DON'T DO IT KKSF !!

[1069_KIFR]

Get ready for 1037 AmpNow Radio!

 

[DavidKaye]

Traditional Jazz/Classic Jazz...wonderful music, artists, and history, our true American Music & Art Form, but it translates poorly to the confines of commercial radio.

Indeed. The fact that Pat Henry made KJAZ work from 1959 until he sold it to Ron Cowan in, what, the early 80s? was because Pat was tight with a dollar. His studio was an old smelly walkup in Alameda. Whenever ad money got tight he'd sign off the station at midnight instead of being 24 hours. He did lots of trades. And it also helped that he was the original owner of the station and thus had no huge note to pay off.

When Ron Cowan bought the station he had the misunderstanding that jazz was a money-maker. He poured lots of money into promotion, moved the station to fancy digs at his office complex, and promptly lost tons of money on the venture.

Jazz is not a money-maker.

This is by no means a scientific measure, but when I was working public radio 20+ years ago and we ran fund drives, the format that always has the least amount of donors and actual dollars was Jazz, while the Classical, Blue Grass, and other formats we played/carried always had money, support, and active listeners.

I put on a weekly live music series in a small theater in SF. I love to book jazz, but I know that we won't fill our seats with it. And we're not talking old-farty 50s jazz that nobody listens to anymore, we're talking about fresh new jazz played by musicians in their 20s and 30s, who have traveled the world in search of musical roots and have degrees in jazz. If it weren't for girlfriends and diehard jazz buffs I'm not sure what these guys would do for audiences. And yet the music is wonderful to hear. But we're probably not going to hear much of it on the radio. Oh, here's a link to my music series: http://www.musicboxseries.com

What does that mean? Maybe not much other than support for Jazz as many would define it wouldn't survive a lick on terrestrial radio. Not that Coltrane, Miles, Parker, Brubeck (to name a very select few) aren't awesome and aw inspiring, but that style is tough to capture in a finite medium when the music is so deep, vast, expressive, and free form.

I am in awe of the musicians I go see and book in my shows. My mouth hangs open as I hear the nuances, the subtle tributes to various composers (maybe a riff here, a line there), the skill, the soul these guys have. But I also realize it's a specialist's medium. Most people prefer to hear 2-chord wonders, which is why TV theme songs are what most audience really prefer to hear.

Smooth Jazz is "pop" Jazz...meaning it is made more palatable for the masses. Still giving you some of the essence of Jazz without playing a 10-20 minute masterpiece.

I really find it hard to call "smooth jazz" jazz. To me it's just easy listening music, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's perfectly fine, but it ain't jazz. It doesn't swing. It doesn't have any sophistication. It isn't deeper than a saucepan.

For those who rail on Smooth Jazz because it is not "sophisticated" enough for them, hate to tell you, the format is not aimed at you. Just like the "purists" of Classic Rock, likely they don't spend much time listening to their local Classic Rock station play the same 700+ songs. They want the "deeper" cuts and album sides.

As a musician myself I realize that what gets an audience is the simplest stuff. I can be proud of a difficult fiddle or accordion piece I play, but it's lost on most folks, who prefer to hear something simple and unchallenging. There's a reason why most people prefer McDonald's, WalMart, TV sitcoms, and USA Today (when they read newspapers, that is). People who live in a stressed world do not want challenges; they prefer simple, predictable things.

This is not to trash those people at all. They lead manic lives and want something as calming as an easy chair, a pair of loafers, and a comfortable jogging suit after a hard day at work, with the kids, paying the mortgage, and dealing with the neighbor's dog.

 

[SFStatic]

Hey, easy on the old farty 50's jazz. Some damned good music, albeit often over the heads of the panting public. Having a music degree is great...you can play gigs for less money than musicians in just about every other genre. (OTOH, sometimes you get to jam with some of the greatest musicians alive, and that's something that is worth more than money to some of us.)

1. When asked what kind of music he preferred, Louis Armstrong said "good." (I'm quoting Doc Severinsen here, from a time I was talking to him backstage, Satch may have lifted this from someone for all I know.)
2. If you want to make a million dollars playing jazz...start with 2 million!

 

[Silkie]

Smooth Jazz does well in the West....Sactown, San Diego, L.A., Las Vegas, Phoenix, Seattle??

Smooth Jazz does well anywhere! Who said, "If you have to ask was jazz is, you'll never know"?

