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

[Hal Vickery]

I have a feeling that when they do a remake of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," Nurse Ratched will be playing Kenny G instead of Mantovani.

Hal Vickery

From: vinnyn at verizon.net
To: hvickery_80 at msn.com
Subject: RE: [Dixielandjazz] Story of demise of a smooth jazz station-- \CattSirten-- Mike Vax
Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 10:14:55 -0400

























Well there is a need for elevator (or lift)
music and this stuff fills that need.

 

 









From: Hal Vickery
[mailto:hvickery_80 at msn.com] 

Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2010
10:00 AM

To: vinnyn at verizon.net

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



 

I disagree about smooth jazz.  I think smooth jazz is
invalid music.  I think it's ideal for listening by invalids.



Hal Vickery



> From: vinnyn at verizon.net

> Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 22:00:58 -0400

> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Story of demise of a smooth jazz station--
\CattSirten-- Mike Vax

> CC: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com

> To: hvickery_80 at msn.com

> 

> 

> 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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