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Trumpetstud Veteran Member
Joined: 17 Mar 2021 Posts: 208
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Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2021 5:46 pm Post subject: Smooth Jazz |
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So what make smooth jazz, smooth jazz? I love listening to Chris Botti. I love the sound. I’m in the process of starting lessons again and I’m going to a teacher who can play it all but is really a jazz professional. If I say I want to learn jazz will I be able to pick up and play smooth jazz or will I have to specifically study smooth jazz vs “jazz”?
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Grits Burgh Heavyweight Member
Joined: 04 Oct 2015 Posts: 805 Location: South Carolina
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Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2021 6:17 pm Post subject: |
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Smooth jazz chords are quite a bit different from traditional/Dixieland jazz. I picked up traditional jazz just by listening. it just came to me naturally. That is not the case with bebop or smooth jazz. You have to do a lot more book work and practice a whole lot more on scales to figure out what is going on. To me, the thing with bebop is trying to play chromatically around chords and changes. I haven't figured out smooth jazz at all - but then, I haven't put any effort into it. _________________ Bach Stradivarius 37 (1971)
Schilke HC 1
Getzen 3810 C Cornet
King Master Bb Cornet (1945)
B&S 3145 Challenger I Series Flugelhorn
Life is short; buy every horn you want and die happy. |
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Trumpetstud Veteran Member
Joined: 17 Mar 2021 Posts: 208
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Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2021 6:58 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for your time answering. |
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Bflatman Heavyweight Member
Joined: 01 Nov 2016 Posts: 720
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Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2021 3:17 am Post subject: |
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I see bebop as chromatic and smooth jazz as melodic
I see a strong link between blues and smooth jazz but then I am untutored so what do I know.
I see blues as a story, a beginning a middle and an end and smooth jazz fits well with this
If we look at chet bakers almost blue we see melodic phrases and the same is true of my funny valentine.
The difference for me is the blues characteristically adds a question or problem between the initial phrase and the final phrase this then becomes a melodic phrase followed by a question followed by a resolution.
If we look at the blues classic cry me a river there is an initial melodic phrase and then the following phrases set up a counter melody that begs a resolution and the resolution comes at the end to lift the listener.
The classic summertime follows this melodic phrase counter melody and resolution.
And when you look at the lyrics of my funny valentine the lyrics offer a lyric resolution at the end with "each day is valentines day"
Smooth jazz has great similarities with blues and is more satisfying in some ways than bebob which while being very sophisticated can leave the listener unsatisfied in unresolved chromatic phrases where there is not a melodic resolution.
It is perhaps unfair to generalise about one of the most fundamental and critically important jazz genres as bebob but I feel smooth jazz has great appeal to audiences due its well constructed melodic forms.
In life we face problems and need resolutions so a melodic form that offers melodic phrase followed by melodic problem followed by melodic resolution strikes at the soul of the listener and answers a basic human need.
To have problems resolved.
And when listeners hear the melodic problems resolved in blues and smooth jazz they become more hopeful that problems in their lives can be resolved.
My 2 cents _________________ Conn 80a Cornet
Boosey & Hawkes Emperor Trumpet
Olds Fullerton Special Trumpet
Selmer Invicta Trumpet
Yamaha YCR 2330II Cornet
Selmer Student Trumpet
Bohland and Fuchs peashooter Trumpet
Boosey and Hawkes Regent Cornet
Lark M4045 Cornet |
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Ed Kennedy Heavyweight Member
Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Posts: 3187
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Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2021 5:27 am Post subject: |
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Smooth jazz is R&B without vocals. IMO That's not a bad thing. |
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Trumpetstud Veteran Member
Joined: 17 Mar 2021 Posts: 208
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Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2021 5:31 am Post subject: |
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Wow! |
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krell1960 Veteran Member
Joined: 20 Jan 2020 Posts: 148
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Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2021 6:03 am Post subject: Re: Smooth Jazz |
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Trumpetstud wrote: | So what make smooth jazz, smooth jazz? I love listening to Chris Botti. I love the sound. I’m in the process of starting lessons again and I’m going to a teacher who can play it all but is really a jazz professional. If I say I want to learn jazz will I be able to pick up and play smooth jazz or will I have to specifically study smooth jazz vs “jazz”?
