I often wonder if enough time has passed for beautiful music to escape its perception as Songs-for-the-over-70-set. There’s a good probability that a 20-something today never heard a beautiful music station; and someone who was 30 at the time of Woodstock will be 69 this year. So just how would instrumental music be received today?
The instrumentals usually heard on the air today – of the smooth jazz variety – clearly have a different tone and texture than the soothing strings of Percy Faith or the Hollyridge Strings, and therein lies the reason, in my opinion, for the demise of these formats. The vocals they try to mix in don’t work. Kenny G is best paired with Michael Buble, not Luther Vandross… and that Kenny G song with the pronounced saxophone doesn’t blend with John Fox. What this means – I think – is that Michael Buble fits a smooth jazz format; Luther Vandross does not… and Kenny G is not really a B/EZ artist. That sax can be a little jarring.
Therefore, I feel there could easily be two distinct formats, albeit neither one completely instrumental. I think a 50/50 or 60/40 mix could work… if care and attention is given to that mix. Think of the target audience. Leave Luther for the soft R&B set. Maybe I’m wrong, but I think you would be more apt to find a Michael Buble, Diana Krall, or even Tony Bennett or Ella Fitzgerald CD in a smooth jazz fan’s collection than you would Luther, Alicia Keys, or Boyz II Men. For someone who is a fan of true smooth jazz, there are too many turn-offs until finally they stop listening altogether.
A problem with the vocals of today is the change in style from, say, 20 or 30 years ago. What passes for “singing” today is more like moaning… or you have Celine Dion or Faith Hill assaulting your ear with a sound like an injured cat. This is what today’s easy listening has become, more or less. Someone like Karen Carpenter, with one of the smoothest singing voices ever, would probably not go very far on American Idol.
A true easy listening format should consist of those old-time beautiful music instrumentals paired with soft vocals and MOR hits… Sinatra, Como, Mathis. To keep the format somewhat contemporary, soft country vocals could work (Vince Gill, George Strait, some Alan Jackson - who would flow better in this setting than in today's rock-leaning country format), along with truly soft melodious rock (for example: “Driftwood” by the Moody Blues or "Everything That Touches You" by the Association), not the ‘70s & ‘80s light rock now featured on Dial Global, where it sounds like anything goes. I think this would be something unique on the dial that could attract a new audience.
One notable difference between the beautiful music from yesteryear and contemporary jazz instrumentals today is the familiarity factor. On beautiful music stations, people knew the songs… they were usually covers of the big hits of the day. Contemporary instrumentals are usually original compositions. So, to maintain that familiarity, I wonder if there are any orchestras anymore recording some of the newer hits from the last 15 or 20 years. Probably not.
Finally, since there should be a home for those great instrumental hits of the past, I would split them. “A Walk In The Black Forest,” “Cast Your Fate To The Wind,” or “Soul Coaxing” would work on the EZ – Traditional side with the soft vocals and beautiful music covers, while Herb Alpert, Al Hirt, and maybe even Bert Kaempfert and Billy Vaughn, would better fit the EZ – Contemporary format with Rod Stewart singing standards and Kenny G. (Try “Hungry For Love” by the San Remo Golden Strings or "Keem-O-Sabe" by Electric Indian). But trying to combine these two distinct formats would probably lead to failure, as the audience for one might get turned off by the other. I’d listen to both… EZ Traditional at work and EZ Contemporary in the car.
