Smooth jazz

For the Jones Radio Networks satellite service, see anists David Benoit, Bradley Joseph, and Joe Sample.
Smooth Jazz (radio network).
Some performers, such as Dave Koz, Bob James, and
Nathan East are notable for their numerous collabora[1] tions with many of the genres big names. Groups inSmooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz
clude Fourplay, Pieces of a Dream, Acoustic Alchemy,
and is inuenced by rhythm and blues, funk, rock and
roll, and pop music styles (separately, or, in any com- Airborne and The Rippingtons. Female performers inKeiko Matsui, Joyce Cooling, Mindi Abair, Candy
bination). Musicians such as Kenny G., Ramsey Lewis, clude
Sade, Brenda Russell, Pamela Williams, Regina
Dulfer,
David Koz, and Spyro Gyra have had hits with instrumenBelle,
and
Anita Baker.
tal recordings, while singers such as Anita Baker, Sade,
Sting and Norah Jones have found success with vocal releases. George Benson remains a popular Smooth Jazz
artist as both a singer and guitar player.

2 Origins

Smooth jazz was once successful as a radio format. However, in 2007, the popularity of the format began to
slide. Consequently, it was abandoned by several highprole radio stations across the U.S.A., including WQCD
(now WFAN-FM) in New York, WNUA Chicago (now
WEBG), WJJZ in Philadelphia (now WISX), and KKSF
(now KOSF) in San Francisco. Programmers say the
audience for the format has aged beyond the prime demographic sought by advertisers. Despite the formats
demise outside a handful of commercial radio outlets, a
number of non-commercial and HD stations have taken
up the music. It is still available on SiriusXM on Channel 66, known as Watercolors and on the Music Choice
cable radio service. In addition, smooth jazz concerts,
recording sales, as well as increased smooth jazz oerings on the Internet, continue to show strong fan support
for the genre.[2]

Smooth jazz can be traced to at least the late 1960s.

Producer Creed Taylor worked with guitarist Wes Montgomery on three popular records (1967s A Day in the
Life and Down Here on the Ground and 1968s Road
Song) consisting of instrumental versions of familiar pop
songs such as "Eleanor Rigby", "I Say a Little Prayer" and
"Scarborough Fair". While jazz musicians had performed
pop hits since the early 1900s, Montgomerys commercially successful albums were somewhat of a departure
from this tradition, containing little of the complex improvisation of his earlier recordings and being aimed
squarely at pop music audiences. Reviewing A Day In the
Life, critic Scott Yannow writes, although the jazz content is almost nil, the results are pleasing as background
music.[3]
From these commercially successful records with Montgomery, Taylor founded CTI Records. Many established
jazz performers recorded for CTI (including Freddie
Hubbard, Chet Baker, George Benson and Stanley Turrentine). The records recorded under Taylors guidance
were typically aimed as much at pop audiences as at
jazz fans, with ornate string section arrangements, and
a much stronger emphasis on melody than was typical
in jazz. Some critics and jazz fans expressed a distaste
for CTI releases, but much of the labels output is now
generally well-regarded: Yanow writes, Taylor had great
success in balancing the artistic with the commercial.[4]
Hubbards funk/fusion album Red Clay, issued by CTI
and containing a lengthy cover of John Lennon's "Cold
Turkey" and has been described as arguably Hubbards
nest moment as a leader.[5]

Description

In general a smooth jazz track is downtempo (the most

widely played tracks are in the 90105 BPM range), layering a lead, melody-playing instrument (saxophones
especially soprano and tenor are the most popular, with
guitars a close second) over a backdrop that typically
consists of programmed rhythms and various synth pads
and/or samples.
Smooth jazz groups or recording artists tend to play their
instruments in a melodic fashion such that they are recognizable within just a few measures; this category includes names such as saxophonists Kenny G, David Sanborn, George Howard, Najee, Boney James, and Art
Porter, Jr.; guitarists George Benson, Earl Klugh, Marc
Antoine, Peter White, Jonathan Butler, Ray Parker, Jr,
Norman Brown, Ronny Jordan, and Yves Vincent; pi-

In addition to Benson, jazz musicians in the 1970s whose

style would be called smooth jazz today included Bob
James, David Sanborn, Herb Alpert, Al Jarreau and
Chuck Mangione.[6]
1

5 RADIO

Derivatives

A recent development is urban jazz, which incorporates

aspects of hip-hop. This style is aimed at audiences who
would normally listen to radio stations that play a mix of
hip-hop and R&B. Among the musicians who frequently
perform urban jazz are Dave Koz, Boney James, Paul
Jackson Jr., Nick Colionne, Vincent Ingala, Bobby Perry,
Urban Jazz Coalition, Streetwize, and Tha' Hot Club.
Urban jazz includes artists such as Bob Baldwin, Michael
Lington, Brian Bromberg, David Lanz, Jonathan Fritzen,
Bobby Ricketts, Kim Waters, Daniele Caprelli, Ken
Navarro, Walter Beasley, Peter White.

5.1 Early history

Smooth jazz as a radio format has its roots in the construction of what were once called "beautiful music" stations, which generally played fteen-minute sets consisting of instrumentals bookending a vocal song or two. The
incubators of the format were specialty shows at night or
on the weekends, in places such as Atlanta (WQXI-FM
and WVEE-FM), Miami (WWWL-FM) and San Antonio (KTFM). The rst jazz radio station to attempt to
reach an audience beyond hardcore jazz fans full-time
was New Yorks WRVR-FM, which was acquired by
Sonderling Broadcasting in 1976. Under its new management, WRVR more than tripled its audience by emphasizing artists like George Benson and Pat Metheny that
were crossing over to more popular formats. Other early
pioneers included WLOQ in Orlando, Florida (which began programming such a format in 1977), Russ Davis in
Atlanta and Jazz Flavours, Al Winters and The Quiet
Storm, Ross Block, Dave Caprita and Stu Grant at Love
94FM with Sunday Morning Jazz in Miami and Art
Good at KIFM San Diego with Lights Out San Diego.

