Smooth Jazz?...

[andreimatorin]

My teacher told me not to listen to it... But i dont know what not to listen to.

anyone care to attempt to define/describe it?

[Jazz]

Just to let you know, I'm a strong proponent of straight ahead jazz, so my view on this subject is biased.

I consider smooth jazz to be pop more than I consider it to be jazz (not that its not a valid music). From what I have heard, which is admittedly not much, they use basic circle of fifths progressions and improvise using mostly pentatonic scales. I also believe that they don't use jazz harmonies to their fullest potential, if they use them at all. They do use instrumentation that is considered "jazzy", like piano, saxophone, and guitar. Now that I think about it, I don't think that I've ever heard a smooth jazz trumpeter....

Some of the most popular smooth jazz musicians that I can think of are Kenny G (soprano sax), Dave Koz (tenor sax), and I think Boney James (tenor sax?) is too...

As for what or what not to listen to, don't worry about it, just have good and specific reasons for listening to what you like. I know a jazz drummer who plays straight ahead (brilliantly I might add) who blew me away by telling me he got into jazz through the smooth jazz style.

did that help? :cool:

[andreimatorin]

Ya that helps, especially the circle of fifths stuff and pentatonic scales and not using jazz harmony to it's full extent. I didn't really know that, though now that i think about it is consistent with the little smooth jazz that i have heard (just kenny g). What i was confused about though is that i really like some of joshua redman's latest stuff (i have a couple of cds). But then i was looking online for a couple of particular songs and names like "The best of smooth jazz-Joshua redman" came up... Does he play smooth jazz and therefore have i been listening to it all along?

[ma³goœka]

It's quite hard to define smooth jazz becouse there's very thin line between it and 'real?' jazz. In many cases I wouldn't undertake to distinguish one kind of music from each other. If I were your teacher I wouldn't forbid listening smooth jazz, especially that it can be good way to introduce other people into more ambitious music.

Reffering to Jazz I think that Chris Botti is a great example of smooth jazz trumpeter

[DWBass]

Let your own ears decide what you like and don't like. Why your teacher would even suggest that is beyond me. Smooth Jazz may be best described as instrumental R&B/Funk music with true jazz tendancies (solos, improv, freeform, etc.) Some of it is really good and some really stinks but your ears will tell you that!

[kateeba]

I agree with DWBass, you really should listen to what "YOU" like. You know, with any music, you are never going to satify everyone since everyones tastes are different, so you have to go for yourself. Be true to yourself. Play and listen to what you like. I know what your teacher might mean when he says don't listen to smooth jazz.......if he is teaching you mainstream jazz which has much more changes and goes to different places, but you will find as you grow musically and get older that your playing and preference of style is a mixture of what you have listened to over the years. You may find something in some (or all) of smooth jazz that you like and want to use in the mainstream (or other) areas of jazz, or you may even find smooth jazz is for you. We are are different and have to go our own ways. This, fortunately is what makes all music and even jazz different and that is part of the beauty of it. Music is a reflection of who we are and what we like to listen to and play. So......never put any style of music out of your ears reach, especailly if there is something you like about it. On the other hand, if you heard it and don't like it and gave it a fair listenm leave it alone.

[kateeba]

sorry for the previous typos......I try to type too fast for my skill. (grin)

[bombastic]

Jazz is Rough, Cool , Hot, Hip! This smooth pablum is for mentally dead yuppies sitting in cubicles out in the middle of the mindless maelstrom drinking their starbucks latte and claiming " i like jazz! kenny g is really good and i am a major fu#king retarded bastard!" "did anyone see the latest julia roberts movie?" i heard it's really good"" my brain is turning into mashed baby pablum and i kind of like it this way". "did you see martha stewart last night!"ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! kill yuppies!:mad:

[jazzypaul]

Bombastic,

I don't know about you, but I am damn happy that there are yuppies out there that say, "I want to be hip tonight and hear some jazz!" Then they unwittingly go out to the club that I am playing at, and are immediately dissapointed by the lameness of the drummer. But, either way, they order the most expensive martini on the menu (because it's the jazz drink) and they drink a few of them, and then munch on a steak. Then the owner comes up to us and says, "you guys really suck! but these yuppies love you, so we'll bring you back next week." So, that "I wanna be cool yuppie" keeps me in lunchmeat and ramen noodles for another week, god bless him.

Back on topic: smooth jazz is NSYNC, without the annoying vocals, replaced with annoying attempt at playing saxophone.

[Pharaohrock]

People need to try to make the distinction between "smooth" jazz and "contemporary" jazz. Smooth jazz is considered to be a watered-down version of the latter, which was pioneered by such musicians as Grover Washington and George Duke, cats who have infinitely more substance than someone like Boney James or Richard Elliot. Both are heavily R&B-influenced, but the writing in contemporary jazz is typically evolved beyond one simple riff, as is usually the case with smooth jazz.

Straight-ahead fans mistakingly call contemporary jazz "smooth" all the time. I read about people calling Kenny Garrett's last two records "smooth jazz"......FAR from it. Garrett is definitely delving into a contemporary jazz sound, but play his new music alongside a Boney James record and you'll instantly hear what is truly "smooth" and what is not.

[Pharaohrock]

I should add that contemporary jazz musicians have openly expressed disdain for smooth jazz musicians in the past.....

[bombastic]

jazzypaul, i'm sorry to hear that you think your band is that bad! of course, i'm being somewhat humorous in the yuppie post, do people even use that term any more? (i've been something of a cultural recluse, thank god, for sometime)....keep playing real jazz, rough jazz !;) the new generation of clones scares me.

[Little Dog]

If you like it it's good. Your teacher is verry narrow minded to tell you not to listen to anything. While not a smooth jazz fan myself I must admit that Bob James released some nice albums in the late 70's and 80's.

[Copper Scroll]

That was 2003. That guy's probably graduated by now.

[Little Dog]

That was 2003. That guy's probably graduated by now.


Sorry ! Did n't notice the date. Anyway I doubt he graduated if he stuck with that teacher.