Smooth Jazz The Music That Took The Nation. Chapter One, Artists A. B. C.

February 24, 2020

#360

Gentle reader,

I love to stream YouTube on the big screen TV and this VOX video, part of their series on music, popped up:

(11) How smooth jazz took over the ‘90s - YouTube

I watched it and learned many things. Foremost that they credit Kenny G with starting the movement.

Second that Grover Washington, Junior's album Mister Magic was a pivotal album swinging him away from traditional Jazz.

The video inspired me to write a series of articles showcasing the artists whose music I love and that I have in my collections.

This is the first chapter of many wherein I will introduce you to many Smooth Jazz artists. Before you assume that it is just another form of elevator music, give me a chance to introduce you to not only the artists, but many of my favorite tunes.

I have written numerous articles about music, sometimes it was certain artists/composers, sometimes types/formats of music. But this is the first time I am covering Jazz.

I do like what I call traditional Jazz. I have a number of artist's recordings, am listening to Roy Hargrove right now, in fact. 

But, I have never made the emotional connection to "chunky" Jazz like I have to the smooth variety. A little peanut butter humor.

Here are some links to sites about Smooth Jazz for those interested in even more than I will impart:

Smooth jazz - Wikipedia 


Smooth jazz radio - Wikipedia

And here are some Internet Radio Stations that you can stream for free to experience Smooth Jazz, although not broadcast like it was, is still alive and well.

Stream Smooth Jazz Radio | Free Internet Radio | TuneIn 

Smooth Jazz Radio | AccuRadio 

Smooth Jazz Music - JAZZRADIO.com 

♫ Smooth Jazz | The Smoothest Place on the Planet


Smooth Global Living - A Vision of SmoothJazz.com  

I'm 63 now and have amassed a record and CD collection of over 3000 discs. The largest genre is Classical, but Jazz is right behind. LPs alone, over 400 are Jazz, but only 142 fall under the Smooth Jazz timeline detailed in the video and format. The vast majority of my LPs are traditional Jazz.

When it comes to CDs, Smooth Jazz artists greatly outnumber traditional by a factor of at least ten.

Below is a rubber magnet which is all I have left of the first Smooth Jazz radio station I came across. It has seen better days. 

I worked in Washington, D.C. for a lot of years. And one day, tuning my radio, I came across JAZZY 100, WJZE 100.3 FM. 

What I heard changed my musical life. Aside from Smooth Jazz, they played some other music formats trying to get and keep an audience. 

One female singer they played, Cheryl Wheeler, had a song, Summer Fly from her second album Half A Book which came out in 1987, which particularly moved me. A video I found today:

(16) Cheryl Wheeler preforms Summer Fly Live @ the Me&Thee Coffeehouse in Marblehead MA - YouTube

A live recording from 2009, decades after the album came out. The video does not do justice to her amazing voice. Nor is the tune jazzy, but they played it on Jazzy 100.

I have ALL of her albums and CDs, but one would never find her name on any Jazz charts. Some of her songs are straight up Country, but since physically she does not match the norm for female Country singers.....

WJZE, Jazzy 100, was not alone in playing other types of music mixed with the new smooth Jazz. Other radio stations around the country did as well, according to the video.

Being the eighties and LONG before cell phones. To make a call from my work required use of one of the payphones in the front hallway. How DID we survive without cell phones? Just fine.

I worked on D.C.'s subway cars, in an enormous shop located in the bowels of Washington near a neighborhood called Brentwood. 

Pretty much every radio in the shop was tuned to Jazzy 100. People called the radio station to make requests, I would call from home sometimes in the evenings, and chat with the DJs. One particular DJ and I got to know each other.

One day, we heard the Jazzy 100 morning DJ say, "This next cut is going out to all the hard working mechanics at Metro's Brentwood Rail shop. A huge cheer rang out.

One Friday afternoon, many months later, I'm driving home, listening to my buddy's show and at 5:00, the station went silent. "WTH?" Then a moment later, 1950's Pop music started playing. "WTH?!?"

On Monday morning, I looked in the Washington D.C. phonebook looking for my buddy's name and phone number. I called him up that evening, verified it was the same person and asked, 

"What happened Friday night? One minute you were there, the next minute oldies were playing?"

"The station was sold and the new owners switched the format. Scott, they had security escort me out like I was going to steal something?"

I assume he found other work. Fortunately, another station which WAS playing Classic Rock, changed format to Smooth Jazz. They were: WJZW 105.9 FM. "Smooth Jazz, one oh five point nine." So, my world was back and stable. For a while, anyway. They also put out compilation CDs of which I have a couple.