Another nascent trend involves the fusion of smooth jazz

and electronica, the results of which are similar to what
has, among electronica enthusiasts, come to be called
chill. New Yorks WQCD integrated chill into its format in 2004, and DJ Rafe Gomez pioneered the usage of
playlists that blended tracks from both genres, in addition
to selections from the 70s jazz fusion and Latin jazz, 80s
jazz-funk, 90s acid jazz, and contemporary club jazz/nu
jazz genres.
In 1983, adult alternative became a well-dened radio
format, with jazz, new-age music and adult contemporary music. In 1987, the switch by album-oriented rock
KMET in Los Angeles to KTWV The Wave made the
format more popular.[11]
4 Critical and public reception
The Allmusic guide article on fusion states that unfortunately, as it became a money-maker and as rock declined artistically from the mid-'70s on, much of what was
labeled fusion was actually a combination of jazz with
easy-listening pop music and lightweight R&B.[7]
Kenny G in particular is often criticized by both fusion
and jazz fans, and some musicians, while having become
a huge commercial success. Music reviewer George Graham argues that the so-called smooth jazz sound of
people like Kenny G has none of the re and creativity
that marked the best of the fusion scene during its heyday in the 1970s.[8]
Smooth jazz is satirized in an episode of Futurama as being composed by machines.[9]

After programmer Frank Cody began The Wave in

Los Angeles and the simultaneous KIFM (San Diego)
and the eclectic KKSF (San Francisco), the number of
stations banking on The Waves softer sound grew
quickly. Those included "Breezin' 100.7" in Milwaukee and KHIH in Denver programmed by consultant
Gary Guthrie, WNUA (Chicago) consulted by Cody,
WVAE (a short-lived Wave network aliate from 1987
89) and WJZZ in Detroit, WNWV in Cleveland (which
began as a Wave aliate but eventually moved to local programming), Ohio, and the re-launch of WQCD
(CD101.9), New York. Also Love94FM [WWWL,
later WLVE] in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, an early innovator with its Sunday Morning Jazz show went totally
smooth jazz by 1990, not long after The Wave in Los
Angeles had switched to the format. The format had
been deemed new-age originally and radio stations like
WNUA Chicago and KNUA Seattle emulated the phrase
in their call letters. For a short time in 1987-1988,
Chicago actually had two such stations, as the Wave
network was also heard on WTWV-FM, licensed to suburban Des Plaines (now WPPN).

In the United Kingdom, British jazz performer Digby

Fairweather, before the launch of UK jazz station theJazz,
denounced the change to a smooth jazz format on defunct radio station 102.2 Jazz FM, stating that the owners,
GMG Radio were responsible for the attempted rape and
(fortunately abortive) re-denition of the music is one
that no true jazz lover within the boundaries of the M25 In the late 1980s, research rm Cody/Leach conducted
a study for WNUA/Chicago; it was through the verwill ever nd it possible to forget or forgive.[10]
batim responses from listeners that the name Smooth
Jazz was identied. WNUA then adopted the slogan
Smooth Rock and Smooth Jazz,[12] replacing the old
slogan Music for a New Age as the station added more
5 Radio
vocals and dropped most avant-garde instrumentals.[13]
Under the direction of General Manager John Gehron,

5.2

Smooth jazz radio today

Smooth Rock was dropped. Cody is credited with making Smooth Jazz a household name, giving rise to its nationwide proliferation through the rm Broadcast Architecture, the widely syndicated The Jazz Show with David
Sanborn and his association with saxophonist Dave Koz.
Cody was also responsible for overseeing the launch of
the now defunct Satellite Music Network's syndicated
Wave format.
Over a six-year period ending in 1993, the format increased its audience by 140 percent, and from 1992 to
1993, by 67 percent. Listeners were 71 percent white and
28 percent black. Advertisers recognized that adult alternative music tended to attract buyers of upscale items.[11]
The format became much more jazz-oriented, with very
little new-age, and even while emphasizing young artists,
the format kept its heritage acts as well.[14] However,
smooth jazz did add artists from adult contemporary
music to increase its popularity with a larger audience;
artists included Mariah Carey, Bonnie Raitt, Sting, Bruce
Springsteen, Paul Simon, Michael Bolton, Tina Turner,
and Janet Jackson.[15] The smooth jazz format also added
R & B; according to Cary Goldberg of JVC, Paul Hardcastle brought a sophisticated, urban groove to the format. She said, Instead of bringing jazz to R&B, hes
brought an R&B groove to contemporary jazz.[16]
The smooth jazz music mix included 70 percent instrumentals and 30 percent vocals. Programmers no longer
regarded the music as merely background. The formats
most successful stations included WNUA, KKSF, KOAI,
WNWV and KIFM, as well as WQCD, which had a signicant rating increase in Fall 1993.[15]
Smooth jazz (still referred to as adult alternative in
Billboard until the magazine began using the term for
album alternative[17] ) experienced the largest increase in
power ratio in 1994; the term refers to the relationship between audience share and advertising revenue.
Although the format was increasing in popularity, M
Street Journal counted 43 stations in the format, down
from 64 in 1989. But new stations such as KKJZ in
Portland, Oregon and KLJZ in New Orleans experienced
immediate success.[18] New stations in 1995 included
KCIY in Kansas City, Missouri; KMJZ in Minneapolis;
WSJZ in Bualo, New York; and WJCD in Norfolk, Virginia.[19][20][21][22][23]
Smooth Jazz has gone on to be recognized as a successful radio format, rst emerging in name in the mid- to
late-1980s (often, they would be transitioned from existing "new-age" stations) and subsequently spreading into
most radio markets within the United States and many
without.

