[Dixielandjazz] Elevator Music - Jazz?

[patcooke77 at yahoo.com]

I have listened to "smooth" jazz in an effort to understand and appreciate it.  There are some very talented and capable players doing it, so I thought I might learn something.  My main difficulty is figuring out where the choruses start and stop.  It appears there are no choruses as we know them.  I have searched for even 8-bar phrases, but cannot find them either.  I will listen to an entire track with the feeling that is a long introduction, and they never get to the tune.  Or is it just a long verse with no chorus at all?  If there is someone who can tell me what to listen for, I would maybe get a handle on understanding this stuff.
 
Pat (seeking enlightenment) Cooke


----- Original Message ----
From: "Edgerton, Paul A" <paul.edgerton at eds.com>
To: DJML <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2006 4:06:37 PM
Subject: RE: [Dixielandjazz] Elevator Music - Jazz?


> How about we come up with another name for "Smooth Jazz?"

How about my favorite: "Fuzak"

I think that smooth jazz is mainly homogenized fusion, which is itself a
mix of jazz, rock and possibly latin music. Some of it is merely
ear-candy; the instrumental music equivalent of a motivational poster.
And some of it is good, subtle music with extra attention to production
values.  Most of it has more to do with instrumental pop music than with
jazz.  

Improvisation is usually limited to the solo instrument and then only in
certain passages.  Many of the artists are quite competent improvisers,
but that's not really what they are being paid to do.

Fuzak is today's Tijuana Brass.

-- Paul Edgerton


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