"The Edge" on "Smooth Jazz"

[David Tomm]

Then you must mean nearly all smooth jazz programmers.  Most 
terrestrial SJ stations these days are playing 50% vocals, and most of 
them are AC and Urban AC crossovers from the past.  I've even heard 
some "smooth jazz" stations play disco tracks like LTD "Every Time I 
Turn Around," Emotions "Best Of My Love" or Earth Wind & Fire 
"September.'  That's not "smooth" to me.  Sure, there's some new 
artists, but there is still a lot of Sade, old Dave Koz and yes, Kenny 
G popping up on smooth jazz stations.  Just about all of the major  
stations are taking this approach, KIFM/San Diego, KTWV/Los Angeles, 
WNUA/Chicago, WLVE/Miami, WNWV/Cleveland, WVMV/Detroit among many 
others.

Why? Most successful SJ stations are consulted by Broadcast 
Architecture, a firm specializing in smooth jazz.  They're big 
believers in adding more out of format vocals and crossover hits to 
maintain TSL and bring in younger listeners.  This company also runs a 
record label with many of their own artists popping up on their 
consulted stations.  They recently started a 24 hour smooth jazz 
syndicated service with Ramsey Lewis in morning drive and Koz in 
afternoons, all voicetracked--so that smaller market SJ stations can 
inexpensively air their format.  Some larger market stations are 
picking up a daypart or two of this service to save a few bucks.  This 
firm calls the shots for the entire format.

Truth is, smooth jazz is slowly dying.  Much like oldies and news-talk, 
the listenership is dominated by baby boomers who are aging out of the 
25-54 demo with very few younger listeners discovering the format.  
Adding all the AC vocals is a last ditch effort to save the format on 
terrestrial radio, the same way beautiful music tried to in the early 
80's.  XM/Watercolors does not take this approach.  If you listen to 
it, you're not getting the same product that terrestrial listeners are. 
  As far as Boston radio goes, I can't see how anyone would want to run 
this format.  It has a checkered history in this market as it is, and 
with the demos skewing as old as they are right now, it just wouldn't 
make sense.  GM running a version of it on an HD2 channel is probably 
the best you're going to get here.  Other than that, you've got 
satellite radio and internet stations.

Dave Tomm
"Mike Thomas"


On Aug 16, 2007, at 12:10 PM, Brian Vita wrote:
>
> Yes, some smooth jazz programmers don't get it (KOAZ-FM in Vegas comes 
> to
> mind) and try the Kenny G mixed with real sappy vocals all the time 
> approach
> and, I agree, it's terrible.  Properly programmed, without a load of AC
> vocals to please management, NAC is a great relaxing format to listen 
> to at
> work or while relaxing in the evening.  I have it on in the office 
> because
> its entertaining and,unlike traditional AC, it doesn't keep screaming 
> for my
> attention. 
>