5.2

Smooth jazz radio today

3
5.2.1 Recent problems
The smooth jazz radio format continued to grow and
thrive through the 1990s and early 2000s, though in the
late 2000s most markets began losing smooth jazz stations. In a number of media markets, this format is no
longer available over the air except online, via Music
Choice (an option made available by some cable television providers such as Comcast ), and on HD Radio.[24]
Currently, the most prominent of the few remaining commercial (and independently-programmed) smooth jazz
stations are WSBZ The Seabreeze in Destin, Florida,
WEIB in Northampton, Massachusetts, and KYSJ in
Coos Bay, Oregon.
Three of the originators of the smooth jazz format WQCD in New York City, WNUA in Chicago, and
KKSF in San Francisco - have all changed format in
the last several years. WQCD became album-rocker
WRXP on February 5, 2008; KKSF shifted to classic
rock as The Band on May 18, 2009; and just four days
later, WNUA abruptly dropped the format for Mega (a
Spanish-language pop format). The demise of these pioneering smooth jazz stations seems particularly indicative
of the problems within the format.
The switch from smooth jazz WQCD to album-rock
WRXP proved to be a ratings disaster, however. As a
rock station, WRXP was something of an anachronism
in New Yorka city long dominated by urban, R&B and
hip-hop-formatted stations such as WBLS, WRKS (Kiss
FM"; now WEPN-FM) and WHTZ. Most of WRXPs
target audience had long ago ed to the suburbs. In July
2011, WRXP was sold to Merlin Media, which turned it
into an all-news station and became WEMP,[25] only to
change it back to rock (along with the WRXP call letters) after the all-news format was an even larger failure.
This change might seem to again support the often-heard
mantra that when it comes to radio music, New York is a
rhythm town, not a rock town, the New York Daily News
noted.[26] The station became all-sports WFAN-FM in
November 2012.
Smooth jazz has also disappeared from commercial radio
in most other major or medium-sized markets, including
Miami, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Dallas, Minneapolis/St.
Paul; Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, DC,
Houston, Indianapolis, Lexington, Sacramento, Dayton,
Milwaukee, Columbus, Tampa Bay, Lansing, Modesto,
and most recently, Orlando and Harrisburg. Many of
these stations continue to program smooth jazz via HD
subchannels or online streams. For example, KKHI
101.9 in Denver, Colorado switched from smooth
jazz to religious programming in May 2010. The
smooth jazz format was preserved via internet radio on
http://www.khigh.net, which is an online incarnation
of the FM station. With the demise of New Yorks
WQCD and Albanys WZMR as smooth-jazz stations,
WEIB-FM in Northampton, Massachusetts is the only
surviving commercial smooth-jazz radio station in the

4
northeastern United States.
Canadas highest-prole smooth jazz station, CIWV-FM,
now CHKX-FM in Hamilton, Ontario, abandoned the
format in late July 2011, switching to country music instead and moving the jazz format to an online stream only.
And after Christmas 2011, CJGV-FM, the last Englishlanguage smooth jazz station in Canada, switched to
an adult contemporary format, leaving French-language
CKLX-FM in Montreal, Quebec as the only remaining
station with the format in Canada.
However, smooth jazz or some variant thereof has made
a minor comeback in some markets, via AM stations
(see below), FM HD Radio side channel/analog translator combos, or so-called Franken-FMs (actually lowpower analog television stations on Channel 6 which serve
a double function as radio stations due to the audio portion of the broadcast being audible on 87.75 MHz, possible because the FCC has not yet required low-power
TV stations to convert to digital transmission). Such
Franken-FMs have popped up in Chicago (WLFMLP, which dropped the format in May 2012 for alternative rock as WKQX-LP; the former 87.7 format continues
on WTMX 101.9 HD2) and Anchorage, Alaska (KNIKLP, using the call sign of a former smooth jazz station
there which had ipped to adult contemporary). FM
HD side channel/analog translator combos also briey allowed the format to return to the airwaves in markets such
as Detroit, Orlando, Florida, and Honolulu, Hawaii (none
of these side channel/analog translator combos are still in
operation).

5 RADIO
ban vocals, with R&B artists such as Beyonc Knowles
and Aretha Franklin now staples of many smooth-jazz
playlists. Others indicate that the repetition of the
same tracks on stationsparticularly those owned by
Clear Channel Communications[2] and the reduction
of artists recording tracks resulting in fewer tracks for
airplay[29] may have also contributed to the decline.
Time to stop complaining about it not
being the way it used to be ... and start
embracing the way it is and the way its going
to be in the future ... whatever that may be!
Hello, Tomorrow.
Dave Koz[30]

American saxophonist Dave Koz responded back in

November 2009 to the claims that the smooth jazz radio
genre was in decline by stating that although the audience
has aged and not enough young people were embracing
the format, making it harder to gain advertising revenue,
the genre is still seeing the support in record sales and audiences at shows. He also suggested that the format may
move from a genre covered by big FM stations to one covered by smaller stations, in particular Internet radio stations, which were showing an increase in popularity.[30]
Some of the former terrestrial smooth jazz stations, including the former KHJZ in Houston, the former WVMV
in Detroit, and the former WLVE in Miami continue to
oer smooth jazz programming as Internet streams or as
oerings on their HD subchannels. Some stations which
are still providing smooth jazz and are still popular in
their respective markets, including Jazz FM in the United
Kingdom used to integrate traditional and popular jazz
and jazz standards alongside smooth jazz tracks in their
playlists.[24]

