Smooth Jazz

[wolflen]

To me its just "jazz"...its good music..some top players are in the rotation.

Late 70s/early80s..FM station (The Wave?) played all this stuff..well it was not three chord rock.

I still like some of the early stuff..If I could choose a prime example of this "sound"

Grover Washington Jr--Wine Light..check the band names

[mr. beaumont]

And as always, remember without smooth jazz's yin there cannot be the yang of rough jazz.

[pauln]

My vague definition of smooth jazz:

- not too loud, audience is most likely wining, dining, and talking
- not too fast, relaxed and comfy, subdued chops and technique
- tunes converted as necessary, to sound attractive and uplifting

[frabarmus]

"Baby-making" Jazz?

[jazzshrink]

[ruger9]

A lot of instrumental R&B .

That sounds divine! Got any recommendations? Actually, alot of stuff on Watercolors could easily fall into the R&B category, now that I think about it.

[ruger9]

I met Kim Waters at a jam session at a roadhouse up near Aberdeen, MD. Super nice guy and he can play the hell out of jazz.

But his main gig is smooth jazz, and he makes a healthy living at it. Sample album titles Sweet and Saxy and Sax Appeal. Later I saw him at an outdoor festival in Baltimore City, and there were a lot of people groovin' to him. Most were couples.

This makes me think of Mindi Abair. Who I started listening to when she did the thing with the Boneshakers. But on her own, she's kind of that generic (sorry Mindi) smooth/sexy sax that makes you think of St. Elmos Fire lol.

But she's got some soul in the right situation

[Doug B]

To throw the cat amongst the pigeons; you could say that Jim Hall can easily be called "smooth jazz, certainly his playing with Paul Desmond. I mean-it's not punk jazz or even Miles type jazz, or loud, raw type jazz.

Food for thought to show how useless categories can be.

Doug

[GuyBoden]

I have a few Norman Brown cds.

[Bob_Ross]

"Baby-making" Jazz?

True Story: I lost my virginity while George Benson's Breezin' album was playing ...so you might be on to something there!

[mr. beaumont]

True Story: I lost my virginity while George Benson's Breezin' album was playing ...so you might be on to something there!

Plot twist: it was in a dentist's office

[Average Joe]

I think a lot of smooth is let down by the production values. Take someone like Chuck Loeb - live he actually could play with the best of them. On records, the production and his more subdued playing make for an almost insipid sound sometimes

[kris]

The Smooth Jazz-I think with music that does not interfere with the consumption of tasty meals.

[digger]

And so we're back to restaurant gigs... :-)

[kris]

And so we're back to restaurant gigs... :-)

Well, but I mainly cook good food myself.

[pamosmusic]

It’s frowned upon by Sticks in the Mud.

Might not be my bag o chips, but there’s great musicians making quality music in the genre.

Check out the Wes Montgomery and George Benson trajectory.

They’re dudes with the loftiest possible jazz bona fides, who both made the shift to a smooth jazz r&b vibe later in their careers.

EDIT: missed that you mentioned Benson. Maybe check out Kate Grant Green then. He made a shift to a more gospel funk thing later. Chuck Loeb you mention too — he’s another phenomenal straight ahead jazz player who opts more for the smooth thing.

[Bob_Ross]

I am open to any other instrumentalist recommendations on or off the radar.

Check out Lonnie Smith's 1977 album Funk Reaction. A few tracks on it were written by, and feature the guitar playing of, Richie Hohenberger ...who now goes by the name Richie Hart, is a professor of guitar at Berklee, and is as close to the living embodiment of Wes Montgomery as one can get without being guilty of identity theft.

(full disclosure: Richie was my guitar teacher from 1977-78.)

[pamosmusic]

Peter, thank you. Appreciate it.

Was that supposed to be 'late' Grant Green? Or was it actually 'Kate'?

I am not really a 'jazz guy' by any means, but I do have Far Wes, Smokin At The HN and West Coast Blues and really dig them all. Can you recommend the funkier album stuff you mentioned?

lol LATE … my sisters name is Kate so my phone thinks I’m typing it more than I am

[AKA]

I joined the forum to look into Smooth Jazz a bit more (Instrumental primarily), get some suggestions or camaraderie with it. It is a style I am wanting to deep dive into as a player. I really dig it as a listener. I did not know it was frowned upon in any way. It is a genre with such accomplished musicians.

Right now, my CD collection for the style is primarily Carlton, Norman Brown, Ritenour, Paul Jackson Jr, Benson, The Rippingtons (Russ Freeman), Chuck Loeb and Issei Noro (if you like any Casiopea)

I am open to any other instrumentalist recommendations on or off the radar.

Check out Ronny Jordan, Steve Laury, and Doc Powell.

AKA

[supersoul]

I joined the forum to look into Smooth Jazz a bit more (Instrumental primarily), get some suggestions or camaraderie with it. It is a style I am wanting to deep dive into as a player. I really dig it as a listener. I did not know it was frowned upon in any way. It is a genre with such accomplished musicians.

Right now, my CD collection for the style is primarily Carlton, Norman Brown, Ritenour, Paul Jackson Jr, Benson, The Rippingtons (Russ Freeman), Chuck Loeb and Issei Noro (if you like any Casiopea)

I am open to any other instrumentalist recommendations on or off the radar.

Mark-Almond (he hyphen is important, Mark-Almond, named after Jon Mark and Johnny Almond. Marc Almond is the singer of Soft Cell) is a great Smooth Jazz precurser. "The City" off their first album is a classic. It does have some vocals, though. But it is smoooooooth.

They did a remake in 1978 that's also good