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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