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Anteater's Muzak 101: Legitimizing Smooth Jazz For The Unwashed Masses
INTRODUCTION Greetings to MB newcomers, anonymous browers and longstanding members alike! I am Anteater, a lurkish forumer who happens to have been here off and on for the last couple of years. I get along swimmingly with most folks, although I'm not as active as I probably should be. :D Now, to preface, some of you may be familiar with some of my past journals and threads (the AOR list, modern prog. rock list, the Anthill, etc.). Furthermore, I'm a fairly busy fellow in real life, fresh out of college and working on a variety of business prospects whilst still doing new album reviews and posts over at my resident blog The Widening Eye. All that being said, I'll be updating this journal fairly regularly, so keep your eyes peeled! MISSION STATEMENT Contemporary jazz, often tagged as "smooth jazz" or "muzak" by the categorization powers that be, is a genre of music that emerged officially in the early 80's in the wake of changing commercial trends, brought on in a sense by jazz-fusion artists seeking radio play in an increasingly jazz-unfriendly world. To put it broadly, its a more melody-oriented form of jazz-fusion with that incorporates pop, funk, electronic, world music and even New Age/ambient influences. To put it another way, its a genre of jazz that has changed, evolved and like most forms of music has been watered down in the commercial spectrum since the mid 90's to the point of irrelevancy. The format for my journal is going to be pretty straightforward. I'll be reviewing, analyzing and introducing readers to the cream of the crop in this underrated genre from the 70's through the present day, with an occasional post about some tangential subject such as the state of modern smooth jazz radio, changing trends and cultural analysis. CONCLUSION So yes, for better or for worse (depending on how open minded you are), this is a muzak journal for those who might want to explore the genre or pick up gems they might have overshot in their own searches. Bon apetit! |
Welp, good luck with this. I've never been a fan of smooth jazz but I do like acid jazz, exotica and some new age so I'm right on the cusp there. You may just win me over to some artists! :)
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I'm with Jans on this. I like a lot of forms of jazz, but smooth jazz sounds like elevator music most of the time. But, if there is anyone that can convert me, it's you, Ant. I find more new awesome music in your journals than most of the site.
I'm hoping your first review is a doozy. |
I'm with the great unwashed who dislike jazz, but as duga and Janszoon say, if anyone can explain it and convince me to try it, it's he who eats small skittering insects for a living. Love the prog and AOR journals, and though I got a little lost over at TWE, it looks like a well put-together blog, so I may wander on by again soon. How would I go about contributing to that, should you be looking for reviews?
Even if I still end up hating jazz, it's always worth reading your stuff, as you write so well, making everything so interesting without seeming to ramble as some of us (who, me?) :D tend to. You have a great sense of style, that's for sure, and you know how to hook your readers. And keep them. Best of luck with this; will be watching with your thousands of other admirers! :thumb: |
I love jazz and usually shake my fist at the makers of smooth jazz for creating the stereotype that non-jazz listeners think of when they hear the word "jazz." If you can redeem this genre for me, please do so.
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ARTIST BACKGROUND Unlike the majority of bands and artists associated with contemporary jazz, Paul Hardcastle started out as a dance-circuit DJ and keyboardist in the early 80's. Despite his growing technical prowess and a thirty some-going year career in music, he's the sort of guy who likes to stay out of the limelight and focus on what makes him happiest: crafting smooth tunes that blow most of his competition out of the water on the quality front.THE ALBUM Released after a couple of singles he made cracked the Top 20, this self-titled record did quite well during its time, though some reviewers criticized the overtly-electronic nature of the music, claiming it was 'monotonous' over a full length LP. The previously mentioned tracks that turned this guy into a household name, '19' and 'Rainforest', catapulted Hardcastle's career into the stratosphere and beyond.WHY YOU WANT THIS Smooth jazz, my friends, tends to come in one of several flavors. There's the stuff that plays it real safe, and there's the stuff that pushes the envelope within whatever established aesthetic is associated with the genre. This debut LP falls squarely into the latter camp: at the time of its release, there weren't too many people out there who were combining elements of early Chicago House, synth-pop, New Wave funk and a lot of smooth jazz elements into a cohesive, club-oriented sound. Sonically, I consider this album to be rather underrated, as well as being ahead of its time in some respects. The production is astonishing in places even for '85, and in a weird way is reminiscent of 90's video game music as far as Hardcastle's arrangements and choice of synths are concerned. The programming is immaculate, particularly on the two big singles and some of the other hi-tech groovers such as 'Moonhopper' and 'Don't Waste My TIme'. CLOSING REMARKS Despite being completely synthetic on the instrumental side of things and being tied to a controversial time in dance music, this self-titled remains a big influence on the smooth jazz format, as well as jump-starting Hardcastle's career into the monstrously good thing it is today. FINAL GRADE |
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But smooth jazz and muzak and the like is so fake to me. This thread looks interesting and if some gems can be shared here, I might be sold on it. |
Oh, Ant! Paul bloody Hardcastle? I effing hated his music! I'm going to have to work up to clicking play on those videos, and I have to say I'm not anticipating liking them. I would never have associated him with jazz of any kind --- dammit, I remember n-n-n-n-nineteen: who of my age group doesn't? Drove us effing mad for weeks: "In Vietnam he was nineteen. In Vietnam he was nineteen." Yeah, we GET it. Shut the **** up! And as for "Don't waste my time", oh Christ no!