 

[weav]

Smooth Jazz does well anywhere! Who said, "If you have to ask was jazz is, you'll never know"?

I believe that was Louissssss Armstrong as well. "Man, do ya gotta ask, you ain't never gon' know" is the way I heard it...

Me, I like my jazz rough. Let's hear 'em play Jaco Pastorius, Albert Ayler and John Zorn on KKSF... Hah!

 

[Goldilocks94941]

One of the reasons I think KKSF was successful in the Brown Broadcasting days, when they essentially invented their own format, and before Clear Channel added jingles and dumbed down the playlist, was because it was carefully designed to be easy to listen to (apart from some of the commericals). OK, apart from the bloodless Kenny G stuff they played every 7th cut or so, for those of us who wanted to focus on the music from time to time. They used a lot of "new age" music, more so than jazz-based - think Windham Hill and other Northern California labels, and artists, as the real basis of the format. They found a few cuts on albums that worked when played several times a week for several years running that became "hits" in its own format, and then got included on the yearly KKSF Sampler for AIDS Relief CDs.

I liked that they dayparted to play more instrumentals at night, and acoustic on Sunday morning. It fit. Even when a saxophone "fuzak" number, or an instrumental cover song of an R&B classic with too much of a melody line came on and got annoying (think "instrumental karaoke"), I'd scan the dial and invariably get back to KKSF within a few minutes. The announcers were good, no phony voices, and they knew how to program a set of three or four songs so that the right number opened the set, and one that seemed just right to close a set did that, too. And they always spoke between set and spots in order to gently change the mood - never went straight from music to commercials.

I think what has made its version of the format work for so long, rest in peace Mr. Feinstein, was they had "the touch" that Broadcast Architecure never had. Maybe it just came down to "least objectionable" programming for the San Francisco market among people who considered themselves musically sophisticated, even tho' it didn't really go all that deep. But it still worked, and sounded like a San Francisco soundtrack that didn't get in the way of what you were doing. When they played a vocal (usually the middle song in a three song set) it had lyrics that weren't demeaning to your intellect. Everything But the Girl, Joan Armatrading, Sting (in Portuguese!), Double, and some other European artists to go with the California new age sound made it work. Stuff you would never hear on other stations, and would no doubt want to add to your CD collection. They programmed for "the sound," not based on someone else's shopping list of what fits into a category and what doesn't.

And, technically, the station had a clean and wide stereo sound (especially with a lot of synthesized music) that made any stereo sound good, and was not processed heavily to avoid fatigue or make it unnecessarily loud.

How many commercial radio stations that are part of a multi-station conglomorate have people who are capable, or have the time, or the authority, to fine tune the music based on what segues well in a 3-song set? I think that's what made KKSF successful, if you don't mind being third or fourth in your demographic for most hours. (Did the kids at the ad agencies know there was a loyal audience, so that not being "number one" in an Arbitron book didn't dictate if your station lived or died? Maybe anything that isn't brain-dead obvious is discouraged - so that no one is responsible when someone tried to blame the ad buyer for why their business is not succeeding.) With the right talent in charge, why can't such a format still thrive? Maybe try one that relies more on mid and down tempo chill-out music, or world fusion music, to bring it up to date, and retain a similar 'chic' aesthetic without being self-conscious about it.

Wish I hadn't erased so many of the old cassettes I ran of KKSF from its early days. It still sounds good to my ears to listen to those tapes, before the tapes self-destruct in what remains of my cassette deck.

 

[davideduardo]

I think what has made its version of the format work for so long, rest in peace Mr. Feinstein, was they had "the touch" that Broadcast Architecure never had.

I find it interesting that Broadcast Architecture is blamed for the issues of the format today when, in fact, the creators of the orignal station in the format, KTWV, were the founders of Broadcast Architecture, Owen Leach and Frank Cody.

How many commercial radio stations that are part of a multi-station conglomorate have people who are capable, or have the time, or the authority, to fine tune the music based on what segues well in a 3-song set?

Lots of them. That's why we have the hooks or tips and tails of our library callable from the song records in our scheduler, and use them for the tough calls.

(Did the kids at the ad agencies know there was a loyal audience, so that not being "number one" in an Arbitron book didn't dictate if your station lived or died?

Media buyers don't make demographic decisions... those generally come from the client, and are not changable. Buyers put together campaigns based on the optimum reach and frequency of a combination of stations in the desired demo at the right target price. So, of course, they buy more than the #1 station.

