13 -- #32506

EphraimMoreira, what are you really asking?

Jazz+ -- 01/19/2007, 15:19:56 -- #32506

Here is a long discussion with many Smooth Jazz professionals, a lot about its origins: http://www.smooth-jazz.de/what_is_smoothjazz.html

Jazz+ -- 01/19/2007, 15:21:56 -- #32506

"The term "Smooth Jazz" originated with several radio programmers who networked with each other and were in the process of designing the format that eventually was launced as the "Smooth Jazz Network". The original intent was to create a radio format based on instrumental music that would fill the gap that was left when Beautiful Music (commonly known as Muzak) stations disappeared in the late 80s (because its target age group was literally dying off).   They wanted something that implied "Lite" but "Lite" was already a designation used for mellow Adult Contemporary..so Smooth, which had similar connotations, was the word of choice. Around that time several of teh original stations (NUA in Chicago, the Wave in L.A. and Oasis began to soften their music mix and add lite pop vocals, and start using the word "smooth". After they began to use it on the air a lot listeners of course adopted it and it started showing up as the word of choice in research projects that became the foundation for the current Smooth Jazz format. Marc Antoine used "contemporary" on the sticker on the front of his new CD..as did the Rippingtons on "Topaz". When radio promotion people talk to you they use the word smooth a lot because most programmers want the softest possible music..verrrry verrrry smoooooth. This is of course a hoot when they talk to me, because I do not use the word and it is not the definign aesthetic of my show... Welcome to the 21st century, guys:) " Smooth Jazz takes the lightest, least challenging forms of Fusion jazz and injects them with the sultry throb of '70s Quiet Storm, resulting in a candy-sweet, often seductive and always soothing instrumental sound. It reduces the improvisation of jazz to the slightest variation of modal figures over largely unchanging, one-chord instrumental vamps, making the music easy to follow and allowing it to fade into the background. Smooth Jazz often features a light, Funk-derived backbeat, over which a crooning horn delivers sinuous, syrupy melodies while silken electric bass, guitar, and keyboards round out the sound. Sometimes, as in the work of crowd-pleasing sax player David Sanborn, the gentlest Latin-inflected rhythms will appear in the form of a conga player. Other artists, such as Kenny G, will often eschew the backbeat altogether in favor of soaring, sentimental ballads. " http://www.smooth-jazz.de/what_is_smoothjazz.html

jwv76 -- 01/19/2007, 16:13:02 -- #32506

Personally I like my jazz a little more on the "chunky" side.

jaledin -- 01/19/2007, 16:55:08 -- #32506

A guy I've been working a straight job with hipped me to Brian Culbertson -- impressive technique.  He's also an accomplished bone player, if I understand correctly.  Very soulful, very nice legato technique on the piano -- he's to be recommended, if I am to do the recommending. I would imagine you'd learn to play like that the same way as learning any other style of music, though -- even though Brian Culbertson is amazing, you could approximate his style by spending a bunch of time with his records, just like how a lot of us cats started out copping Red Garland or so forth off the record.

EphraimMoreira -- 01/19/2007, 21:20:46 -- #32506

I don't get why so many people say it's not really Jazz, because they are using all these Major 7th chords, Minor 7th, Alterd, Dimished everything in the book that hardcore Jazz use and how is it not Jazz? it's called Contemporary Jazz for a reason, something the public will want to hear. And I've asked many people who don't know about Jazz to listen to some of Smooth Jazz music I had on my MP3, and I asked what style they thought it was and they said "Jazz" and someone even called me a Jazz freak. If anyone's intersted, go to www.radiokoz.com and listen to a Dave Koz radio show. I guarantee you will like at least some of it.

grsbmd -- 01/19/2007, 22:33:06 -- #32506

Is your point just to ask us what we think and then tell us we're wrong? There is some Smooth Jazz with players actually capable of improvising that would be considered jazz.  However most of the music lacks the qualities we as musicians consider to be the most important parts of jazz like serious improvisation and complex harmonies.  As a result much of Smooth Jazz can simply be considered instrumental pop or urban contemporary.

EphraimMoreira -- 01/20/2007, 08:54:34 -- #32506

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-gKxLvPBN1M some of you don't know the diffrence between Kenny G and Gerald Albright.

CynBad -- 01/20/2007, 10:38:05 -- #32506

The TERM "smooth jazz" is something invented by radio stations. If you are listening to a "smooth jazz" station, you are probably hearing a lot of "soft rock" mixed in with some actual jazz (what Ephraim is talking about). So, what we have here is...  failure... to communicate...

Paul -- 01/22/2007, 12:29:31 -- #32506

Here in Dallas TX we just the "smooth jazz" just changed formats. Now they play 70's-90's R&B. I'm wondering if smooth jazz is meeting it's dismise in other cities too.

jazzwee -- 01/22/2007, 13:57:15 -- #32506

Here in Los Angeles, Smooth Jazz station is mostly R&B. Occasionally you get the Four Play, Spyra Gyra, etc. but the dominant sound is R&B. Thus, I never listen to it. It's instrumental, but typically it is R&B rhythm with a Sax melody. Seldom with any significant improvisation.

Paul -- 01/23/2007, 05:37:50 -- #32506

Yeah, I have always disliked the term "smooth jazz" It should just be be called instrumental pop.

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