New smooth jazz network

[hieroglyph]

Nock is on point about Four80East's latest. Great riding music. I'm really feeling En Route which is also the title of their current CD. Noodle Soup followed by The Drop...awesome idea! I work in the biz as an MD at a public radio station and I loved the promotional gimmick they sent to us back in February which was a box of Ramen Noodle Soup with an asian restaurant style soup spoon attached and the CD single on top of the box. As a matter fact, the back of the jewel case was fashioned in the style of how the back of the noodle box (Ex: ingredients, contents, etc.) and the same color scheme of green, gold, red and white.

Another cat to watch out for is Nathan Harasim (HAIR-UH-SIM). He's a pianist who has a thumping track out called "Next in Line" U-Nam is back on the scene with their cover of The Crusaders classic "Street Life." Back to the 80's is the name of their full length CD on the trippin-n-rhythm label.

 

[Double D]

Art Good has been featuring "Waterline" on his weekly Jazztrax program since October...I have to say "Waterline" is my favorite on the new Four80East CD.

 

[AnotherCat]

So I was driving to work Tuesday morning and Ramsey Lewis and his co-host came on after a song and talked about how it was Tuesday. For about 45 seconds. Most of us have calendars, PDAs, laptops, we don't really need to have so much time spent elaborating on what day it is.

Reminds me of a smart*** article about jock cliches that I read years ago:
I'm jock on your Tuesday morning. (comment: so who are you on Thursday morning?)

 

[hieroglyph]

So I was driving to work Tuesday morning and Ramsey Lewis and his co-host came on after a song and talked about how it was Tuesday. For about 45 seconds. Most of us have calendars, PDAs, laptops, we don't really need to have so much time spent elaborating on what day it is.

Reminds me of a smart*** article about jock cliches that I read years ago:
I'm jock on your Tuesday morning. (comment: so who are you on Thursday morning?)

OOOOOHHH!!! That's not good!!!

 

[wangchung]

Regarding Ramsey on the air...

It's a real double-edged sword using "Non-traditional" air talent.

The raw energy can be good, but like all beginners they need alot of maintenance...a quality programmer with some decent coaching skills can keep them from avoiding the pitfalls of cliches and crutches all talent develop unconsciously over time.

What's sad is that somebody (PD/OM/Consultant/etc.) is probably either intimidated by Ramsey and can't/won't give him the constructive criticism he needs...or, they just don't care and are happy to just "settle". Whatever the reason, they do the audience a great disservice and more importantly, they do Ramsey a great disservice by not doing what it takes to help him grow as a talent. Sure, the music is king...but SJ listeners are intelligent, only putting up with inferior talent for so long before it's on to satrad/CD/IPod/etc.

 

[robaustin]

From AllAccess - Ramsey Lewis inked for mornings for WJZW. I guess this means Fernando Carlos and Charlie Maxx are out...

--*Rob

 

[cklw800]

From AllAccess - Ramsey Lewis inked for mornings for WJZW. I guess this means Fernando Carlos and Charlie Maxx are out...

--*Rob

Also noticed on the WJZW Smooth Jazz 105.9 Web site where Dave Koz visited middayer Al Santos. Hmmm...maybe his visit a way to schmooze his affiliation there? BA needs it, and they're obviously pushing hard. Keep selling those Ford Freestyles VanNiece (afternoon DJ). You have to see her page on the site to see what I'm talking about. If a BA Network artist visits your station, beware! It may be a way to dissuade you from thinking/speculating they're going to take over. Be nice to Koz if he comes your way, or Kenny or Norman or Paul. Let's watch WJZW. Bet Koz follows.

 

[AnotherCat]

The intersting thing here is that the network is on nights and overnights in Baltimore. Don't those two signals overlap in some areas?

 

[cklw800]

I think they do overlap (D.C. and Baltimore Smooth Jazz). That is interesting. D.C. is owned by ABC and Baltimore by Clear Channel. And BA a CC property. It will be interesting to see how the BA network affiliation pans out between the two in that area.

 

[AnotherCat]

The bottom fell out for the Jacksonville SJ station with the latest trend which included 2 months with The Network.
I guess playing a lot of songs that are either 60s and 70s oldies or covers of those oldies is not a good idea in a market where the average age is 35. THe market couldn't support an oldies station. What made anyone think they could support an oldies station with instrumentals. These people were still in kindergarten when most of BA's default image music (Breezin, Morning Dance, Feels So Good etc) was released. Time to move on.

