NEW Smooth Jazz station in Northwest Ohio

[majaman78]

You should be ashamed of yourself for not playing Marcus Miller or George Duke. You're acting like they are from some other planet-There is something on their CDs you can play if you really want to. You're still stuck musically in the past. You probably like the fact that some of these artists have been making the exact same CDs for the last 10 years-As far as our young station head goes I like your way of thinking this out-You can be the one to finally put the word smooth to rest for good-It has to start somewhere.
BTW-have you Global Noize-The Jason Miles-DJ Logic CD-It's called A Prayer For The Planet and to me it is totally on the money. This format needs injections of new fresh music that isn't so rigidly structured

What planet are YOU from?

That's exactly what BA has done to this format..."funked" it up to where it's unbearable to listen. Funky Culbertson, funky Elliot, funk funk funk. I'm pretty goddamn sick of it myself even though I enjoy it ON OCCASION. These artists went down the BA path of destruction using their funk recipe.

This is ALL BA embraced and that is EXACTLY why this format died.

George Duke peaked out some 25 years ago IMO. His new stuff is hard to listen to.

Start your own station if you think that idea will work.

Note: it won't.

 

[salemjedi54]

I do love the funkier cuts, but I also love the .wav. AC's station takes me back to when I first started listening to KOAI. Its all about super servicing your P1's. That is what AC Tones does.

 

[Donald_WBWH]

BTW-have you Global Noize-The Jason Miles-DJ Logic CD-It's called A Prayer For The Planet and to me it is totally on the money. This format needs injections of new fresh music that isn't so rigidly structured

Just to let you know, I have already played this and it gets constant airplay.

 

[Donald_WBWH]

Plus, artists like George Duke and Marcus Miller will be featured which usually are not played on SJ stations for whatever reason.

I can tell you why I don't play them, but I won't speak for the other programmers who post here. Once your station establishes a personality or trademark "vibe," and attracts a certain audience, these artists, as talented as they may be, can be difficult to work into your rotation. Speaking from my own experience (and learning the hard way not too long ago), your regular listeners come to expect a certain "sound" from your station. While I am a big proponent of changing pace, for a guy like me who spins a lot of underplayed and lost NAC instrumentals, most of their tunes make for awkward transitions, IMO. They both have a more "straight ahead" approach to their music, and Marcus Miller's stuff is way too funky for my or my core listeners' taste. But for a college station, their music could certainly appeal to a younger demo.

I completely understand your explanation AC, but I was just wondering why some of the commercial Smooth Jazz stations especially in cities like Chicago, NYC, Detroit, and even LA wouldn't try putting these artists in their playlist to try and save the format instead of switching to Smooth AC. I can tell you that we definitely want a funky-upbeat approach as we are transitioning from a big band/adult standards format that has been overplayed on the station before I got. You are also right that this can appeal to the students here at Bluffton as well. P.S. - I really like your station, it is very unique. I can't even really describe it but its great! I can get you some samples of my show if you'd like, just let me know.

 

[producer57]

To Nock
http://aprayerfortheplanet.bandcamp.com/album/a-prayer-for-the-planet

To Majiman
I go to a lot of live shows-The stuff that gets the audience going is the Funk Stuff-I agree there is alot-But you're not going to play straight ahead and Smooth jazz is more Smooth RnB than anything(the main core artists). This is all music that has been influenced from SoCal-Have you been to SJ festival-have you seen the audience? 50+ most of the time. I listen to Water Colors on XM at Times and think they have a good blend.Maybe I will start my own station-you never know-I am an entrepenuer

To AC Tones
Yes that's it-I'm the Bitter Artist who wanted to make it but didn't

 

[AC Tones]

To Nock
http://aprayerfortheplanet.bandcamp.com/album/a-prayer-for-the-planet

To Majiman
I go to a lot of live shows-The stuff that gets the audience going is the Funk Stuff-I agree there is alot-But you're not going to play straight ahead and Smooth jazz is more Smooth RnB than anything(the main core artists). This is all music that has been influenced from SoCal-Have you been to SJ festival-have you seen the audience? 50+ most of the time. I listen to Water Colors on XM at Times and think they have a good blend.Maybe I will start my own station-you never know-I am an entrepenuer

To AC Tones
Yes that's it-I'm the Bitter Artist who wanted to make it but didn't

Like I said, I'm not sure who you are or what you do. You talk a good game, but I have seen you previously denigrate successful artists like Jonathan Fritzen and Brian Culbertson and speak as some sort of authority about keyboard playing and CD sales. Smacked of professional jealousy to me, but only you know the truth. You also call yourself a producer (and entrepreneur), so that narrows the list down a little more. But this board is about anominity, and I respect that. But everyone knows who I am and where to find me, so I welcome conversations offline with anyone should you disagree with me. Would love to see you start your own station. Let's hear it. Put it out there and let the listeners decide. But don't expect it to make money. There is a reason why most NAC-inspired stations do not play the music you implore them to play. It appeals to a much smaller and targeted demographic than the wiseguys believe.