In January 2012, in a rare case, a former smooth jazz

station actually returned to its former format after the replacement format had failed. WNWV-FM in Cleveland
had dropped its long-running Wave smooth-jazz format in favor of adult alternative after Christmas of 2009,
under the ownership of Elyria-Lorain Broadcasting. In
January 4, 2012, new owners Rubber City Radio Group
restored the Wave format to the analog radio dial in
Cleveland as a Smooth AC outlet, after a period of stunt- 5.2.3 The Smooth AC format
ing with Christmas music (though as of 2013 it has returned to its original smooth jazz format).
One tack several smooth jazz stations have taken, in order to attract more younger listeners (particularly in the
important 25-54 age demographic) without completely
5.2.2 Reasons
alienating jazz fans, is to evolve the format into a hybrid
known as Smooth Adult Contemporary. Smooth AC
The decline in popularity of the smooth jazz format has stations play more of the vocalists popular on smooth jazz
been blamed on a variety of factors, including lack of stations, such as Luther Vandross, Sade, Robin Thicke,
exposing compelling new music, over-reliance on instru- Anita Baker, and Basia, while incorporating more mainmental cover versions of pop songs similar to the mostly- stream and urban AC material from artists such as Celine
defunct Beautiful Music format, and Arbitrons PPM re- Dion, Mary J. Blige, and Maroon 5 and limiting instruports showing lower ratings[27] returns for smooth jazz mentals to two or three cuts an hour (and usually restrictstations than the traditional diary system had. Lack of ing airplay of instrumentals to artists such as Kenny G,
revenue and the genre not being viable during the current Dave Koz and Chuck Mangione who have had crossover
economic crisis have also been cited as reasons.[28] Many pop success). In markets where they exist, Smooth AC
purists of the format also feel that the smooth jazz inter- stations are meant to ll a void for soft music created
pretation has strayed too far from its roots in contempo- by the mainstream Adult Contemporary formats overall
rary jazz and new-age music by over-relying on soft ur- move toward more uptempo adult Top-40 musical fare.

5.2

Smooth jazz radio today

One of the rst high-prole stations to adopt the Smooth

AC approach was pioneering smooth-jazz station KTWV
in Los Angeles (The Wave), under new program director Jhani Kaye. KTWVs transition was successful in improving the stations 25-54 ratings, and since then several other smooth-jazz stations have made a similar transition, including the late WLFM-LP in Chicago; WXJZ
in Gainesville, Florida; KIFM in San Diego; and most
recently, WNWV in Cleveland, Ohio, which relaunched
under its former 107-3 The Wave identity as a Smooth
AC on January 4, 2012; WXJZ and KIFM have switched
to other formats, while KTWV has continued to progressively downplay (while not entirely eliminating) instrumental music in its shift to a Smooth R&B Urban
AC format. KJZY in the Santa Rosa, California market
continues as a Smooth AC format branded as Sonoma
Countys Smooth Jazz, supplementing the format with
some adult standards artists like Tony Bennett, Rod Stewart, and Frank Sinatra.
KTWV and KIFM continue to program traditional
smooth jazz formats on HD subchannels; KIFMs HD2 features Pure Smooth Jazz, while KTWV programs
Wave Classics, featuring vintage smooth jazz cuts no
longer played on the main station, on its HD-2 feed.
Other former smooth-jazz stations have evolved to
Rhythmic Oldies formats while maintaining their previous call letters, notably KOAS in Las Vegas and KYOT
(now known as Eva) in Phoenix. KOAS saw its ratings
in the 25-54 age demographics improve after moving to
its old school format.

5
WGDH in Hardwick, Vermont, both owned by Goddard
College. Launched in 1998 and hosted by Skeeter
Sanders, The Quiet Storm is actually a 50-50 mix of
smooth jazz and soft R&B, presented in Triple-A (Album Adult Alternative) style, with a strong emphasis on
B and C album tracks that most commercial stations
often ignore. The show takes its name from the earlyevening program pioneered in 1976 by WHUR-FM in
Washington, D.C. and duplicated with great success as
a 24-hour format three years later by KBLX-FM in San
Francisco (Entercom Broadcasting dropped KBLX-FMs
quiet-storm format after it purchased the station in April
2012 following the bankruptcy of former owner Inner
City Broadcasting in favor of a more generic Urban AC
sound). WGDRs Quiet Storm is one of the stations
most popular music programs, based on a 2010 listener
survey, and is the only program of its kind on the air
in northern New England. In September 2011, a syndicated version of Sanders program began broadcasting
on the Internet-only Fishbowl Radio Network[32] and ran
for three years, until November 2014. In January 2015,
the program began streaming on SsassyRadio.com.[33] It
is also syndicated to terrestrial radio stations across the
United States aliated with the Pacica Radio Network
and the Public Radio Exchange (PRX).