Thanks to the world of official music videos and fan videos on YouTube, I am able to link videos for some of the artists for you to hear and if official, see them perform.

Now, let me introduce you to some Smooth Jazz artists and their music. I photographed all 142 LP covers. As I said above, I have WAY more Smooth Jazz CDs than LPs. 

I have also photographed most of the CD covers. But since they are smaller, I can fit more than one in a photo.

Mindi Abair (Mindi Abair) is one of the very few female Jazz saxophonists. And like Candy Dulfer, is as easy on the eyes as she is on the ears.

Acoustic Alchemy is two guitar players with other band members. They have produced some wonderful acoustic Jazz. The title cut is really pretty and fun. Listen to:

(16) AQUI Y AJAZZ, Acoustic Alchemy "Red Dust & Spanish Lace" - YouTube  A live video of them performing the title cut.

We saw them live at an outdoor Jazz festival. Sadly, the skies opened and they quickly killed the power, ending the concert.  

Gerald Albright is a great sax player and writer. I really enjoy his work.  (17) Anniversary - YouTube  

Tuck Andress, yes, that is a guy, is a superb guitarist. Once part of Tuck and Patty, he went solo.
(17) Tuck Andress Europa - YouTube

Marc Antoine, another excellent guitarist of whom I never tire.
(17) French Dream - YouTube 

(16) APSARAS ( Vinyl ) Full Album - YouTube  This is a link to this entire album on YouTube.

Chet Atkins is a guitar playing legend. Starting in the 1950's he played all kinds of music. Some may have considered some of his music to be for background, but he was amazing.
Chet Atkins, C.G.P. - Stay Tuned - Cosmic Square Dance - YouTube  

In the 1980's he formed a band to play smooth Jazz and chose the name Chet Atkins, C.G.P. Certified Guitar Player. They made a number of albums and they are all great. 

Jeff Golub, whose band was Avenue Blue, is another guitarist. Below is a link to him doing a smooth version of Spooky.
(17) Avenue Blue featuring Jeff Golub - Spooky - YouTube  

Gato Barbieri is a Latin saxophone player. Here is a link to the best cut on this LP: Europa.
(16) Gato Barbieri - Europa - YouTube  

Basia, whose real name is Barbara Stanisława Trzetrzelewska is Polish and emigrated to the west, learning English. She is SO talented and I have her entire catalog.

(16) Basia - Promises (1987) (Official Video Clip) - YouTube  

Walter Beasley is NOT a guitarist, but a great sax player. 
(17) Go with The Flow Walter Beasley - YouTube  

David Benoit, pronounced Ben-wah, is one of my favorites. A pianist and composer extraordinaire.

Like many new artists, it took a few albums to find and refine his style.

(16) David Benoit - Some Other Sunset - YouTube 

(16) David Benoit - Barcelona Nights (LIVE at 107.3 Cleveland Wave Event) - YouTube  A live performance years later of the title track.

(16) David Benoit: "Sunset Island" - YouTube  Sunset Island from this album.

The title track from this album is very fun and upbeat.
Jazz - Freedom at Midnight by David Benoit (1987) - YouTube  

(16) David Benoit ~ Urban Daydreams - YouTube  The title track. He incorporated orchestral music in many tunes.

(16) Houston - David Benoit - YouTube Houston is the tune I have chosen from this album. It's a lot of fun and brings to mind western scenes.
I did not photograph all of his CDs. All of the LPs I put on CD and I own everyone he has put out. But you have seen enough covers.

Kurt Bestor, who lives in Utah, USA, is a wonderful pianist and composer. I first heard a cut from him on a NARM label CD called, Jazz...Discover An American Original. It has fourteen different artists. His cut is called, Expedition.
(17) Kurt Bestor - EXPEDITION - YouTube  He reminds me of David Benoit and/or Dave Grusin.

At the time this epic album came out, I was dating Cindy Short. She was in fact tall and a beautiful brunette. She had a boyfriend, but like several other girls then women, they wanted to go out with me anyway. I took her to see the Breezin tour. When he played the song linked below, This Masquerade, she was gripping my had tightly. We were the only white people we saw in the very large audience. (2) Watch - Discover

Claude Bolling was a Jazz pianist who decided to try something new, get classical musicians to play with him. The first being Jean-Pierre Rampal, at the time the best flutist in the world.

Pinchas Zukerman was the preeminent Violinist in the classical world.

(16) California(MainTitle) - YouTube  Hubert Laws is another flutist who plays all kinds of music.