With the right talent in charge, why can't such a format still thrive?

The issue is the ageing of the audience of some of the stations in the format. Ad buyers seldom are told to buy older demos, such as those over 55, by the people who pay for the ads.

 

[DavidKaye]

They used a lot of "new age" music, more so than jazz-based - think Windham Hill and other Northern California labels, and artists, as the real basis of the format. They found a few cuts on albums that worked when played several times a week for several years running that became "hits" in its own format
[....]

Maybe it just came down to "least objectionable" programming for the San Francisco market among people who considered themselves musically sophisticated, even tho' it didn't really go all that deep. But it still worked, and sounded like a San Francisco soundtrack that didn't get in the way of what you were doing. When they played a vocal (usually the middle song in a three song set) it had lyrics that weren't demeaning to your intellect.

No question about it, the Brown KKSF was a classy station and in a class by itself as well. I think you're right about treating the listeners with respect as well as the broader range of source material.

Given that lots of younger people are into ambient music, jazz, and 1950s lounge music, I have a feeling that a slightly shifted version of the old KKSF could work now. More lounge, less whale-fart music. It could work.

 

[SFStatic]

<One of the reasons I think KKSF was successful in the Brown Broadcasting days, when they essentially invented their own format, and before Clear Channel added jingles and dumbed down the playlist, was because it was carefully designed to be easy to listen to (apart from some of the commericals). OK, apart from the bloodless Kenny G stuff they played every 7th cut or so, for those of us who wanted to focus on the music from time to time. They used a lot of "new age" music, more so than jazz-based - think Windham Hill and other Northern California labels, and artists, as the real basis of the format. They found a few cuts on albums that worked when played several times a week for several years running that became "hits" in its own format, and then got included on the yearly KKSF Sampler for AIDS Relief CDs.>

Paul Goldstein added the jingles, sung by actual artists, long before Clear Channel bought the station. I personally didn't care for them, but they worked for what they were...non-jingle jingles. Paul was also the driving force behind the AIDS samplers, which took an enormous amount of time and effort. He not only paid careful attention to the segues, but had his production director custom process every single song on the station. All this and trip-a-day worked well...and still does at KTWV in LA, which Paul programs now for CBS. He left early on after Clear Channel came in. Paul is something of a fanatic about his stations, which you need to be.

 

[ContactLenz]

Forgot about Vegas (how could I...that was launched by my very good friend and former consultant), Seattle, and Phoenix..also brain locked on WNUA! They are only SJ (of note) east of the Mississippi.

As for BA...Cody is no longer involved with BA, has not been for over 5 years... Alan Kepler runs things.

BA did some good things, but they also forced the format (at times) to be too serene (they hated very loud/screechy sax, as do much of the listeners, but when you tame it down too much or remove it all together, have producers change songs to eliminate sax or over produce things, then you lose some essence and honesty. I love Ronnie Laws, but most of his tunes are in your face Sax that grinds and kicks ass, he was rarely played on the format...how is that when he had huge albums like "Pressure Sensitive"?

Just a few examples, BA is far from the only one to blame, but they have been the one at the forefront of the format, and, well, look at what has happened...

Most all of you make good points...with the right people programming and patience, the format can be successful, but the former no one has anymore, and the latter, most of those PD's have been shewed away or are working different formats.

 

[LKellerIII]

One of the reasons I think KKSF was successful in the Brown Broadcasting days, when they essentially invented their own format

I'd disagree with that. By the time KKSF came around, 102.7 FM (first as KRE-FM, then as KBLX) had been doing virtually the same thing for quite a few years. In those days, I listened mostly to 102.7 and KJAZ. David Kaye is right to call it "easy listening"... I was really into jazz and "fusion" sounds, but when my brain was feeling too passive to think about what I was listening to, and I just wanted ear candy, I would tune to 102.7. Their focus was a bit more on African-American rhythms, but there was a lot of cross-over between KBLX and KKSF at the beginnning.

I remember thinking KKSF was a little too soft, and never really became a fan. The owners of KBLX (same owners to this day, I think) complained that "Black" formats were a hard sell to advertisers, and this hurt them compared to KKSF. The first time I heard the KKSF format referred to as "yuppie wallpaper," it was the PD of KBLX who used the term. It's hard to believe now, but this was before urban formats became popular. In that same time period (early 80s), there were a lot of complaints against MTV that they ignored Black artists...a few years before Rap and Hip-Hop became popular.