In some markets, the smooth jazz format has also found

a new home on the AM dial. The format had brief comebacks on the AM dial in Reno, Nevada, Phoenix, Arizona
(nights and weekends), and Atlanta, Georgia (the latter
during weekends only). Among the markets featuring
full-time AM smooth jazz outlets are Seattle, Washington (KZIZ 1560 AM), Springeld, Missouri (KBFL 1060
AM), and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (WDAS 1480 AM,
5.2.4 Non-commercial and AM stations
simulcasting WISX 106.1 FM HD2). In Detroit, Michigan, WCHB 1200 AM also programs smooth jazz during
By 2009, as smooth jazz continued its rapid decline on the evening and overnight hours.
the commercial radio airwaves, a growing number of noncommercial stations have taken up the music and added it
to their programming. Among non-commercial stations
now playing smooth jazz include WVSU-FM in Birmingham, Alabama; WFSS in Fayetteville, North Carolina; 5.2.5 Specialty shows
WCRX-LP in Columbus, Ohio; WFSK in Nashville,
Tennessee; KBBG in Waterloo, Iowa; KUNV in Las It is not uncommon for adult contemporary music or
Vegas, Nevada; WONB in Ada, Ohio (on Sundays); urban AC stations to devote some of their weekend proLPFM broadcaster WGRV-LP in Melbourne, Florida, gramming to the format in an eort to serve a niche marand nearby communities via translators; and most re- ket without devoting an entire station to it. Some examcently, WBWH-LP in Bluton, Ohio, which has ex- ples include WRRM Warm 98 in Cincinnati, WZUN in
tended its Sunday-night show The Chillout Sessions Syracuse, New York, KVIL in Dallas, Texas, WMXC in
(featuring a mix of smooth jazz, smooth vocals, and chill Mobile, Alabama, and WSOL in Jacksonville, Florida.
music, hosted by Donald Isaac) into its primary format as An oddity in this category is WLAV in Grand Rapids,
of October 2011. In addition, some commercial stations Michigan, a classic rock station which features a cool
which present the format on their HD side channels, such jazz brunch show on Sunday mornings. WZTK in
as KKCW in Portland, Oregon, and WDZH in Detroit, Burlington, North Carolina, a former talk station which
do so without commercial interruption.
switched in 2012 to regional Mexican programming, also
One of the longest-running non-commercial smooth jazz
radio programs in the United States is The Quiet
Storm,[31] which airs weekly on the community-based
WGDR in Plaineld, Vermont and its sister station,

formerly devoted most of its weekend programming to

smooth jazz, using programming provided by Dial Global
and playing much of the library from the now-defunct
Jones Radio Network Smooth Jazz format.

5.3

5 RADIO

Syndicated shows

mer Smooth AC network aliates WAUN, KYOT and

WLFM-LP (now WRME-LP) switched to other formats
(with WAUN switching back to the Smooth Jazz NetIn January 2007,[34] Broadcast Architecture launched work).
the satellite-delivered Smooth Jazz Network, featuring
smooth jazz artists Dave Koz, Kenny G, Norman Brown, The current air talent lineup on the Smooth Jazz and
Brian Culbertson, Paul Hardcastle and Ramsey Lewis as Smooth AC Networks includes Kenny G and Sandy Koon-air hosts. The network soon spread to 25 markets vach (formerly of WVMV V98.7 Detroit) mornings,
across the US, with among its more notable aliates in- Miranda Wilson middays, Allan Kepler during aftercluding WJCD in Norfolk, Virginia; WJZL in Lansing, noon drive, and Maria Lopez evenings and overnights,
Michigan; WQJZ in Ocean Pines, Maryland; KJZS in with weekend personalities including Norman Brown,
Reno, Nevada; WKYL in Lexington, Kentucky; KORL Paul Hardcastle, and Allan Keplers Smooth Jazz Top 20
in Honolulu, Hawaii; WAEG in Augusta, Georgia; and Countdown. Top-selling saxophonist Dave Koz was a forWAUN in Green Bay, Wisconsin. WLFM-LP in Chicago mer air personality on the Smooth Jazz and Smooth AC
also began as a 100% satellite-fed Broadcast Architec- networks.
ture aliate, but soon went to mainly local programming Other weekly syndicated smooth jazz radio shows include
during weekdays with the satellite feed lling most of the long running Art Goods Jazztrax, Chill with saxothe remainder of the schedule. Of these stations, only phonist Mindi Abair, Ramsey Lewis Legends Of Jazz
WAEG and WAUN continue to broadcast the Smooth and the weekly two-hour Dave Koz Radio Show. In the
Jazz Network (WAUN actually dropped it for a time to summer of 2007, Broadcast Architecture launched the
switch to the related Smooth AC format, but returned formats rst ever national countdown show, the Smooth
to the Smooth Jazz Network by June 2012); WJCD, Jazz Top 20 Countdown with Allen Kepler. The Smooth
WQJZ, WJZL, WKYL, KJZS, WLFM and KORL have Jazz Top 20 now airs in more than 20 radio stations.
all switched to other formats, although KORL continues
Elements of the smooth jazz format are also present in the
to broadcast Smooth Jazz Network programming on an
Timeless Cool format distributed by Timeless Cool MuHD Radio side channel which is simulcast on an analog
sic, Inc., which features a mixture of smooth and traditranslator. In Reno, the format was briey revived on an
tional jazz with adult standards by artists like Ray Charles,
AM station, which dropped it in the summer of 2012.
Madeleine Peyroux, and Bobby Darin and adult alternaWLFM-LP moved to the related Smooth AC format for
tive performers such as Jack Johnson, Amy Winehouse,
a time, but had evolved back to Smooth Jazz at the time it
and Annie Lennox. However, this format has failed to
dropped the format in May 2012 to become WKQX-LP.
take o and is as of August 2011 aired on only a small
In addition to WAUN and WAEG, the Smooth Jazz Net- handful of stations nationwide.
work is also carried on KQJZ in Kalispell, Montana;
Until September 30, 2008, Jones Radio Networks also
KMYT in Temecula, California; KYZK in Sun Valley,
distributed a smooth-jazz format via satellite. This nettranslator W273CA 102.5 WLOQ in Orlando, Florida,
work was discontinued following Jones Radio Networks
simulcasting the HD-2 feed of adult contemporary station
purchase by Triton Media Group, owners of the Dial
WMGF-FM; and on a part-time basis on WCHB in DeGlobal stable of 24/7 formats, and Tritons decision to
troit and KOY in Phoenix, Arizona (both airing Smooth
eliminate Smooth Jazz from its portfolio. Jones Smooth
Jazz Network programming at nights during the week
Jazz network had dwindled to only a handful of aliwith extended hours on weekends). It is also programmed
ates at the time the format was discontinued; most of the
on HD Radio subchannels in various markets, including
remaining Jones stations (i.e. WJZL and WQJZ) were
San Francisco, Washington, Miami, Baltimore, Houston,
switched over to Broadcast Architectures network.
Nashville, Memphis, St. Louis, San Antonio, and Grand
Rapids, Michigan, and is available for streaming via Clear
Channel Communications' iHeartRadio application.

