| Smooth Jazz is modern blend of R&B, funk and pop music to produce relaxed, background music that features typical Jazz instrumentation and improvisational elements. Sometimes also known as new adult contemporary Smooth Jazz has a laid back tempo of between 88 and 110 beats per minute and is usually instrumental. Saxophone and guitar are popular lead instruments in this genre due to their expressive nature. Jazz purists are not generally that keen on Smooth Jazz as it is seen quite commercial and very radio friendly, some feel that it is more like background music and that it lacks originality, others though like it for precisely the same reasons finding it soothing and not too taxing.
The roots of Smooth Jazz can be heard from in the works of Wes Montgomery, Freddie Hubbard, George Benson and Chet Baker. Lush arrangements with full string parts and a heavy emphasis on melody (not usually the central theme in Jazz) drew in non Jazz music fans and by the late seventies Smooth Jazz was distinctive genre with artists such as Lee Ritenour, Larry Carlton, Don Grusin, Jr., Spyro Gyra, Sérgio Mendes and David Sanborn all notching up good record sales. Modern Smooth Jazz artists include Kenny G, Art Porter, Marc Antoine, David Benoit, Fourplay, Acoustic Alchemy, The Rippingtons, Pamela Williams, Regina Belle, and Anita Baker.
You can instantly preview a piece of music in this category by clicking Play on the adjacent Audio button, clicking the button a second time will Pause the music. While a preview is playing it is also possible to click the small Rewind button at any time to hear the track from the start again. All track previews contain an audio water mark which will be removed from the purchased product.
All pieces in this category are royalty free music and can be purchased as either MP3 (320kbps) or WAV (44.1k 16-bit) formats. |
