Re: The Plague called Smooth Jazz

From: Wm. ERROL PACE (wm_errol_pace@hotmail.com)
Date: Wed Oct 24 2001 - 16:59:04 CEST

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    Yes to what Elson says. BTW, you may be interested to know how "Smooth Jazz"
    formats are test marketed. They're not looking for a tune that makes you
    want to turn the radio up, they're just looking for tunes that don't compel
    you to turn the dial.

    I have to go to San Antonio on assignment every once in a while and they
    have Smooth Jazz station there. I'd rather listen to it than anything else
    they have going there unless there is some Hard Rock Heavy Metal on the
    airwaves there. The Smooth Jazz stations I have came across sort of really
    get irritating when they compound the "cheese factor". When Smooth Jazz
    gets irritating to me I call it "Cheese", you know when it becomes safe and
    happy Jazz. I prefer Sultry Dark Sexy Jazz and sometimes things that are
    played in those Smooth Jazz formats fit the bill. I would prefer Dark
    Downtempo but I have yet to hear that on the airwaves.

    That's not unique to smooth jazz though. A lot of formats, from urban to
    country, do this. But I get the impression that Smooth Jazz is meant to be
    played in the background at dentists' offices, car dealerships, and what
    not.

    Once in a Blue Moon though in a Dentist office I may hear something that
    just catches my ear.

    (Although LA's ubiquitous "The Wave" initially had a pretty cool playlist,
    hitting you with some ECM releases (Pat Metheny's earlier stuff)

    I'll be impressed when they play something from ECM like Terje Rypdal!!!
    Terje Rypdal the Jimi Hendrix of ECM!!!! I wish I had some here right now,
    Terje lighting up the Sky with his Hendrix-Gilmour -Esque Sonic
    Abandonment!!!!

    some Weather Report, (A Remark You Made), Chick Corea, and other decent fare
    that wasn't played anywhere else, least of all on the jazz stations.

       Although to their credit a few "Smooth Jazz" stations like Los Angeles'
    KTWV carry the "Musical Starstreams" syndicated show which features some
    ambient & downtempo stuff from people I never heard before. Sade gets a good
    amount of play on these kinds of stations, as does the occasional Incognito
    track.

    I am still looking for that radio station that plays Sade 24 hours a day.

       But yeah, it's funny to sometimes listen and hear some wannabe acid-jazz
    type tracks...they'll use a funky bassline, they'll use a drumloop, they'll
    use a Rhodes, but there's something about it (usually crystal-clear
    production) that's too yuppified for our tastes...

    I will not mention the artist but I recently bought a CD where a track was
    done exactly like that and the individual should have stuck with his
    original interpretation from a CD that is no longer in print and the record
    company GAIA is no longer in business. If anyone out there has Martin
    Taylor's (Oooooops!!! I said I mention the artist) CD -Sarabanda - on GAIA
    who is willing to part with it feel free to holler my way and we'll do
    business.

       "Smooth Jazz" is actually a strange amalgam of a format...It's rooted in
    new age, 'fuzak' and instrumental pop (which is what Kenny G should properly
    be categorized as (NOT jazz)),

    SCHpeaking of Kenny G and San Antonio, Texas when I was stationed there he
    and his band came and played in a old time theatre there in SA. This was
    back in January of 90 and I am not a audiophile of Gorlick a'tall yet
    outside the theatre was tons of really nice looking dress up ladies and I
    said "What the Hell!!!" and purchased a ticket and went in. The place was
    packed with elegantly dress ladies. He had this huge arse drummer who was
    beating the sh*t out the skins and this really unique Bassist. I got beyond
    the Kenny G factor and realized these musicians playing behind him were
    pretty damn good. Who ever he had playing guitar was most definitely not
    aloowed to light up the sky in homage to Hendrix. It was nice being
    surrounded by beautiful women and musicians maybe in another format could
    have really lit the Sky.

    but it's also designed to cater to a sector of the R&B demographic that's
    too old to listen to contemporary R&B stations and too young to be into the
    "old school" stuff.

    Io ho Capito. Social Demography that permeates into the world of music, Oye
    Vay!!!!

       - 30 -

       : . elson trinidad, los angeles, california, usa
       : . elson@westworld.com : www.westworld.com/~elson
       : . groove to the futurethnic beats of e:trinity at www.e-trinity.org and
    www.mp3.com/etrinity

    Semper Motociclismo,

    Pace'

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