5.4 Smooth jazz radio internationally

In response to the growing trend toward Smooth AC,

Broadcast Architecture has also begun marketing a
Smooth AC Network (formerly named Chillout Radio
Network, despite the lack of so-called chill music in the
networks playlist, and then renamed Bright Radio Network before the nal name change to Smooth AC)
featuring the same air talent as the Smooth Jazz Network. The rst Smooth AC Network aliated station
was KOCD in the Tulsa, Oklahoma market, but that
station has since switched format to adult hits. Currently the Smooth AC network has no full-time aliate; WXJZ in Gainesville and WNWV in Cleveland program the Smooth AC Network at nights only, and for-

The smooth-jazz format was always less common in

Canada, possibly due to Canadian Content regulations
and a relative lack of high-prole Canadian smooth-jazz
artists (with some exceptions such as Diana Krall and
Michael Bubl, as well as soft AC artists like Celine Dion
or Paul Anka). In August 2012, the format became completely extinct as a full-time oering on the Canadian
airwaves, with the last remaining holdout, Francophone
CKLX-FM in Montreal, switching to a combination of
rock music and talk programming. However, Francophone outlet CHLX-FM in Gatineau, Quebec (serving
the Ottawa, Ontario market) continues to feature some

6.1

United States (excluding HD side channels)

6.1 United States (excluding HD side channels)

In 2011, Canadas two remaining high-prole Anglosmooth jazz music in its playlist.

phone smooth jazz stations both terminated the format,

with the aforementioned CIWV-FM switching to country music in July and CJGV-FM in Winnipeg dropping its
Groove format on December 1, 2011, and beginning a
period of stunting toward a new adult-contemporary format. The former CHMC-FM in Edmonton, Alberta began in 2005 as a smooth jazz station, but switched in 2010
to an uptempo Adult Hits format as CIUP-FM.
In January 2012, Durham Radio, owners of CIWV-FM
(now CHKX-FM), applied to relaunch the Wave format on the 88.1 FM frequency in Toronto vacated by
CKLN-FM when that station was ordered o the air by
the CRTC. Durham Radio was one of nearly thirty applicants for the frequency, and the only one proposing such
a format; the frequency ultimately was awarded to indie
rock outlet CIND-FM. Some smooth jazz is available to
Toronto listeners on CKFG-FM G98.7, a recent signon in late 2011 featuring an eclectic Urban AC format.
New and innovative material from the UK, Europe and
Australia has largely failed to gain airplay in the US. Well
nanced and often government-funded radio organisations in the UK, Europe and Australia, coupled with technical developments in the digital radio eld, have led to
the launch of a number of smooth jazz radio stations in
these markets and their playlists are substantially more
diverse than in the US.

KJZY/93.7: Santa Rosa, California

KNIK-LP/87.75: Anchorage, Alaska - mix of jazz
and blues (Channel 6 television station operating as
a radio station)
KOAZ/1510 and translator K279BP on 103.7 FM,
Albuquerque, New Mexico
KYZK/107.5, Sun Valley, Idaho - Broadcast Architecture aliate
KZIZ/1560, Seattle/Tacoma, Washington
WAEG/92.3 Smooth Jazz 92.3": Augusta, Georgia
(Broadcast Architecture aliate)
WBWH-LP/96.1 Smooth 96.1": Bluton, Ohio
WCHB/1200, Detroit, Michigan - late nights only
WEIB/106.3, Northampton, Massachusetts Smooth Jazz/Smooth AC/Urban AC hybrid
WFSK-FM/88.1: Nashville, Tennessee
WJJZ/1480, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
WNWV/107.3
107.3
Elyria/Cleveland, Ohio

The

Wave":

In the UK however, the only radio station that regularly

played smooth jazz was 102.2 Jazz FM in London and
WSBZ/106.3 (The Seabreeze), Destin, Florida
100.4 Jazz FM in the North West. Upon takeover by
WVSU-FM/91.1, Birmingham, Alabama
the Guardian Media Group in 2003, the station started
to create playlists predominantly consisting of easy lis WRTI/90.1, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
tening soul and pop. Finally, in March 2004 in the North
West and in June 2005 in London, the station changed
KWBR-LP/105.7: St.George, Utah
its name to Smooth FM, and dropped smooth jazz from
its playlists altogether. At the same time, GMG launched
jazzfm.com in some parts of the UK which after closing 6.2 International
in some areas. However, as part of its relaunch, smooth
jazz and funk has also been played alongside more main Smooth FM in Portugal (http://smoothfm.iol.pt/)
stream and traditional jazz output as played by former
WMJX-FM 100.5 All Smooth All Day in
UK jazz station theJazz. On October 6, 2008 jazzfm.com
[35]
Trinidad and Tobago (no relation to WMJX in
was relaunched under a three-year deal with The LoBoston, Massachusetts, which programs smooth
cal Radio Company to relaunch Jazz FM[36] initially with
jazz on its HD2 feed)
smooth jazz output in the daytime and early hours of the
morning, however, smooth jazz output has since been
95Cinco Jazz in Costa Rica
dropped from the schedule as of September 2012.
Arrow Jazz FM is an internet radiostation in the
Netherlands, known for the North Sea Jazz Festival.