I head off to bed now, with nightmares already crowding around me (shudder)... :eek::confused::whythis::crazy: (and other confused icons that don't exist...) |
Wow, Trollheart. What a very... constructive post. I didn't like the tracks either, but you don't have to blow up like that.
Anyway, onto the post. Very, very good write-up, Anteater! I enjoyed reading. However, I enjoyed the music less... quite a bit less. I felt they were completely inoffensive in every way. Which is exactly what is so offensive to me. They are completely uninteresting, and they're so far away from pushing the envelope they're actually pulling it backwards. That said, they were also catchy and danceable, which is more than I can say for most muzak. Keep up the good work, I'll definitely continue reading! |
haha. Yes!!! I just posted in the "unpopular music opinions" thread that I love Muzak! This is my kind of music! (well, one of them, at least) I had a good feeling about your taste from reading your AOR journal :D
Seriously, I think it takes a really patient, laid back kind of person to enjoy smooth jazz. You just align yourself with the overall vibe, and you're all set. I'm really going to like this thread, since I'm only starting to learn more about the genre. |
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Second, although this won't convert the uninitiated in all likelihood, Hardcastle has evolved quite a bit since 1985. His debut record is a rather important footnote in the establishment of contemporary jazz as a genre, not unlike Grover Washington Jr's Winelight a couple of years before, thus I felt it might be a decent place to start for my journal. That being said, the next couple of albums/artists I'll be spotlighting should be a bit more appealing to you and other readers as far as musicality goes. Stay tuned and all that, lol! Oh, and just to give you a bit of perspective, here's how he sounds as of 2011. Guess he's stuck in '95. :laughing: |
ARTIST BACKGROUND Perhaps the single best jazz guitarist alive on the planet today, there's nobody who isn't somebody in the world of jazz-anything who hasn't worked with or wanted to work with Pat Metheny, including the late Miles Davis and Jaco Pastorius. The man has a massive discography that travels throughout every corner of the genre, including straight-ahead, Bossa Nova, Fusion and soundtrack-oriented stuff.THE ALBUM Although every album that Pat Metheny's Group has done since forming in the early 80's is considered top notch material in the realm of modern jazz, 2005's The Way Up (the ensemble's latest record as of 2012) is particularly interesting, as its a four-part suite that attempts to bridge the gap between contemporary jazz and certain aspects of progressive rock, and from a compositional perspective it succeeds in doing exactly that. Hell, it even won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Record later that year.WHY YOU WANT THIS From my perspective, there's actually nothing better at introducing contemporary jazz to the hardline cynic than an LP from Mr. Metheny. His fluidity from moment to moment, whether he's armed with 6-string, 12-string, or even something crazy like a 42-string, is undeniable to the point of gospel. He walks the walk, talks the talk, and then some! On top of that, his band is complimented by a variety of talents, including keyboard/programming maestro Lyle Mays and harmonica beast Grégoire Maret.The Way Up is quite the epic really, made up of an opening number and three distinct parts that constitute the suite itself. Metheny changes guitars a couple of times throughout the movements, and various motifs intermingle and then turn on a dime into completely new progressions. There's a lot of soloing (trumpet, guitar, keyboards, etc.), but Lyle Mays never lets Metheny get too below the stratosphere, and thus despite gradual shifts in tonality and an emphasis on complex chord changes, the intensity they're going for is never lost regardless of pace or tempo. Brilliant stuff, really, and certainly worth a run through or two from those who aren't adverse to instrumental adventures. CLOSING REMARKS Despite a distinct lack of saxophone and the predominance of lengthy "noodling", this is indeed a contemporary jazz album stylistically, and a class act at that. It's technical level is such that it demonstrates just how complex and interesting "smooth" jazz can become if the ideas are grand enough, and while Metheny never blows you out of the room like his luminiary John McLaughlin (Mahavishnu Orchestra) might have done back in 1975, there is a LOT to admire here. Essentially...its essential. :pimp:FINAL GRADE |
ARTIST BACKGROUND Known a bit better over in the land of the Rising Sun as a jazzy, beach-oriented pop confectioner and producer, Toshiki Kadomatsu is also a rather underrated guitarist with chops that bite and riffs that catch. Razor sharp but reluctant to shred, his productions tend towards sentimental, oceanic soundscapes that put you right there amidst the surf and swell. THE ALBUM Released in 1987, Sea Is A Lady is Toshiki's first all-instrumental release and a return to his washed out take on 'city pop' that made him huge in the early 80's after a couple of forays into New Wave. A record seemingly crafted for the sole purpose of turning up loud while you blast along some coastline highway, its certainly a product of its age, but glorious in a cheesy, heading-into-the-sunset kind of way. WHY YOU WANT THIS Whilst not as progressive or jazz-fusion oriented as Toshiki's second and final instrumental album that would arrive in 1990, Legacy Of You, I would say that this album not only epitomizes why Kadomatsu-san