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Smooth Jazz album comment ??

M

ManOnStreet

Oct 29, 2006
82
1
#1
Hi Tbers''
I love music with sweet melodies, and i also love some "smooth jazz" stuffs, but i almost know nothing about it So what albums/artists you guys can comment for me to listen ?? Thanks very much.
 
#5
ManOnStreet said:
Thanks guy for helping, i'll go to check them out...
P/S: just wondering why "despise" :)
Click to expand...

"Despise" because a LOT of it has become so formulaic..too canned, not enough 'edge', little(if any) improvising, programmed drums/bass, sequenced tracks, etc.

IMO, I would not put the Yellowjackets in the Smooth Jazz camp...a lot of friends into Smooth find the Yellowjackets "a bit much". ;)

Early, early "Smooth" Jazz albums are George Benson's Breezin', Grover Washington's Winelight, Spyro Gyra's Morning Dance.
I still own these albums...back in the day, I couldn't get enough of this stuff.
 
#7
Used to listen to that a bit until I discovered real jazz... :p

Well you could check out e.g. Larry Carlton, Chuck Loeb, Grover Washington, Fourplay and Shakatak. That's a few ramdom names/bands that popped up in my head.

Yellowjackets is a nice band, but perhaps not really "smooth". Check out e.g. their first two albums (the self-titled and "Mirage á Trois"), they seem to be ones closest to smooth jazz.

Then you have a band called Steps Ahead. Check out their first self-titled record. It's not smooth jazz though. Also check out Pat Metheny's "Still Life (Talking)". That's not smooth jazz either, but great music that you might like. That's one of my fav albums.
 
#8
The 1st Steps Ahead studio album is acoustic Jazz...some great compositions by the group's original pianist, Don Grolnick. Does ity get any cooler than "Pools"?
Eliane Elias is playing piano on this 'debut' recording.
(IIRC, Steps' 1st 2 albums were actually LIVE ones...at the time, Japan-only recordings, Smokin' In The Pit and Paradox).

As far as the Yellowjackets...I would say their 1st 2 albums are in a Rock-Funk vibe.
IMO, their 'smooth' album is actually one of their later ones, Club Nocturne. This one, IIRC, sounded like it coulda been a Spyro Gyra album.
 
#10
What is termed as Smooth Jazz is really instrumental R&B tinged music. The pre-curser to Smooth Jazz is Contemporary Jazz which is much more original and a bit more exciting than what is played on the radio. Contemporary Jazz sort of started in the 60's and lasted into the 90's. Corporate America decided that 'we wanted' to listen to Smooth Jazz (aka elevator music) using false poll results! Those of us who 'know' the genres well know what's good or bad! I'm a huge Contemporary Jazz lover. Don Grolnick was mentioned. Check out all the vintage GRP artists as well as the CTI label. The Mann Brothers, The Chambers Brothers, Early Grover Washington and Dave Sanborn, Flim & The BB's, Spyro Gyra, Chuck Loeb (& other great artists from the DMP label), Metro, Yellowjackets, Tim Berne, Brecker Brothers, Michel Camilo, Bill Evans, Herbie Hanc*ck/Headhunters, Early Rippingtons, Bob James, Pat Metheny, David Murray, Mike Stern, Dave Weckl Band, Joe Zawinal and more. Some of todays artists have some great stuff but radio focuses on the tracks that fit the boring format. Todays current formula seems to be repetitive and predictable progressions, drums machines and synth bass playing instrumental covers of old Motown or Pop tunes! Hardly jazz at all. Now having said all this, I'm one of the minority who do like well done remakes of classic Motown and Pop tunes. It's still not jazz, however!
 
#11
In my own opinion, smooth jazz is a bit like the "pop version of jazz". Not by far as spontaneous and improvising as jazz, but easier to listen to with its "less advanced" harmonies. It does often feature some nice grooves and great musicians though. However all of it seems pretty similar, and gets a bit boring to listen to in the long run. A bit like blues, actually... All this is of course nothing but my own opinion.

Don't care too much about JimK's comment on it being formulaic (sorry Jim ;)).... Most music tends to follow some kind of formula, including jazz. It makes it easier to listen to and understand. Luckily there are exceptions that doesn't always play the ---AABA, solos on AABA, AABA, end--- formula. Pat Metheny comes to my mind as one that try to stay away from the standard straightahead jazz formulas. Listen to the album I recommended above and you might see what I mean... :)
 
#13
One of the interesting things about jazz is that performances of decades ago are as relevant as those of today. When I think smmoth jazz, I tend to think of the 60's when I started listening to it.

Check out any album by Stan Getz. He was a master. His "Sweet Rain" album is one of my favorites.

Also, the Dave Brubeck quartet was famous in the 50's and 60's for hits like "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo a la Turk". There's a nice website for [Invalid or Expired Link Removed].
 
#14
Deacon_Blues said:
In my own opinion, smooth jazz is a bit like the "pop version of jazz". Not by far as spontaneous and improvising as jazz, but easier to listen to with its "less advanced" harmonies. It does often feature some nice grooves and great musicians though. However all of it seems pretty similar, and gets a bit boring to listen to in the long run. A bit like blues, actually... All this is of course nothing but my own opinion.
Click to expand...

I can agree with that. The stuff still sounds good but....definitely tamed down for those who can't handle too much stimulation and musical voodoo!
 
#15
Way to derail a thread asking for listening suggestions.

Check out:

Spyro Gyra
The Rippingtons
Jeff Kashiwa
Walter Beasley (taking a class with him next semester)
Keiko Matsui

Stuff not classified "smooth jazz" but you would like:

Pat Metheny Group
Yellowjackets
Sade
 
#16
How about bassist (and former NBA player) Wayman Tisdale?

I would call what he does bass centric, but not the way solo bass albums are. It's very much smooth jazz IMO.

Beyond that I don't know. I listen to a really wide variety of music, but smooth jazz isn't one I know much about.
 
#17
I entered this thread curious at the suggestions that may pop up because I was pretty sure that this thread would be derailed, as in people would bombard the thread with not-so-smooth jazz artists and bands, pretty quickly. But seriously... not a single mention of Kenny G?! Seriously, lol!

Anyway, TC you might wanna check out Kenny G :p. And probably some David Sanborn and Fourplay.
 
#19
ManOnStreet said:
P/S: just wondering why "despise"
Click to expand...

Because it has a tendency to be 'dumbed down' to the lowest possible level

Case in point:
A while back, I heard a "smooth jazz" version of Dave Brubeck's Take Five that reduced me to near apoplexy and incoherent ranting in less than 30 seconds

Why?
Because they changed the time signature to 4/4 !!! :spit:

Album recommendation: Miles Davis Kind of Blue

Now, that's smooth Jazz with no compromises
 
#20
Charlie Haden on Don Ellis (who seemingly played everything in an Odd Time)-
"The only thing Don Ellis plays in 4/4 is "Take Five""!

Kind Of Blue may be "smooth"...but it surely is not Smooth.
;)

...and then there's a guy like Chris Botti. His recordings, I guess, are considered Smooth Jazz (a co-worker into this stuff loves Chris Botti)...Botti live? Not so Smooth. Same co-worker hated the Botti concert he attended here.
Botti's live band-
James Genus
Billy Kilson
Billy Childs
Mark Whitfield

...the review sounded like his hired guns did not stick to the script & actually played around with the tunes. A bit too much according to my disgruntled co-worker.
 

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