I know majaman has been to plenty of festivals, as have I. So what's your point? That's where funk has its place, although I too think it is even a bit overdone at shows. Our point is, neither I nor my listeners want to hear 7-minute tracks with lengthy drum solos, popping basses, and artists playing to the crowd, "Everybody get funky." It may make for exciting live performances, but not good radio in my mind.

 

[majaman78]

To Nock
http://aprayerfortheplanet.bandcamp.com/album/a-prayer-for-the-planet

To Majiman
I go to a lot of live shows-The stuff that gets the audience going is the Funk Stuff-I agree there is alot-But you're not going to play straight ahead and Smooth jazz is more Smooth RnB than anything(the main core artists). This is all music that has been influenced from SoCal-Have you been to SJ festival-have you seen the audience? 50+ most of the time. I listen to Water Colors on XM at Times and think they have a good blend.Maybe I will start my own station-you never know-I am an entrepenuer

To AC Tones
Yes that's it-I'm the Bitter Artist who wanted to make it but didn't

Come on, who do you think you're dealing with here, TAMA?? ;D

 

[producer57]

As I said many wanna b's of wanna b's and one of the artists that you mention is. I'm not in favor of 7 minute tracks either with popping bass solo's and extended Drum solo's. I haven't heard a track like that in a while.BTW-I do Love the Wayman Tisdale Phonk CD-Good Job Wayman!
I just want to hear good songs and that is something that I don't hear much of these days.A lot of people talk a good game but what can you deliver? Music is always supposed to be evolving-I don't hear any of these artists you mention evolving.
Artists should be taking chances in 2011-Look at George Bensons new CD-It's all what he wanted to do-a little slick at times but absolutely superb playing and choice of material.many of these artists still feel it's about radio.

I'm going to drop out and take my name off this board. You can then enjoy your conversation without my controversy and comments.
I was a player in the business for along time-signed many artists and developed a lot of careers. I'll leave it at that except to say in many ways the wrong paths are being taken
I would also say check out the soundscan chart. it will put you in the reality of what is really going on and what is should be about-people buying the music and supporting the artists. Something that is not happening in 2011

 

[AC Tones]

Hey, man. Truth be told, I want you and the other hard working artists to succeed, I really do. Times are tough. But whether you have been in the business for 30 years or 30 days, you guys have to understand that ultimately, I play what I like. And I try not to denigrate any artist's work publicly. One, I am not an artist. Two, who am I to judge or tell others what they should and should not listen to? I often refer to the old adage that one man's trash is another man's treasure, and that adage is no more applicable than it is to this genre. If my listeners' taste mirror mine, all the better. It makes me feel great when the e-mails flow in or compliments are posted on this board. It validates my taste for this music and my programming strategy, and it's nice to know that there are others out there who like the same music I do. My station has never been about stats or making money, and never will be. It's about my passion for this music. I found my niche, and I ran with it. Funk has never been my thing. I am a throwback late 80s, early 90s NAC guy, and any new music I spin by and large reflects that taste. Sure, I have played around with my programming from time to time, and my core listeners HATED it, putting it bluntly. So from this point forward, I am going to stick with what make my core guys want to tune in for 8-12 hours a day. Am I living in the past? Maybe. But there is so much good music from that era that terrestrial radio passed on that is still relevant and deserves spins today. And if I come across new music that possesses similar vibe, you can bet your ass I am going to add it to the rotation. So many guys are hung up on "evolving." If anything, we need to "devolve" and go back to the pre-BA days. That's where the good music WAS and IS, more than anyone can imagine.

 

[majaman78]

Hey, man. Truth be told, I want you and the other hard working artists to succeed, I really do. Times are tough. But whether you have been in the business for 30 years or 30 days, you guys have to understand that ultimately, I play what I like. And I try not to denigrate any artist's work publicly. One, I am not an artist. Two, who am I to judge or tell others what they should and should not listen to? I often refer to the old adage that one man's trash is another man's treasure, and that adage is no more applicable than it is to this genre. If my listeners' taste mirror mine, all the better. It makes me feel great when the e-mails flow in or compliments are posted on this board. It validates my taste for this music and my programming strategy, and it's nice to know that there are others out there who like the same music I do. My station has never been about stats or making money, and never will be. It's about my passion for this music. I found my niche, and I ran with it. Funk has never been my thing. I am a throwback late 80s, early 90s NAC guy, and any new music I spin by and large reflects that taste. Sure, I have played around with my programming from time to time, and my core listeners HATED it, putting it bluntly. So from this point forward, I am going to stick with what make my core guys want to tune in for 8-12 hours a day. Am I living in the past? Maybe. But there is so much good music from that era that terrestrial radio passed on that is still relevant and deserves spins today. And if I come across new music that possesses similar vibe, you can bet your ass I am going to add it to the rotation. So many guys are hung up on "evolving." If anything, we need to "devolve" and go back to the pre-BA days. That's where the good music WAS and IS, more than anyone can imagine.

Just sampled the new Benson CD.

It blows.

All covers.

Yawn.