might appeal to someone who wouldn't normally dig a Bop-less jazz album, but also illustrates what a really good contemporary jazz record could sound like if you let guitars and embellished atmospherics take the lead as opposed to 12 tracks of Kenny G pussing out.For example, take opening number 'Way To The Shore/Sealine': its got a great melody line and some underlying percussion to set the beat, but Toshiki's guitar tone is killer. He doesn't mind indulging his skills when necessary. Or how about the 6+ minute centerpiece 'Memories Of Dusseldorf', a blistering funk workout that features some keyboard noodling straight out of a late 70's prog record? Even the interludes, such as 'Sea Song', still sound beautiful some thirty years after this hit shelves, with colossal synth leads and piano dispersed in the melancholic drift. CLOSING REMARKS There's no such thing as an 80's contemporary jazz record that can escape from the polarizing fact that it sounds like it was made...well, in the 80's. However, as Sea Is A Lady proves, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who went the extra mile to actually make vocal-less melodies compelling in a less-than-abrasive setting and those who are merely content to record an album of George Benson covers and call it a day. Things always seem to be more interesting in Japan as far as musical diversity is concerned in loads of genres, and contemporary jazz is no exception! FINAL GRADE |
Anteater, great posts. I am not digging Toshiki Kadomatsu at all, but thought that the Pat Metheny Group was actually pretty good! Any suggestions for other good albums from them?
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ARTIST BACKGROUND A fixture in L.A.'s underground jazz scene for the last couple of decades, Jeff Oster is one of contemporary jazz's most forward thinking trumpeters today: tech savvy, plays by ear, and makes an effort to stand out wherever he can. After hooking up with Windham Hill guitarist and founder Will Ackerman, Jeff has gone on to record a couple of killer records that push the "smooth" jazz envelope into compelling electronic territory.THE ALBUM His third record as a solo artist, 2011's Surrender presents the following musical hypothesis in a tangible, testable product: what if a trumpeter mixed Davisonian yet contemporary trumpeteering with ambient, almost trip-hop soundscaping? Although he's been moving more and more towards this direction since his first solo record years prior to this, Oster has embraced this question with an enthusiasm that surprised even me when I first had the pleasure of hearing it last Christmas.WHY YOU WANT THIS In between layers of astral programming and foggy chord sequences, Jeff's trumpet is a constant, ghostly presence in the mix and the focal point for even more pop-oriented cuts like the sultry title track (with vocals by Diane Arkenstone) or the clubby heartbeat that pulses through 'The Theology Of Success'.Although mostly instrumental in nature and far more modern sounding the most records which get lodged under that vast umbrella known as contemporary jazz, Jeff is never without a catchy melody to latch onto nor for letting any one track stay beyond its welcome, and that's quite a plus in this genre. CLOSING REMARKS Although the incorporation of acid jazz, ambient and trip-hop elements into a modern jazz production isn't unheard of in today's musical environment, artists who make it a point to craft entire records along those lines are limited. Even moreso when such a fantastic outing is being brought to you by a fella who's hosted by one of the largest New Age labels of all time.To those of you looking for a late-night slice of relevancy in your smooth jazz, you have come to the right place! FINAL GRADE |
ARTIST BACKGROUND Perhaps the single best contemporary jazz act on the planet to emerge since the genre's inception back in the early 80's, The Rippingtons are a band led by Californian guitar virtuoso Russ Freeman, accompanied over the years by a fairly diverse and talented lineup of people, including drummer Tony Morales and bassist Kim Stone (formally of Spyro Gyra). The group is known for their lush productions, great live shows and a tendency to be a good deal edgier and atmospheric than the majority of their colleague bands.THE ALBUM Their third album chronologically. Tourist In Paradise is perhaps the best smooth jazz record of the late 80's and an apex in the band's career overall. While the band's previous '87 release, Kilimanjaro, solidified the band's sound into something distinct and surprisingly eclectic, it was this record where they began to up the ante and wade deeper into World music territory.WHY YOU WANT THIS So why do you want this? Partly, I'd say, because there's a surprising amount of depth behind the instrumentation than the norm, resulting in a couple of stone cold classic numbers and a couple of others that aren't too shabby either. On top of that, Steve Reid's keyboard soundscapes are a rather unique feature to the overall band dynamic present in this record, and they turn songs like the title track from something that might have been merely pleasant into something representative of an entire style.Other elevating factors include some steller instrumental interaction between the players, as they're as tight as any fusion act, and Russ's classical picking on tracks like 'A Summer Night In Brazil' is beautiful even when he isn't 'ripping' into some of the higher energy cuts like 'Eartbound' or weaving in and around the pulsating synths of 'Destiny'. CLOSING REMARKS To put things in perspective, The Rippingtons are to contemporary jazz what Led Zeppelin are to hard rock or what Talk Talk are to early post-rock: really great bands who cut record after record of killer material that, in retrospect, stand at the top of the pile of whatever sonic aesthetic they call home.If you want to learn to like contemporary jazz or have even a passing curiosity in bands that go further than you'd expect, The Ripps are as good as place to start as any I can think of...and that's a helluva endorsement. FINAL GRADE |