 

[cklw800]

Very true, 'Cat. The 35 year olds who are listening to SJ are listening to the music that was on their mom and dad's AM radios and FM AC stations in 1977 when they were in kindergarten. They were not old enough to experience "Roots" or "The Carol Burnett Show." 35 year olds DO remember hearing Alex Bugnon and Boney James when they were breaking, as well as acid jazz from the Brand New Heavies and The Exodus Quartet. 35 year olds would LOVE hearing new Four80East, Bona Fide (beyond "X-Ray Hip" and "High Street") and 80s Herbie Hancock. And cuts on the new releases of Norman Brown, Ken Navarro, Chieli Minucci, Chuck Loeb, Andre Ward in ADDITION to the cuts playing on SJ. Selected chill and world tunes would keep them interested as well. Nothing wrong with classic cuts like Take Five, Grazin' In The Grass, Green Onions, Breezin' in there as well for those who like retro, but mixing in the newer sounds builds appreciation for the older ones.

 

[AnotherCat]

I dunno about Bona Fide and Four80East because both are doing a lot of aimless riffing with no substantial melody. Maybe the trouble started because this is pop instrumental music but the "jazz' handle got stuck on it so certain circles feel like it has to have some type of improvisation and not sound like real songs. So we get moody riffing and chill while the stuff that would bring in new fans, songs that are structured like pop songs, flies under the radar. Chill is aa red herring, a track here or there for flavor but it's not mass appeal music. The Botti Chill show actually was running on an A/C station here and people were commenting that it was boring. Some BA guys got hooked on it while they were hanging out in restaurants in Europe but nobody here hangs out in restaurants in Europe. It was their feeble attempt to add some hipness while continuing to be background music. We (the smooth jazz community) don't really have to buy everything they sell us. (what a startling idea!) The moldy oldies have got to go too. The old axiom of what you don't play wont hurt you applies here. Do ya think anyone would go "I don't listen anymore because they don't play "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" twice a day"?. You have to have melody or momentum to keep people's attention, especially during drive time. Riff and mood driven music just goes off into the ozone. Short structured songs with memorable hooks and include some energy.

We have a summer free SJ concert series and this year it is sponsored by the A/C station so a lot of "real people" came out. Steve Oliver and Warren Hill were perfect for it. There were a lot of 20 and 30somethings dancing in front of the stage. Nobody told them it was "jazz" or that it had to be "relaxing" and SteveO and Hill are basically pop/rock stars with an instrument instead of a singer. People loved it.
Warren Hill's "Gimmie Some", Euge Grooves " Get Em' Goin" or "Romeo and Juliet", Paul Taylor's "Don't Wait Up" Greg Adams' "Firefly", AA's "Shoot The Loop", Steve Oliver "Festevo", Keiko's "Safari", Culbertson's "Playin" , E. Darius "Uptown", Chaquico/Freeman- "Tribal Runner", Boney-"Here She Comes", Norman Brown "Dancin' In The House." We've got the songs, they are just never the "singles". No need to resort to extraneous riffing.

 

[Nock]

Okay time to chime in.

I do a show on a community station here in Nashville. I do this as a hobby because I love the music. I do a show titled "The Future Of Jazz" A mix of contemporary, acid and chill jazz.

In my fulltime gig I had a salesman that I deal with ask me for a copy of my show. Politely burned him a disc. He takes it back to his office and shares it with a few 25 - 35 females.

He came by my office today and told me that they are now burning it and sharing it. They loved it! They immediately heard jazz and thought elevator / dental music. I play all the "riffs etc" Anything from 480 East, Jeff Kashiwas new one, Dee Lucas, The Dining Rooms, Flunk, Acoustic Alchemy, Hiroshima, In fact here is the playlist of the show I shared.