List of Smooth Jazz and Smooth

AC radio stations

KJAZZ Radio UK is an internet radio station promoting indie. smooth jazz musicians. No relation
to any US station of similar or same name.
Radio Jazz Plus is a French-language internet radio located in Montral, Qubec that denes itself
as Le smooth jazz sans frontires...en franais!

6.3

Cable/Satellite/Subscription

City Lights (Muzak Holdings)

Impressions (Muzak Holdings)
Smooth Jazz (Galaxie)

[6] Rodman, Sarah"Smooth moves: Did Kenny G ruin the notion of smooth jazz?" Chicago Sun-Times, July 23, 2006.
[7] Available online at: http://www.allmusic.com/explore/
style/d299
[8] Graham, George, review.

Smooth Jazz (Sonic Tap)

[9] Without machines, who will feed us and clothe us and

compose our smooth jazz?".

See also
List of smooth jazz musicians
Quiet Storm
Sophisti-pop

Record labels
GRP
Higher Octave
Instinct Records
Narada Productions
Native Language
Heads Up International
Shanachie Entertainment
E1 Music
Mack Avenue Records
Concord Records
Windham Hill
NuGroove
A&M
Blue Note, in its later incarnations

[5] red-clay, allmusic.com.

Smooth Jazz (Music Choice)

Watercolors (Sirius XM)

REFERENCES

References

[1] Explore: Smooth Jazz. allmusic. Retrieved January 19,

2011.
[2] Harrington, Jim (2009-06-14). Smooth Jazz might be in
big trouble. Contra Costa Times. Retrieved 2009-06-20.
[3] a-day-in-the-life, allmusic.com.
[4] Creed Taylor biography

[10] Fairweather, Digby (2006-11-18). New Jazz Station Goodbye to the Smooth, Hello to the Classics. Fly Global
Music Culture. Retrieved 2008-02-16.
[11] Adult alternative a magnet for auence, Billboard,
8/6/94, Vol. 106, Issue 32.
[12] Feder, Robert, Its mayhem in a.m. on six radio stations,
Chicago Sun-Times, October 25, 1988.
[13] Feder, Robert, New Saturday shows follow Pee-wees
lead, Chicago Sun-Times, June 2, 1988.
[14] Stark, Phyllis, Hip jazz boosts adult alternative radio,
Billboard, 4/15/95, Vol. 107, Issue 15, p. 10.
[15] Boehlert, Eric, Adult alternative embraces AC hitmakers, Billboard, 4/23/94, Vol. 106, Issue 17.
[16] Botwin, Michele, Paul Hardcastles Jazzmasters are
choice of adult alternative radio, Billboard, 7/16/94, Vol.
106, Issue 29.
[17] Borzillo, Carrie, Meeting adult alternatives unique
needs, Billboard, 4/22/95, Vol. 107, Issue 16.
[18] Stark, Phyllis, Power ratios study nds adult alternative
top gainer, Billboard, 4/1/95, Vol. 107, Issue 13.
[19] Stark, Phyllis, and Eric Boehlert, 3 more stations ip to
adult alternative; River City moves to purchase Keymarket, Billboard, 4/8/95, Vol. 107, Issue 14.
[20] Call Sign History (WDAF-FM)". Retrieved 2011-0714.
[21] Call Sign History (KZJK)". Retrieved 2011-07-14.
[22] Call Sign History (WBUF)". Retrieved 2011-07-14.
[23] Call Sign History (WVMA)". Retrieved 2011-07-14.
[24] Fisher, Marc (2008-03-09). Smooth Jazz: Gentle Into
That Good Night?". Washington Post. Retrieved 200812-26.
[25] Hinckley, David (2011-07-14). WRXP shifts from contemporary rock to news channel as it changes hands from
Emmis to Merlin Media. Daily News (New York).
[26] Hinckley, David (2011-07-14). WRXP shifts from contemporary rock to news channel as it changes hands from
Emmis to Merlin Media. Daily News (New York).
[27] Bentley, Rick (2009-05-01). Jazz station moves to talk
format. Fresno Bee. Retrieved 2009-05-03.

[28] Moss, Khalid (2009-05-05). Local radio station changes

format. Dayton Daily News. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
[29] Washington, Julie (2009-12-23). WNWV The Wave
to ip format from smooth jazz to adult album alternative. Cleveland.com. Retrieved 2009-12-31.
[30] Dave Koz says: Stop complaining about smooth jazz radios decline because.... Radio Facts. Retrieved 200912-31.
[31] the-quiet-storm, wgdr.org.
[32] The Quiet Storm With Skeeter Sanders, fbrn.us.
[33] http://ssassyradio.com/
[34] broadcastarchitecture.com
[35] Jazz FM set to return. Radio Today. 2008-02-28. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
[36] Wheatley to relaunch Jazz FM. Radio Today. 2008-0629. Retrieved 2008-06-29.