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I looked up the Rippingtons, and [not to do your blog a disservice by saying this] apparently they did the background music for The Weather Channel's local forecasts at one point. That's some quality, well-orchestrated muzak. I miss that lush, tropical, laid-back sound of the 80s and early 90s that brings back good memories and makes you just want to relax on a hot summer's day. I can just imagine how "modern" they would have seemed back in then. Can't wait to get my hands on some of their stuff. Thanks for featuring them! |
ARTIST BACKGROUND Co-creator of the guitar synthesizer and one of Japan's most prominent jazz fusion prioneers, Ryo Kawasaki is a guitarist among guitarists and has contributed a lot to the genre of contemporary fusion through both his solo output from the 70's onward and his desire to develop new technological innovations in both recording and performance contexts.THE ALBUM One of the first Japanese artists of any kind to get signed to a major U.S. record label (in this case, RCA), Ryo's debut record Juice was something of a milestone for jazz fusion: it had the technicality in places of a Return To Forever record, but its emphasis on groove made it more accessible for your typical late night radio browser than, say, anything Miles Davis was doing at the time. Along with Breezin' by George Benson that year and the output of Lonnie Liston Smith around the same period, Ryo paved the market for what would later be known as smooth or contemporary jazz in ensuing decades. Whether or not such credit includes opening the path for Kenny G....I could not say. :PWHY YOU WANT THIS Unlike a lot of the synthed up, sax-led contemporary jazz that would be popping up a decade after this particular record arrived on scene, Juice's funk and fusion connections are both obvious and attractively immediate to the ear. Ryo's playing is fluid and groovy, electrifying even the slower numbers here in the same way Eddie Hazel gave Funkadelic that extra surge on records like Maggot Brain.From hip-hop pillaged opening rumbler 'Raisins' to the spacey blues shuffle of 'El Toro', this is a fun, lean rollercoaster into the world of smooth fusion, clocking at 38 minutes over seven cuts. Ryo tries out a lot of interesting tones throughout, with particular kudos to the watery samba reverb that carries 'The Breeze & I' into a glorious Brazilian sunset. CLOSING REMARKS One of the so-called 'impetus' records of contemporary jazz, I'd say this sucker will appeal to anyone who utterly despises what the 80's would bring. Bossa nova, hard funk, even the occasional free jazz sax snarl...it's all here!FINAL GRADE |
Anteater, you may have accomplished the impossible. You might have made me... enjoy some smooth jazz. *thundercrack*
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Kit Walker - Dancing On The Edge Of The World (1987) http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/7...dgeofthewo.jpg ARTIST BACKGROUND Classically trained in piano from a young age and proficient in a variety of other instruments as well, Kit Walker made a splash in the late 80's through Windham Hill at a time when contemporary jazz radio was in full swing. Influenced in equal measures by World music as he is Stevie Wonder and John McLaughlin, Mr. Walker's style is hard to pin down, tending to tread an ambiguous middle ground between Ambient music and the spacey jazz of the late 70's.THE ALBUM His first of two records released during his brief label stay, 1987's Dancing On The Edge Of The World was a huge success upon release, sitting up in the Top Ten Contemporary Jazz airplay charts for nearly half a decade afterwards. Steve Smith, drummer of Journey, contributed on every track and does a spectacular job in the groove department. Keith Jones, a bassist who is rather well known for his work with Wayne Shorter, is heard throughout these tracks as well.WHY YOU WANT THIS Although it certainly sounds like a late 80's record in the production department (immaculate as it is), Dancing On The Edge Of The World also sounds surprisingly different from what you'd expect out of a smooth jazz record. There's an emphasis on space, deep synths, percussion, flute and intricate basslines as opposed to saxophone, horns, etc. Two tracks in particular, the stargazing 'Temple Of The Stars' and the celestial yet cinematic 'Gates Of The Sun', are unbelievably gorgeous cuts that owe more to Bill Evans and Peter Gabriel than anything Kenny G cooked up around the same time period.In many ways, this album is a late 80's smooth jazz-fusion record as opposed to a "smooth" jazz one. The arrangements are far more complex than average, there's very little brass and the New Age/ambient/World elements that categorize a lot of Windham Hill's output from the 70's and 80's are in full force from the very get-go. If anything, only a couple Walker's pad/timbre choices and a preference for melody over oodles of noodling made this marketable on radio at all. CLOSING REMARKS One of the best contemporary jazz records to come out of the 80's overall and a fine debut from an even finer keyboardist, this is a fun record to chill with and a must-own for fans of Harold Budd, Brian Eno, or David Sylvian from the same era. Bon appétit!FINAL GRADE |