Thanks |
Smooth Jazz, Jazz, Classical, Music is music. The more you listen to whatever your preferences are the more educated your ears become in those styles. Your ears will guide you, but you will need a basic skill set to start down that path, fundamental knowledge of how this instrument works, but in the end its what your hearing in your head and your ability to get the trumpet to speak those ideas outwardly so that others can hear it or at least just you can hear it. Studying with a Jazz guy will do you no harm, nor will studying with a Classical guy. Both provide the medicine you need to explore the smooth jazz world or any other world for that matter.
good luck in your renewed enthusiasm for the trumpet !!
Tom
PS - when i started to take my first lessons it was with a great jazz guy, and when i pursued music in college i studied with one of the greatest classical trumpet players of our time. Both gave me stuff i still use today more than 30 plus years later.
t |
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BGinNJ Veteran Member
Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 380
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Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2021 6:09 am Post subject: |
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Let me preface my comments by saying I'm not a fan of smooth jazz, though I like Chris Botti's trumpet playing. My tastes run from bebop to cool jazz, hard bop, to contemporary big band.
The big difference with "smooth" jazz is the rhythm section- The beat tends to be on 1 & 3, not 2 & 4, so it doesn't swing. Electric piano, bass, and background vocals are common, horn solos tend to be overwrought alto sax.
The music has more in common with contemporary R&B than blues, I think.
Credit should go to George Benson for pioneering the style, check out recordings from the 70's on. |
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Tony Scodwell Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 1961
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Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2021 6:51 am Post subject: Smooth jazz |
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Chris Botti is a real jazz player. He's found a niche which obviously is quite popular but he does not compromise the music at all.
My few "smooth" jazz experiences had to do with some current "names" in concert. I heard a four bar set of chords which kept turning around for the entire piece and every piece that followed was the same format and in the same key for the entire concert. It did get boring with the same tonality over and over so at that point I decided my smooth jazz listening career was finished. Hopefully there are some players out there improving things and I will be proven to be just another old fart stuck in the past
Tony Scodwell
www.scodwellusa.com |
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TrumpetMD Heavyweight Member
Joined: 22 Oct 2008 Posts: 2413 Location: Maryland
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Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2021 9:13 am Post subject: Re: Smooth jazz |
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krell1960 wrote: | Smooth Jazz, Jazz, Classical, Music is music. |
Agreed. Music is music. Terms like "smooth jazz", "jazz", and so on are just labels. They have a place. But they shouldn't be used to pigeonhole musicians or the type of music they create.
Tony Scodwell wrote: | Chris Botti is a real jazz player. He's found a niche which obviously is quite popular but he does not compromise the music at all. |
Agreed. If you have to give Chris Botti a label, I would say he is a jazz musician (and a good one at that). His albums, of course, are not classic jazz or smooth jazz. As Tony noted, he's found a popular niche for his unique sound.
Mike _________________ Bach Stradivarius 43* Trumpet (1974), Bach 6C Mouthpiece.
Bach Stradivarius 184 Cornet (1988), Yamaha 13E4 Mouthpiece
Olds L-12 Flugelhorn (1969), Yamaha 13F4 Mouthpiece.