10

9 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

9.1

Text

Smooth jazz Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smooth_jazz?oldid=716475396 Contributors: Edward, Tubby, Bcrowell, Dcljr, TUFKAT, Glenn, Rl, Silpol, Maximus Rex, Ed g2s, Robbot, Tlogmer, Postdlf, Paul Richter, Sj, Mintleaf~enwiki, Dissident, Galen~enwiki, BigHaz, Mboverload, Ferdinand Pienaar, Hiphats, Gzornenplatz, Gyrofrog, Utcursch, Andycjp, Colinmarshall, MarkSweep, Jossi, Tothebarricades.tk, ErikNY, Histrion, Tsemii, Grstain, Discospinster, ThomasK, Andros 1337, C1k3, Jon the Geek, Circeus, Silver hr, Philip Cross,
Netkinetic, Lironos, RyanGerbil10, Kelly Martin, Woohookitty, Tabletop, MyFavoriteMartin, SDC, Zpb52, Deltabeignet, Magister Mathematicae, Reisio, Rjwilmsi, Koavf, Alaney2k, SMC, FlaBot, Ianthegecko, IlGreven, Mets, Mrschimpf, Visor, Spasemunki, Melodia, YurikBot, Quentin X, Drdisque, Hairy Dude, Phantomsteve, ChrisP2K5, Malevious, CambridgeBayWeather, Miestersean, Biopresto, Cheeser1,
Elkman, Plastic editor, Arthur Rubin, Multisandia, Sardanaphalus, SmackBot, Wcquidditch, Scullin, C.Fred, Jagged 85, Eskimbot, Canthusus, Yamaguchi , Tghe-retford, MaxSem, Shalom Yechiel, Bib, Toadbaboad, Tdl1060, Mikedow, Drumnbach, Chrbubb, Cielomobile,
Grapetonix, Special-T, TravKoolBreeze, Ryulong, Halaqah, Johnxp, OnBeyondZebrax, Donmccullen, Aeternus, Smoothjazzlover, Stereorock, Tvccs, CmdrObot, Irwangatot, MeekMark, Karenjc, That is that, Desmond Hobson, Dkioni, Thijs!bot, D, Horologium, JustAGal,
SkeeterVT, Nick Number, Bull-Doser, Fru1tbat, Jim whitson, Moogyboy, AdamDeanHall, Nathan Obral, Dogru144, Zephyrnthesky,
Meeples, Swpb, X-factor, Panser Born, Limp73, JMyrleFuller, Cricket02, MartinBot, Jazz+, Uriel8, Mschel, R'n'B, Kidsheaven, DandyDan2007, Trombipulation!, Sunshinepk, Vranak, VolkovBot, Jimiking, RatonBat, Dextrose, Inclusionunit, Mercurywoodrose, Fxhomie,
Shindo9Hikaru, Slysplace, Jcmartini, Bretguitarguy, Billinghurst, Falcon8765, Vchimpanzee, Pjoef, Munci, Cosprings, StAnselm, Swliv,
Wolfcm, Peter.shaman, Wmpay, Fratrep, Dravecky, Jerryskid, Danosoft, TubularWorld, Raresoul, Gaia Octavia Agrippa, TheOldJacobite,
Skeeball93, Trivialist, Allenwk, Excirial, Chicksaxplayer, Pupkinvassily, Morel, Rash, Wabctribute, Sheeeeeeep, Mlas, Jadeddissonance,
MacBoyUK, XLinkBot, Vjmlhds, Feinoha, WikHead, ZooFari, Jafeluv, JGrobe, Geschonneck, 61x62x61, Squandermania, Tassedethe,
Thirdwave intl, Lightbot, Vegaswikian1, Margin1522, Luckas-bot, Yobot, Bunnyhop11, Drod007, Gongshow, SwisterTwister, Magog the
Ogre, Kookyunii, AnomieBOT, Rubinbot, Rockypedia, ItsAlwaysLupus, Jo3sampl, Ulric1313, Gmanlittle, Materialscientist, ArthurBot,
Xqbot, Caprita, Sabrebd, Superastig, Kandylion, Nptodd, FrescoBot, Cinesister, KKHI-OM, John85, DrilBot, Sunpoint, Waittf, Keninsj,
Auxilioprofe, RedBot, Hearfourmewesique, Discographer, Dyadyavasya, Mydogzilly, Vrenator, RjwilmsiBot, Woovee, NBromberg, WikitanvirBot, Solarra, F, Waystolie1000, H3llBot, Mywpmusic, MaxGoldstein, Morgankevinj, Panipro, 28bot, Yves Vincent, ClueBot NG,
CactusBot, Broadarch, Bdj00, TwiggsSon, Wilc0, Crazymonkey1123, Helpful Pixie Bot, Calabe1992, Plantdrew, BG19bot, PhnomPencil,
RickKShapiro, Saxentertainment, Joydeep, Alanmadrazo1, Datachanger, Alexhongs, Smoovejazz6, GoShow, Myxomatosis57, Khazar2,
Dobie80, Mogism, KentFrederick, Chickenmctiger, RotlinkBot, Taintedstreetlight, Tinkerfary1998, Dcgibson55, Thewikirap, Keitolainen,
Synthwave.94, Dancipsax, Antrocent, Qnncwn, Parhumnubnub12, Kalope, Steve1reg, 236benderavenue, Rmcrae2015, Eno Lirpa and
Anonymous: 345

9.2

Images

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Tango! Desktop Project. Original artist:
The people from the Tango! project. And according to the meta-data in the le, specically: Andreas Nilsson, and Jakub Steiner (although
minimally).
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9.3

Content license

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