[Dixielandjazz] Story of demise of a smooth jazz station-- \CattSirten-- Mike Vax

Sat Aug 14 19:00:58 PDT 2010

There was a station here in New York, CD101.9, that played its "Smooth
Jazz". I think the station owned the recording studio because everything
sounded as though it all was recorded at one session and I mean everything.

My take; Smooth jazz is not jazz but pop R&B.
         Fusion is not jazz but rather Rock with hipper chords

These things are valid music and whether you like them or not is left to
taste but they are erroneously mislabeled.

It's as If record executives say "If it's in Bb its jazz" 
"If they use a flatted fifth it's jazz"
"If the guy plays a soprano (even if his name is Kenny G) it's jazz"

-----Original Message-----
From: dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com
[mailto:dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com] On Behalf Of Norman Vickers
Sent: Saturday, August 14, 2010 9:00 PM
To: Vinny
Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Story of demise of a smooth jazz station--
\CattSirten-- Mike Vax

To:  DJML and Musicians and JazzFans list

From: Norman Vickers, Jazz Society of Pensacola

Trumpeter, jazz educator and leader of the Stan Kenton Alumni Band, Mike Vax
responds.

Thanks, Mike.  See Norman' comments and query below.

From: Mike Vax [mailto:vaxtrpts at aol.com] 
Sent: Friday, August 13, 2010 8:49 PM
To: nvickers1 at cox.net
Subject: Re: Story of demise of a smooth jazz station-- Columbus, OH--Catt
Sirten

Catt is right on!  In the old days and still on some stations, jazz music
was/is presented by a DJ who not only had/has passion for the music, but a
wonderful knowledge of the music and of the musicians performing it.  Also
in the "old days," many of the DJ's knew the musicians personally and hung
out with them AND went to hear them live.
For me the biggest problem with these "smooth jazz" radio stations is the
fact that they use the word "jazz" at all.  Much of the music has no
improvisation and many of the cuts are done with a drum machine looped over
and over.  It's sure too bad it didn't get labeled something like "smooth
pop" years ago!!!!
Mike Vax

Norman responds with a comment and query-

Re "smooth jazz"  I read this comment recently in one of the music
mags-maybe Downbeat or Jazz Times.  Can't remember the musician who said (
someone can help me on this, maybe) 

"smooth jazz is jazz with the teeth removed!"

Query:  what effect has MP3s and iPod, and equivalents, had on listening
patterns?  When LPs and CDs were the standard mode of listening, at least
purchasers were able to hear an entire album and make opinion from the
entirety of the album.  Also, what is the effect of You Tube video clips,
Pandora radio via your computer and Sirius and X-M Radio.  For various
reasons, I am not a subscriber to satellite radio, rarely listen to Pandora
and rarely listen to "Music Choice" which comes with cable TV subscription.
Making an analogy, when there were only three national TV channels, all of
America was likely tuned into one. Seems like most of America tuned in to
Archie Bunker on those nights and discussions raged around the water cooler.

 ( I'm so old, I can remember what it was like with radio and similar-it was
a big deal to know who made the "Hit Parade" each week, Red Skelton and Bob
Hope.)

Thanks friends for your comments.  I look forward to getting  considerable
erudition from your discussion.

--End--

-----Original Message-----
From: Norman Vickers <nvickers1 at cox.net>
To: Norman Vickers <nvickers1 at cox.net>
Sent: Fri, Aug 13, 2010 5:34 pm
Subject: Story of demise of a smooth jazz station-- Columbus, OH--Catt
Sirten

To:  Musicians and Jazzfans list

>From Norman Vickers

Welcome to the list, Catt Sirten.  Catt is a broadcaster in the
Mobile-Pensacola area.  His format is jazz-smooth jazz.  His broadcasts have
been featured on various commercial stations and for a couple of years (
Catt will correct me if my figures are off) on WHIL-FM, a PBS affiliate in
Mobile.  He home/studio is on Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay.  When he was
broadcasting evenings for WHIL, they'd switch to his studio.  We'd
facetiously say that Catt could broadcast from home in his pajamas.  As I
understand it, he also cultivated his own advertisers.

Catt has been a friend to jazz in our area, and also personal friend, for
many years.

For those interested, see his website  <http://www.radioavalon.com>
www.radioavalon.com

At my request, he has sent some comments about the story of the demise of
the smooth jazz format in Columbus, OH.

Thanks, Catt.  We hope you will contribute often.

Norman

From: Catt Sirten [ <mailto:catt at radioavalon.com?>
mailto:catt at radioavalon.com] 

Thanks for the link in reference to the station flipping formats.  It's not
a unique story.  I certainly have a perspective on the subject...Smooth Jazz
is a modern day equivalent of the old "easy listening" format.  Or at least
that's the way it's programmed by the corporate entities that now guide
almost all commercial radio.  Low overhead, little promotion, no energy...no
passion...just "music easy to listen to...".  For three-to-six rating
periods and then they flip to the next "format du jour".

What the smooth jazz radio people have never "gotten" is that music lovers
are passionate about "their music" regardless of how laid-back, "high brow",
or eclectic the music comes across to the non-fan.  What they created is a
passionless format for listeners that, of another generation, listened to
Mantovani records...not that there's anything wrong with that.

But the result...in almost every market where "smooth jazz" exists, is a low
maintenance station with a small and passive audience that has little
loyalty to the overall product...because it doesn't give them anything to be
loyal to...it's a jukebox...a very passive, low-key jukebox.

In my opinion for jazz, in any form, to be successful in mass media is for
the station/website/blog/program/etc to mirror the soul of the music.  If
it's heavy metal, they should have an aggressive attitude...if it's jazz,
they should be passionate about the music...because their listeners are...or
would be, if someone would light the spark.

If I could use one phrase to describe the demise of radio as a music medium
it would be just that "a lack of passion"...and a plethora of "suits" that
doesn't understand the difference between John Coltrane and Kenny G.  Or the
listeners that are attracted to either...or why. 

I would certainly be interested in being on your list.

Hope all is good on your end.

Catt

--End--

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