Alexandre Lagoya was a French classical guitarist and composer.

But enough about Jazz-Classical Fusion. Next I have for you,

Bona Fide. Below is one of the tunes that had air time, High Street. (17) High Street - YouTube

Growing up, our parents played Herb Alpert and Al Hirt records. I believe that is where my love of horn music came from. Chris Botti is outstanding. (17) Chris Botti & David Sanborn - Flamenco Sketches - YouTube
I just learned from this video that there was once Smooth Jazz Television. 

Boy on a Dolphin, a 1957 film, I just learned, was also the name of a band from Shefield, England. To learn more: Boy on a Dolphin biography | Last.fm To hear a cut from this CD:  (17) One World - YouTube

Rick Braun, an excellent trumpeter, and Richard Elliot, a superb sax player combined on RnR, above. I have a LOT of the latter's CDs. From RnR: (17) Sao Paulo - Rick Braun & Richard Elliot - YouTube

Norman Brown, another Jazz guitarist is next. The cut I have chosen has hints of George Benson at the beginning. (17) FOR THE LOVE OF YOU NORMAN BROWN - YouTube

Tom Browne - Funkin' for Jamaica (Official Music Video Extended) - YouTube  Technically, not smooth Jazz, this album is fun and the link it the official music video.

Okay, Michael Buble was very young, if even born yet during Smooth Jazz's heyday. But I love his music. Mostly he does classic songs with his amazing voice, but also his own compositions.
(17) Michael Bublé - Feeling Good [Official Music Video] - YouTube

Alex Bugnon, pronounced Boon-yon, (Alex Bugnon) is a Jazz Pianist with great talent. I have many of his albums. The first CD I bought of his is titled: 107 Degrees In The Shade.
(16) Alex Bugnon - 107° In The Shade - YouTube

Jonathan Butler is a South African born guitarist, singer and songwriter. I prefer his instrumental work, like this:

(17) Crossroads Revisited - YouTube I made this CD from several records of his from way back. 

"Gary Burton is an American jazz vibraphonist, composer, and educator. Burton developed a pianistic style of four-mallet technique as an alternative to the prevailing two-mallet technique. This approach caused him to be heralded as an innovator, and his sound and technique are widely imitated." From Wikipedia's page about him. Not truly smooth Jazz, but entertaining. 
Chick Corea & Gary Burton: Tiny Desk Concert - YouTube Chick Corea is a pianist and I have a couple albums of his. 

Sam Cardon, friend and collaborator of Kurt Bestor is also from Utah. Serious Leisure is a fun album.
(17) Serious Leisure-Sam Cardon - YouTube Innovators was a PBS special for which the two wrote and performed all the music. 

Larry Carlton, is a wide ranging guitarist. The album above is titled: Alone But Never Alone. He played with Steely Dan and countless other bands. He also played smooth Jazz.  (16) Larry Carlton - MINUTE BY MINUTE - YouTube From the Discovery CD right in the middle of the Smooth Jazz era, the Doobie Brother's tune: Minute by Minute.

Some of Larry's smooth Jazz CDs.

Craig Chaquico, for years with Jefferson Starship, plays twelve string guitars. The cut below is from a CD where he and Russ Freeman of The Rippingtons paired up.
(17) Craig Chaquico & Russ Freeman - Sweetwater - YouTube 

Clannad is an Irish group. Definitely not smooth Jazz, but they played some of their work on local smooth Jazz stations. You may know the music of Enya. She started with Clannad before going solo. Her sister, Moya (neither spells their names that way) also was with the band then went solo too. You may recognize this: (17) Clannad - Theme from Harry's Game (Official HD Video) - YouTube

Jesse Cook is a Canadian guitarist who plays flamenco-like guitar. The cut here is one of his best known: (17) *Havana* feat. Jesse Cook - YouTube

Joyce Cooling is also a guitarist, but from the United States. This cut called At The Modern is from this CD: (17) At The Modern - YouTube

And the final A, B, and C artists is Brian Culberston. This tune, Let's Get Started. He plays a wide variety of instruments.
(17) Let's Get Started - YouTube

Whew! This is taking a LOT longer to create than I expected. Thanks to YouTube for creating an outlet for so many to showcase their talent and other things.

Reviewing this before publishing it, I see once again, some type is black, some is gray! I do not control that, although I have tried. The other colors, I choose.

Anyway, thank you for taking the time to not only read this and view my photos, but also for listening to the artists. It is a TRUE labor of love. If just one person is turned onto Smooth Jazz, from my series, it will be worth it.

Scott

February 24, 2020

#360