The Claus Ogerman Orchestra - Gate Of Dreams (1977) http://dreamcatcher.net/images/uploads/25140-medium.jpg ARTIST BACKGROUND German arranger, composer and orchestrator Claus Ogerman was, for a great number of years, one of Verve Records' secret weapons back in the 50's and 60's. Whether it was Frank Sinatra, Antonio Carlos Jobim or Bill Evans, Claus was usually there behind the scenes to give Lord knows how many classic records that extra "oomph" factor they might have been lacking otherwise in the orchestration department -- generally with fantastic results. Once the 70's rolled around though, Mr. Ogerman began to stretch his muscles by collaborating more directly with others under his own name, and thus we come to...THE ALBUM While this isn't the first or last of Ogerman's various solo recordings, 1977's Gate Of Dreams is a Third Stream (jazz meets classical music) masterpiece that sort of looms over the rest of his recorded output like Mt. Everest. It features an all star cast in realms both pop and experimental jazz alike, including saxophone prodigy Michael Brecker, a young and newly famous guitarist named George Benson and pianist Joe Sample (among others).WHY YOU WANT THIS To put it mildly, this record's really smokin'. The opening suite in and of itself, a gorgeous string-led tour de force called 'Time Passed Autumn' is the kind of track that set the stage sonically for everyone from latter day Philip Glass to frequent Studio Ghibli soundtrack-master Joe Hisaishi. Romantic woodwind sweeps and soaring arrangements surge like river eddies toward a waterfall, broken in places by guitar and sax and then coming back together again into a harmonic flow. After a monstrous cut like that, you'd think Claus would be out of ideas, but the other four tracks are wonderful in their own right -- 'A Sketch Of Eden' has a cool bassoon/flute combination leading it on toward the close, whilst 'Night Will Fall' goes for broke on a smoldering laid-back funk groove with Brecker's sax at the forefront, good for the bleary-eyed dawntreader in all of us. CLOSING REMARKS More romantic and tasteful as opposed to tending towards the schlocky (like some of the other attempts at blending jazz & classical I've run across over the years), Ogerman was making his mark on contemporary jazz long before there was anything resembling such a genre in the musical marketplace of the day, and his talent at blending cruise-friendly jazz-funk with celestial orchestral composition-sense is nothing short of killer. A big thumbs up on this one for you smooth jazz cynics out there, yessirree!FINAL GRADE |
ARTIST BACKGROUND A Japanese jazz-fusion power trio of sorts formed back in 1992 by Takashi Masuzaki (guitar), Kazuki Katsuta (sax) and Akira Onozuka (keyboards), Dimension specialize in highly technical yet lyrical smooth fusion with elements of rock and metal scattered about. They've released roughly thirty or so albums of material since their formation and continue to release more every year. Popularity wise, they're one of the top three jazz-related acts in Japan next to T-Square and Casiopea...and they're pretty goddamn sharp when it comes to live performance too.THE ALBUM Released in celebration of their 15th Anniversary and their 20th release overall, NEWISH is something of a benchmark release within an already massive body of work and isn't half bad as an entry point to newcomers either. While I have yet to hear an incompetent release when it comes to the musical chemistry these fellas have, this is a pretty strong record even by their standards.WHY YOU WANT THIS Although this is one of those bands who are so stylistically consistent that they don't change a whole lot from record to record, NEWISH does feature some of my favorite compositions from the trio on the whole -- 'Cut To The Cool', with its phenomenal keyboard bridge and underlying groove, was born to inhabit someone's highway blazing playlist, while 'Returns' is led by piano and, in the only instance in their entire career perhaps, Masuzaki-san plays acoustic guitar all the way through. Organic smooth jazz done right I'd say! A couple of 6+ minute numbers close out the record, with 'Far From Here' and its windy refrain sticking out the most as far as memorability goes. Only one real clunker on this record actually, the balladeering 'I Will', which sits a bit too close to muzak for my liking. :wave:CLOSING REMARKS When it comes to reallllly melodic jazz-fusion, Japan has had something of a monopoly since the 80's when some of the previously mentioned acts above came into commercial prominence. Energetic contemporary jazz from the land of the Rising Sun tends to have several stylistic tendencies that differentiate it from Western stuff: the prominence of shred guitar, watery keyboard pad leads, and the utilization of electronica elements in a way that complements the arrangement. If you've ever played any of the Sonic The Hedgehog titles from the late 90's or a Grand Turismo game, you know the kind of stuff I'm talking about: very busy, very catchy, lots of guitar and sax interplay, etc.NEWISH, for better or for worse depending on your tastes, is very much a representative of not only Dimension as a band, but of the various trends present in Japanese contemporary fusion that has gotten more and more popular over on this side of the pond with the passage of time. Thus, hard not to recommend it to anyone with a taste for instrumental, melodic technicality. The cheese is still there, mind you...but its cheese made by master cheesemakers! xD FINAL GRADE |
Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes - Visions Of A New World (1975) http://royayersproject.com/wp-conten...nt-621x622.jpg ARTIST BACKGROUND Pianist/Keyboardist Lonnie Liston Smith is, perhaps moreso than anyone else I've reviewed here in the past, a man with a thousand pedigrees despite rarely popping up in jazz-related conversations. In the early to mid 60's he was a consistent member of both Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Art Blakey's touring and recording outfits (a couple of gigs with The Jazz Messengers he did in '66 were allegedly damn near legendary to see). Near the end of the decade he became well acquainted with both Miles Davis and Pharaoh Sanders, and jammed out with them for another half decade before forming his own group, The Cosmic Echoes in 1974 or so. And thus....THE ALBUM Released in 1975 to unusually critical acclaim with normally jazz-adverse audiences, Visions Of A New World laid back approach to the jazz fusion idiom made it a popular longplayer for clubs and the like, especially in Europe and the Netherlands. This record, along with 1976's Reflections Of A Golden Dream, established Smith's style to the world and turned him into a household name in the world of chilled out jazz overnight.WHY YOU WANT THIS Visions Of A New World is almost like a dream to these ears: the record is a striking blend between warm, groove friendly Samba, the cool jazz of the mid 60's pioneered by guys like Herbie Hancock, and swirling spacey funk that gives the whole proceedings just enough inertia to keep the whole shebang interesting. Not hard to understand why this was popular back then: 'A Chance For Peace' shuffles along briskly to a slick bass pulse and horn refrain, while other cuts like 'Sunset' and 'Summer Nights', with their galactic sounding rhythmic patterns and keyboard arrangements, serve as nearly perfect audio aphrodisiacs when you just want to fall and rest awhile in the space of your own mind.It's not just them either: the whole album is like this: balanced between deep funk and deep space, yet managing to cross them over in ways that are downright subversive if you let your guard down. CLOSING REMARKS 1975 was quite a threshold year for jazz fusion: many of the musicians who had helped pioneer the genre were either going harder and wilder...or softening up the idiom in an attempt to reach larger demographics. In Smith's case, he took his love of Brazilian music, Motown funk and his own experiences with Davis, Sanders, etc. and concocted a devilish new approach to the genre that would herald everything on smooth jazz and New Age radio to, hell, even Trip-Hop and House in a mere decade or so's time....and yet there's a strength and craft to this material that puts the LP on a level far above most of the drivel inspired by it.This isn't muzak you get high to in order to enjoy it...but if you do, don't be surprised if you end up having your own Visions Of A New World...xD FINAL GRADE |
ARTIST BACKGROUND THE ALBUM Transitioning from club oriented instrumental synth-pop to swirling, soulful jazz pop may not be considered a huge leap in musical orientation to some of you, but Paul Hardcastle was considered to be one of the best studio prodigies on the planet by the late 80's so people were fairly interested in what The Jazzmasters project was going to be like back then. Recruiting vocalist Helen Rogers and bringing in a variety of session buddies (including Snake Davis on sax), the album was recorded and released to a fair degree of acclaim back in 1991 -- its a seminal record in contemporary jazz that helped redefine production for the 90's, especially in dance and electronic music.WHY YOU WANT THIS Whilst most contemporary jazz is fairly nondescript, I can only describe The Jazzmasters approach to the genre as a joy to hear: swirling flutes, a tasty bassline and some synthesized percussion open up this debut in the form of 'Sound Of Summer', and it isn't long before Rogers' sultry vocals come cascading down. Very laidback, but it gets one-upped by 'Blue Days', which hits next with a killer sax refrain amidst the club-oriented flute psychedelia. There's even a xylophone solo! Along with excellent early 90's jazz pop cuts like these, there's some tasty instrumentals to jam to, such as the lush 'Lost Summer' and the sky faring 'Hearts Of Space', which has synth flourishes straight out of Sega Genesis! xD CLOSING REMARKS Paul Hardcastle is fairly prolific and consistent in his solo work, almost the point where I think he needs someone to give him a good shake now and then. However, the first three albums he did in The Jazzmasters series (I, II and III respectively) are all minor classics and did the whole dance pop/smooth jazz crossover thing better than anything else in the 90's. Give 'em a go!FINAL GRADE |
ARTIST BACKGROUND Serving as a creative outlet of sorts between two pioneering DJ brothers, Shuya and Yoshihiro Okino, Kyoto Jazz Massive is their duo moniker as well as a studio brand for both original recordings and remixes they are conscripted to produce for other artists on a variety of electronic, nu-jazz and contemporary jazz labels from all over the world.THE ALBUM After these two industrious brothers signed with international jazz label Compost in the early 2000's, they produced KJM's first and (so far) only original album of music Spirit Of The Sun in 2002. Since its inception, the LP as proven to be something of a cult classic amongst fans of chilled out electronica, Nu-Jazz...and yes, smooth jazz aficionados as well. And its only getting better and better as the years go by it seems...WHY YOU WANT THIS A unique album in some respects, its hard to put Spirit Of The