Smooth Jazz - The official Thread

**Mace** · 07-31-2013, 10:08 AM

Hi everybody,

I would love to talk in this Thread about everything Smooth Jazz related. And with "Smooth Jazz" I mean the typical "Weatherchannel-Music" lounge/ chill-out music. Sometimes also called "Elevator-Music"...

We all now, that it's more instrumental 90's RnB-Music than Jazz (IMPORTANT: please no "It's-not-Jazz-and-it's-lame" discussion), but I personally really love listening to Smooth Jazz Guitarists like Norman Brown, Nils, Jeff Golub, etc. and I would love to find some other Smooth Jazz fans to talk too.

I searched for a Smooth Jazz forum (because I think 95% of the "real" Jazz fans don't like Smooth Jazz) but I can't find one (maybe I am the only one, who listens still to Smooth Jazz

), so I thought I try it here... the worst chase scenario would be 0 replys.

Have a great day!
Mace

**GuyBoden** · 07-31-2013, 10:17 AM

Norman Brown's playing is my fav. He's one of the few who have that Benson type groove.

**Mace** · 07-31-2013, 10:28 AM

Oh yes, he is definitely one of my favorites too! There are some new videos from the NAMM on youtube, I love to watch him on the fingers, when he plays his classic songs:

**mr. beaumont** · 07-31-2013, 10:29 AM

Do the Yellowjackets and Fourplay count? Cuz I dig that stuff.

**GuyBoden** · 07-31-2013, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by Mace

Oh yes, he is definitely one of my favorites too! There are some new videos from the NAMM on youtube, I love to watch him on the fingers, when he plays his classic songs:

Great video, he's got such a fluid playing ability.

**Mace** · 07-31-2013, 10:35 AM

Yes, of course. Fourplay were one of the first Smooth Jazz Artists I ever heard.

@GuyBoden: There are other videos from this gig on the Youtube. Really recommend watching the videos.

He played on an iPad and nobody really knew him

such a shame. But Norman played every song the guy behind the camera wanted to hear. Lucky guy.. a special private concert

**GuyBoden** · 07-31-2013, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Do the Yellowjackets and Fourplay count? Cuz I dig that stuff.

Post a clip and let the Smooth Jazz Police decide. Lee Ritenour on guitar?

**Mace** · 07-31-2013, 10:51 AM

Yes, lee was the first guitarist of fourplay, Larry Carlton the 2nd and now Chuck Loeb:

**GuyBoden** · 07-31-2013, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by Mace

Yes, lee was the first guitarist of fourplay, Larry Carlton the 2nd and now Chuck Loeb:

All exceptionally talented guitarists. Chuck Loeb seems to be able to play anything.

**ecj** · 07-31-2013, 11:50 AM

George Benson and David Sanborn are the only two smooth guys I actually listen to semi-regularly. They are both top-notch, incredible players.

**zigzag** · 07-31-2013, 07:09 PM

Yeah, I used to listen to a lot of smooth jazz players- Ronnie Laws, Grover Washington Jr., David Sanborn, Larry Carlton, George Benson, Pat Metheny, etc., etc. Still like their stuff, but I don't listen to them much anymore.

**RonD** · 07-31-2013, 11:15 PM

Mace. Thanks for starting this thread.
I don't care what most "Jazz fans" think!
I've been listening to mainstream Jazz since the mid 60's.
Smooth Jazz, or what we used to call fusion or L.A. Pop/Jazz, since the late 70's.
Many of the artists I listened to in then are still on my list today.
I love Larry Carlton, Lee Ritenour, Steve Khan, David Spinozza, Benson, Earl Klugh...
The list goes on and on.
I look forward to reading the posts.

Cheers, Ron

**newsense** · 08-01-2013, 03:02 AM

Here's one of my favourites:

Does it qualify as smooth jazz ?

**targuit** · 08-01-2013, 10:24 AM

I'm a fan of Foreplay and Norman Brown, too. Recently I was working on a cool version of Lil' Darlin' that I found by Foreplay (with Ritenour, I believe) on YT. Smooth....

**Mace** · 08-01-2013, 03:38 PM

thanks to you for all the awesome comments!!!! I'm really happy, that I found some people to talk about smooth Jazz!

Awesome posts, guys!! keep it up!

**ESCC** · 08-01-2013, 04:02 PM

Also include, give a listen to:
Ronny Jordan
Paul Brown
Chris Standring
Chieli Minucci
Paul Jackson Jr
Torcuato Mariano
Thom Rotella
Danny Jiosa
A. Ray Fuller
Jeff Golub
Evan Marks
Four80East

I enjoy them all.

**Mace** · 08-01-2013, 05:03 PM

Exactly my taste in smooth jazz!!!! thanks for the great post, escc!
And I must admit, that I really love this guy. Its really corny, slick and the jazz influence is really minimized. But I love this cheesy chill out sounds

**mr. beaumont** · 08-01-2013, 05:38 PM

Anybody dig Djavan and Michael Franks?

**cosmic gumbo** · 08-01-2013, 08:21 PM

May as well be totally indulgent. Ear candy + eye candy = Candy Dulfer

**mr. beaumont** · 08-01-2013, 08:55 PM

And we need to mention another godfather of smooth, Lonnie Liston!

Also need to mention Idris Muhammad's album 'power of soul' which SMOKES.

**pkirk** · 08-01-2013, 09:30 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

And we need to mention another godfather of smooth, Lonnie Liston!

Also need to mention Idris Muhammad's album 'power of soul' which SMOKES.

Now you're talking my kind of smooth jazz!!!!

**RonD** · 08-01-2013, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by pkirk

Now you're talking my kind of smooth jazz!!!!

As with "real jazz"... there are some many players, so many sub-genres.
That's why I don't like labels.
It's music!!
There's good Pop, Smooth Jazz, Fusion, ... whatever... and there's junk.
One man's junk...

pkirk. I agree with you. Love that stuff. Love anything that's got groove, soul, passion... uh-oh... more labels.

Wonder how long it will take the Jazz Police to derail this thread?

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