Plus a few other Bach, Getzen, Olds, Carol, HN White, and Besson horns. |
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kalijah Heavyweight Member
Joined: 06 Nov 2003 Posts: 3260 Location: Alabama
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Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2021 11:27 am Post subject: |
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Quote: | The music has more in common with contemporary R&B |
I agree. It is basically "instrumentalised" RnB and pop. With some improvisation on that. Easy to improvise on since the harmonic structure is quite simple and even monotonous. |
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AlanK17 Regular Member
Joined: 03 Nov 2020 Posts: 28 Location: London
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Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 5:52 am Post subject: |
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Smooth jazz is certainly more groove-based, which some will find repetitive. I wouldn't say that Chris Botti has done any smooth jazz recordings since about 2003. After that he seemed to move more towards covering standards. I would suggest checking out Rick Braun's work. His earlier material is very similar to Botti's smooth jazz stuff, but I prefer his later albums from 2000 - 2014. Although his playing is just as good, I'm not so keen on the selection of tunes on his last couple of albums. Just my two cents. Oh... and avoid his vocal albums if you want to hear trumpet! _________________ 1975 Selmer Paris Radial 99 trumpet
Phil Parker London Series 1 flugel |
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Claude1949 Veteran Member
Joined: 14 Aug 2018 Posts: 188 Location: maryland
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Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2021 6:34 am Post subject: Re: Smooth jazz |
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Tony Scodwell wrote: | Chris Botti is a real jazz player. He's found a niche which obviously is quite popular but he does not compromise the music at all.
My few "smooth" jazz experiences had to do with some current "names" in concert. I heard a four bar set of chords which kept turning around for the entire piece and every piece that followed was the same format and in the same key for the entire concert. It did get boring with the same tonality over and over so at that point I decided my smooth jazz listening career was finished. Hopefully there are some players out there improving things and I will be proven to be just another old fart stuck in the past
Tony Scodwell
www.scodwellusa.com |
Listen to Rick Braun...a really great trumpeter & improviser.......in my opinion much better than Botti! _________________ Claudio |
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AndyDavids Veteran Member
Joined: 08 Jun 2020 Posts: 176
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Posted: Fri Apr 30, 2021 5:48 am Post subject: |
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My teacher said that Smooth or Happy Jazz is the anti-Bebop!
Like Spyrogyra or the Rippingtons...not bad, just different- maybe defined as more commercial
as to reach a larger audience? |
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Bryant Jordan Veteran Member
Joined: 16 Aug 2015 Posts: 410 Location: Utah, USA
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Posted: Sun May 16, 2021 12:29 am Post subject: |
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‘Smooth Jazz’ has never appealed to me. Bebop on the other hand is my favorite genre.
Answering your question, if the ‘jazz’ you’re listening to reminds you of sitting in your jacuzzi with a glass wine, it’s smooth jazz. |
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jadickson Heavyweight Member
Joined: 23 Jun 2006 Posts: 1294 Location: Raleigh, NC
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Posted: Sun May 16, 2021 2:58 am Post subject: |
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Ed Kennedy wrote: | Smooth jazz is R&B without vocals. IMO That's not a bad thing. |
This. Also straight 8th notes, not swing. That's what I think anyway.
I would also argue most of Botti's music is not smooth jazz. But the term "smooth jazz" has been around for decades, and maybe it means something different now than it used to. _________________ Justin Dickson
Middle school band director. Still learning.
www.BandmateTuner.com |
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mafields627 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 09 Nov 2001 Posts: 3776 Location: AL
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Posted: Sun May 16, 2021 4:25 am Post subject: |
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Bryant Jordan wrote: | ‘Smooth Jazz’ has never appealed to me. Bebop on the other hand is my favorite genre.
Answering your question, if the ‘jazz’ you’re listening to reminds you of sitting in your jacuzzi with a glass wine, it’s smooth jazz. |
One of the universities I attended owned a radio station that played smooth jazz during the day and that was the only thing that played in the food court. I will always equate smooth jazz with waiting in line in a food court from now on. _________________ --Matt--
No representation is made that the quality of this post is greater than the quality of that of any other poster. Oh, and get a teacher! |
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tptptp Heavyweight Member
Joined: 25 Oct 2001 Posts: 1409 Location: Georgia
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Posted: Sun May 16, 2021 12:48 pm Post subject: |
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My wife loves smooth jazz. To me much of what she listens to is boring, predictable elevator music. It's full of soprano sax.....
To her, the jazz I like is annoying.
Vive la difference. _________________ Craig Mitchell |
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