Sun in your typical one-note genre box. From my perspective, the record is very much like a Deep House take on Return To Forever's early 70's output, but there's a lot of contemporary jazz elements at play too, especially the emphasis on soft beats and early morning sax that rises out of the mix like some kind of mist. Very complementary to the whole morning sunrise imagery on the cover. Sonically, the vocal cuts are particularly impressive (English Nu-Bossa Nova maestro Victor Davies guests on the electrical, bass heavy 'Deep In Your Mind') and the instrumental numbers balance the electronic and jazz elements in a variety of ways, with the former occasionally being emphasized over the other and vice versa ('Stargazer' has classic 90's Ethno-Trance written all over it, whilst songs like 'Eclipse' and 'Between The Lights' emphasize more organic jazz instrumentation with a smooth Fusion bent). CLOSING REMARKS This is a fantastically laidback contemporary jazz record with a strong Acid Jazz/Nu-Jazz bent. It's one of those superlative gems in its particular niche, an end all-to-end all record where every good idea in post-90's Japanese jazz and electronic music has come together in synthesized, ear-tingling harmonium. Very lush, but not cheesy at all: like Amon Tobin or St-Germain taking an island vacation perhaps! Contemporary in all the best ways, these guys go down real smooth-like with some fresh java and a hot shower.FINAL GRADE |
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Anyway I love what you posted. LOVE it. But then again, I already love nu-jazz and Japanese people, so it was a marriage foretold in the heavens. |
ARTIST BACKGROUND Special EFX is the brainchild of one Italian-American guitarist Chieli Minucci, who is also known for his various musical contributions to film and TV. The band has been releasing material since the early 80's, with nearly two dozen studio records under their belt as of 2013. They were nominated for Grammys quite often back in the day, but as contemporary jazz's popularity began to decline in the late 90's, those...stopped happening I suppose. Fun Fact: Minucci is the guy behind ALL of the music in Dora The Explorer!THE ALBUM Released two years after the death of Special EFX co-founder and percussionist George Jinda in 2001, Party also serves as the first album from the band in the wake of that loss. Minucci serves as the main songwriter and producer this time around, and he brought in some considerable sidemen to perfect the lineup (including David Mann on flute and sax!)WHY YOU WANT THIS One of the few smooth jazz records I've heard over the last ten years where clubby electronic elements are actually effectively used in conjunction with the typical guitar lite-fusion approach, Party is the group's top record of the 2000's, as well as being one of the best albums in their twenty-some year discography. Like most smooth jazz records, this is fairly straight ahead, groove oriented material -- its uniqueness comes from its sonic makeup. The keyboard programming on cuts like 'Dream Come True', 'Dusk Til' Dawn' and the swirling, beautiful 'No Money, No Honey' is a major cut above the norm for this genre, and everything sounds really clear and punchy in the mix department as well. The flute and electric guitar give the album a wider palette to work from than usual also, which would make it interesting even to those who don't normally dig this sort of background wizardry. CLOSING REMARKS Although nothing mindblowing in the composition or technicality department like some of the output of Pat Metheny or Ken Navarro is, Chieli Minucci is a talented guitarist and producer in his own right: the fact he could make a smooth jazz album as catchy and listenable as Party in the first place is quite an achievement in this musical subset, and it remains a nice slice of contemporary jazztronica even a decade later!FINAL GRADE |
ARTIST BACKGROUND Even if you don't know Jean-Luc Ponty and his virtuosic violin abilities to any degree of familiarity, you've more than likely run across him via his numerous contributions to the albums and material of others. He was mainstay on a lot of the classic output of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, toured and did studio work with both Elton John and Frank Zappa, not to mention his innumerable live performances with guys like Stanley Clarke and George Duke. Thus, he's arguably a living legend in the realm of jazz fusion and still one of the best violin players on the planet today (if not of all time).THE ALBUM 1987's The Gift Of Time was the culmination of a decade in experimentation for the much lauded stringmeister and his 17th studio album overall. Perhaps due to the fact that this record marked a transition from label Atlantic to Columbia, the sound quality production-wise is remarkably good compared to some of his earlier 80's explorations. It went on to sell fairly well, followed by a world tour or two. Notably, Ponty replaced his usual session guitarist Scott Henderson on this record with Gino Vanneli guitar alumni Pat Thomi. Schweeet!WHY YOU WANT THIS Well, the thing to realize about Jean-Luc Ponty, particularly in regards to The Gift Of Time, is that he's never dumbed down his music merely to play to contemporary jazz trends of the day. For him, synthesizer overload and attaching all kinds of crazy pedal effects to his violin was a combination of curiosity and ingenuity. The technical playing and tight arrangements he's been known for since the halcyon jazz-fusion era of the mid 70's remains very much intact well into the 80's and 90's. Furthermore, some of the neatest radio-length material he ever wrote