So KKSF won the ratings war, and KBLX transitioned to their current format.

 

[jprg]

Just a little history of "smooth jazz" as it's now called, the first New Age station in North America was the now defunct KLRS (Colors) in Santa Cruz at 99.1. I worked there in 1998 and it signed on the air on March 10, 1987, 5 months before KKSF did. Yes the Wave (KTWV) in LA went on the air a month before KLRS but it presented light rock as well, not New Age. KLRS really paved the way for KKSF and others.

 

[LKellerIII]

Just a little history of "smooth jazz" as it's now called, the first New Age station in North America was the now defunct KLRS (Colors) in Santa Cruz at 99.1. I worked there in 1998 and it signed on the air on March 10, 1987, 5 months before KKSF did. Yes the Wave (KTWV) in LA went on the air a month before KLRS but it presented light rock as well, not New Age. KLRS really paved the way for KKSF and others.

Neither KRE-FM or KBLX labelled the music or called it "Smooth Jazz" - KBLX was always "The Quiet Storm" and the only image slogan I can remember from KRE was the lame "KREative Radio" The think the KRE jocks threw around the word "jazz fusion" a bit. But really - it was virtually the same thing, musically speaking, and dated back to 1977 - possibly earlier. So that was a decade before KLRS or KKSF.

 

[davideduardo]

Neither KRE-FM or KBLX labelled the music or called it "Smooth Jazz" - KBLX was always "The Quiet Storm" and the only image slogan I can remember from KRE was the lame "KREative Radio" The think the KRE jocks threw around the word "jazz fusion" a bit. But really - it was virtually the same thing, musically speaking, and dated back to 1977 - possibly earlier. So that was a decade before KLRS or KKSF.

The origin of Smooth Jazz is the dilema Leach and Cody had at WNUA in Chicago, a BA client early on. The Wave mark was owned by Westinghouse, so they came up with something to obviate the need for using or licensing The Wave... and thus, Smooth Jazz.

 

[ContactLenz]

Let's not forget the format was also called/indentified NAC (New Adult Contemporary) for time back in the mid 90's, then that moniker was shed for just Smooth Jazz.

Now it has almost come full circle, as some of the SJ stations left standing are now being called/classified as "Smooth AC".

What's in a name?!

 

[djj]

...KBLX was always "The Quiet Storm" and the only image slogan I can remember from KRE was the lame "KREative Radio" The think the KRE jocks threw around the word "jazz fusion" a bit. But really - it was virtually the same thing, musically speaking, and dated back to 1977 - possibly earlier. So that was a decade before KLRS or KKSF.

Wasn't the "Quiet Storm" taken from the Smokey Robinson hit tune
of the same name from mid-1970s?...

As for the various format identifiers over the years in this genre:

What's in a name?!

"All that jazz," perhaps?
;D
--jay

 

[trish bell]

New liners were just cut a week ago..that should add some staying power....KKSF sounded it's best while Steve Feinstein was PD there...fortunately I had the pleasure of working under him as talent before his untimely death.

 

[bcradiodj]

Soon the be sayin' R.I.P. about KKSF (at least as a Smooth Jazz station)...I smell Stones, Aretha, Elton, Eagles, Billy Joel and more coming soon to 103.7---by April 1st AND that ladies and gentlemen is NO April Fool!

 

[radioman148]

Soon the be sayin' R.I.P. about KKSF (at least as a Smooth Jazz station)...I smell Stones, Aretha, Elton, Eagles, Billy Joel and more coming soon to 103.7---by April 1st AND that ladies and gentlemen is NO April Fool!

Sounds like one, but I hope you're right.

 

[LKellerIII]

Soon the be sayin' R.I.P. about KKSF (at least as a Smooth Jazz station)...I smell Stones, Aretha, Elton, Eagles, Billy Joel and more coming soon to 103.7---by April 1st AND that ladies and gentlemen is NO April Fool!

Sounds like one, but I hope you're right.

Gee- maybe they'll be playing the same 300 "Classic Hits" over and over into infinity and have pretend voice-tracked "disc jockeys" who open the microphone 3 times an hour to repeat some lame Hollywood gossip tidbit. I hear Sue Hall and Jay Coffey are available.

It's about time they flogged this dead horse one more time...