The ingredients of a good contemporary/smooth jazz station

[GMan4341]

As I read the jazz boards, I see a lot of stations flipping formats from contemporary/smooth jazz to other formats across the US. Even though I have satellite radio(XM), I would still want to listen a smooth jazz station where I can hear new artists and concerts in my area. It's strange how regular radio is turning from jazz/smooth jazz/contemporary jazz, but the malls turn to it over their intercoms to entertain their customers. So, I'm putting the question out there...What would you include on your smooth jazz/contemporary station and see it grow?

 

[GMan4341]

To add on..What would you like to hear...more vocals...more instrumental..a blend, etc?

 

[GMan4341]

Here's link to a similiar topic of smooth jazz idea back in the ATL:

http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=175558.0

 

[AnotherCat]

The bottom line is that there needs to be a shift from using the playbook of a Beautiful Music station to one that gets cues from Mainstream/Hot A/C but just happens to play a lot of songs where nobody sings. The B/EZ elements have to go.

- focus on structured instrumental that have a melody and hook. (toward the end most songs were just riffs over loops..sounded like intros with no song attached)
- a mix of moods, tempos (bring in uptempo music..the smooth and relaxing thing is very 1995) textures and types (bring pop/rock and world influences back..scale tipped too far toward R&B)
- contemporary instrumental music and jazzy adult alternative vocals instead of being nostalgia based. Covers should be the dessert, not the meal..and only strong covers that bring something new to the song
- quit apologizing for the instrumental music by watering it down with old, burnt out vocal pop songs. There is a lot of incredible
vocal music being created by and for adults that should be getting played instead of Phil Collins and Linda Ronstadt or
questionably talented singers that a producer is demoing by putting them on a smooth jazz album as the vocal track.
- personalities that have a natural, conversational and unaffected style. The days of deep announcerish voices and whisperers are over. It just sounds "old".
- be entertaining and uplifting instead of smooth and relaxing