* Denotes add this week

1:00 - 2:00

Four Play - Play Around It - Journey
Novecento - Easy Love - Dreams Of Peace
William Orbit - El Santo - Strange Cargo 2
Time Cunningham - Spanish Nights - Manchester Road
* Jeff Lorber - Burn Brighter - She Had A Hat
Dalminjo - And She Said - Fjord Fusioneer
* Jeff Kashiwa - Forever - Play
Chris West - The Last Resort - Jazzmanic
Time & Space - Time and Space Theme
Tosca - Rolf Royce

2:00 - 3:00

John Pederson - Along The Path - Paradise
Four 80 East - The Drop - En Route
Robert Bond - The Trees - Textures
Flunk - Haldi - Personal Stereo
Chicane - Low Sun
Si Se - My Sol
Tracy Thorn - It's All True
Afro Elements - Volcano
Denny Jiosa - Gottatude - Among Friends
Mark Gorbulew - Manhattan Groove - Rendezvous Lounge II
Balligomingo - Purify

Now heres the kicker, I am not in it for ratings, just to have fun, get creative and I have 25 - 35 year old females that are getting it?? Isn't that the demo everyone wants?

I say, it's because it's different, refreshing and not overresearched.

BTW

Saturdays 1 - 3 pm Central Time

www.radiofreenashville.org

Nock

 

[AnotherCat]

Kool-Aid Kool-Aid, tastes great! THe lastest casualty is WSBZ - Seabreeze. mear Ft. Walton on the Fla. Gulf Coast. This station is locally owned and until recently was independently programmed but staffed mostly by people in other markets who voicetracked so only one or two jobs were cut. They are still using Sandy Shore for middays which is a good thing, she's a lot better than Miranda,the BA midday jock. Talks less, says more.

 

[Nock]

Interesting because Jones is on in Panama City and the 2 Overlap nicely between Destin and Panama City and lots of folks along the coast between those 2 towns.

Nock

 

[Double D]

Interesting because Jones is on in Panama City and the 2 Overlap nicely between Destin and Panama City and lots of folks along the coast between those 2 towns.

Nock

When I vacation in Destin, I prefer WASJ 105.1 FM Panama City Beach FL over FWB's WSBZ 106.3 The Sea Breeze, even though WASJ's signal was quite weak in Destin.

WASJ's Jones SJ programming is far superior, IMHO.

 

[AnotherCat]

Kepler & Co. could sell a 5 layer chocolate brownie/icing cake to a diabetic and when the diabetic came out of his coma he'd thank Kepler for the enlightenment that comes with a near death experience. Gotta give them credit for knowing how to spin a sales pitch.

 

[Double D]

Okay time to chime in.

I do a show on a community station here in Nashville. I do this as a hobby because I love the music. I do a show titled "The Future Of Jazz" A mix of contemporary, acid and chill jazz.

Saturdays 1 - 3 pm Central Time

www.radiofreenashville.org

Nock

Had a chance to tune in to your shows (including the Tennessee Jazz & Blues Society Radio Hour) for the first time....very nice music...very fine shows!!

What you are playing is what more commercial SJ stations should be playing....the closest thing I've come across in commercial SJ radio of course is Jones SJ. Hearing your likes of your show and JSJ makes it virtually impossible for me to listen to BA's (should stand for Bland Audio) alleged version of SJ.

I'll be tuning in regularly for sure...keep up the great work!!

 

[Nock]

Nock


Had a chance to tune in to your shows (including the Tennessee Jazz & Blues Society Radio Hour) for the first time....very nice music...very fine shows!!

What you are playing is what more commercial SJ stations should be playing....the closest thing I've come across in commercial SJ radio of course is Jones SJ. Hearing your likes of your show and JSJ makes it virtually impossible for me to listen to BA's (should stand for Bland Audio) alleged version of SJ.

I'll be tuning in regularly for sure...keep up the great work!!

[/quote]

Man I appreciate the comments Double D. It's called passion for the music, Something radio has forgotten. I have developed some incredible relationships with artists and promoters because I choose to boldly go where others refuse.

Thanks for listening!

Nock

 

[Double D]

Man I appreciate the comments Double D. It's called passion for the music, Something radio has forgotten. I have developed some incredible relationships with artists and promoters because I choose to boldly go where others refuse.

Thanks for listening!

Nock

My pleasure.

FYI, FWIW, BA is now offering a clone of JSJ's Online Music Panel/Loyal Listener Survey...

http://ratethemusic.com/css_signup.cgi/sjtop20?ref=sjtop20poll

One has to wonder just how much BA relies on such surveys, especially when it comes to their introduction of new music, given the woeful lack of new music/variety offered up by BA.