is on this album: the title track in particular, with its swirling psychedelic orchestral swelling and hypnotic drum/bass foundation, is probably the single best smooth jazz song of the 1980's period, and the rumbling, tribal 'Faith In You' coupled alongside the spacey, 7-minute cloudscaper 'Introspective Perceptions', certainly give the listener plenty of engaging fusion-lite to chew on.CLOSING REMARKS Whilst there is no contemporary jazz record from the 80's that completely escapes the realm of synth-laden cheesiness, The Gift Of Time has such a unique sound that its easy to enjoy it on its own merits. In the same way that Allan Holdsworth turned the synth-axe into an institution all its own during the period, Jean-Luc Ponty's own sonic explorations through treating his violin like a guitar, modifying and layering his sound painstakingly as electronic technology exploded throughout the 80's...its really something special to sink your ears into.In short, this is not only a really interesting contemporary jazz album...the music is pretty snazzy in general! Not for everyone, mind you, but definitely worth checking out by anyone who desires to experience just how far violin-based jazz got pushed a few decades ago. FINAL GRADE |
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It's been a few years, but it's time to revive the smoothest journal this side of Kenny G's piehole and continue our journey into reviews, analyses and aspire to convince even the edgiest edgelord that everyone needs a little elevator muzak sometimes. So let's break down what's coming up...and feel free to request a review or chime in with snark at any opportunity. State Of The Smooth Union (2017) Alive and relevant. Guys like Kamasi Washington and bands like Snarky Puppy walk that fine line between high-octane "fusion" while still touching upon the chillness that makes the best muzak engaging on it's own merits. Stalwarts in the genre such as Jeff Lorber, Paul Hardcastle, guitar god Pat Metheny and keyboard guru Jeff Lorber all continue to record and bring in big audiences. Vaporwave, a genre that started off as a joke nearly seven years ago, continues to bring new younger audiences to the 80's and 90's classic muzak that fuels the genre's underlying ideas and has continued it's steady takeover of certain fringes of popular culture. What's Coming Up Ant-man?
Thanks for tuning in...watch this space! |
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Vaporwave: Smoov Jazz For Memeboys and Memegurls Before we dive into a beautiful sea of Fiji Water, let's lay some definitions on the table: Quote:
There are two or three key albums that served as a starting point to the world's first genre birthed entirely by the World Wide Web (in the metal world, djent would come into its own a year or two later). Those three albums are: Chuck Person - Eccojams Vol. 1 James Ferraro - Far Side Virtual Macintosh Plus - Floral Shoppe In these three albums you see all the hallmarks that filthy casuals associate with this genre: slowed down, chopped/screwed samples of smooth jazz or R&B you probably saw featured earlier in my Smooth Jazz journal here, plus other techniques you normally see in plunderphonics or experimental ambient. Of the three, Floral Shoppe is considered to be the first "real" vaporwave record while Chuck Person and James Ferraro are considered to be proto-vaporwave. Kind of like how The Beatles and Beach Boys have have some influence on progressive rock, but In The Court Of The Crimson King by King Crimson is considered to be the prog's real beginning. Floral Shoppe is interesting in particular. Look how many millions of views it has. Trying to seriously analyze something that sounds like it was crafted as a living meme might seem ridiculous, but you could write thesis papers just on the song 'リサフランク420 / 現代のコンピュー ', with how it took a random mid 80's Diana Ross sample and turned it into the anti-capitalist elevator soundtrack to hell. Starting from late 2011 and beyond though, what started off as an elaborate joke started to splinter off into multiple subgenres (future funk and hardvapor, among others) and diversity took over. Blank Banshee, for instance, fused vaporwave-styled sampling with Trap and became instant hits with early vaporwave audiences seemingly overnight. Or take electronic musician Ryan DeRobertis, who in late 2012 started a vaporwave / Future Funk project called Saint Pepsi and eventually entered the mainstream as Skylar Spence. His hallmarks involved heavy sampling of Japanese City Pop, Funk and R&B to often entertaining results. For those looking for the "diamonds" in the rough in a vast genre sea that is technically already "dead" (or is it?), the online label Dream Catalogue features dozens of amazing albums from artists all over the world who create the dreamy soundtracks to your cybernetic nightmares, such as the mysterious 2814. The label's output on Bandcamp can be found here. In conclusion, I've merely touched the surface on both vaporwave's nascent history and how it continues to interact with pop culture and beyond, but the main thing to take away here is that there are a lot of people who enjoy this music unironically and sometimes seek deeper meaning from it. Which means, in essence, they are enjoying smooth jazz as well...albeit in a more cynical post-modern fashion. |
Meh, smooth jazz is one of many influences on part of the very diverse genre, but that doesn't exactly make vaporwave smooth jazz.
Also never understood how Eccojams gets more credibility than OPN. That's when Lopatin started to really make the genre interesting. |
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